Dredged Illinois River sand is nutrient poor and has low cation exchange capacity.Engineering this soil by adding amendments to increase nutrient retention may help sustain plant growth and absorb contaminants when the sand is used in bioslopes, bioswales, and rain gardens. The objectives of this study were to compare the physical and chemical properties of engineered soils derived from dredged Illinois River sand combined with mixtures of a locally produced compost, dried Class B biosolids from the Greater Peoria Sanitary District (GPSD), and pyrolyzed GPSD biosolids, and to study their effect on the growth of a grass mixture designed for chronically wet areas, such as bioslopes and/or bioswales along Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) highways. Dry and wet bulk densities of the soil mixtures increased with increasing levels of both biosolids and pyrolyzed biosolids. Soils containing higher levels of compost were linked to higher CEC, soluble salts, porosity, and soil moisture. Shoot and root lengths, and fresh and dry tissue mass were highest in mixtures containing the higher compost levels. These results indicate that the addition of compost to Illinois River sand may be required for adequate grass growth in these engineered soils saturated with water. The use of either biosolids or pyrolyzed biosolids as nutrient sources may need to be supplemented with compost for adequate plant growth.