South Highway 75/Missouri River Bridge Construction

[Linkin5]

They've got all 4 lanes open again down to Laplatte.  Lot's of changes between the river and Plattsmouth.

I drove to Beaver Lake today, definitely some progress made since this summer.  It will be nice when everything is done.

[Turtle9160]

Went to take a look at the construction, looks like were 34 crosses 75 it wont immedatly be a freeway interchange but rather set up for it to become one later one once they extend the road on the west side to Platteview. New Platesmouth interchange will be a freeway stlye one upon compeletion though.

[matt]

Would be nice if B-Rad would do a fly over and give us a pictorial?

[Brad]

Would be nice if B-Rad would do a fly over and give us a pictorial?

I wanted too last time I was up, but ran out of time.  There a bridge near Plattsmouth I wanted a shot of too.

[nebugeater]

Would be nice if B-Rad would do a fly over and give us a pictorial?

It's not cheep. Pony up the $ and I am sure he will get whatever shos you want!  

[matt]

heck I will pony up some money. How much is it

[Brad]

heck I will pony up some money. How much is it

$2100.00 for the Helicopter.

I had a guy with an airplane that charged $100 but he moved away.  Looking for someone else that has a plane.  He wasn't technically "charging" me, I was paying for the fuel to operate the plane.

[matt]

Ahh 2100 would be my whole bank account. guess I will wait till it opens. Was working in Plattsmouth this week and noticed alot of cranes at offut. Also saw cranes in the distance where the bridge is going to be. Looks like an overpass is being made over 75 also north of the platte.

[LookingGlass]

Part of the new road is open. You can take the 4 lane down to Harlan Lewis, but not yet to the bridge. Google Maps has it listed at Hwy 34/Platteview Rd. Also, you cannot get to LaPlatte from Harland Lewis/Laplatte Rd any longer. They blocked off the road at the railroad tracks. The only way to get to town is from Hwy 75.

[Brad]

Also, you cannot get to LaPlatte from Harland Lewis/Laplatte Rd any longer.  They blocked off the road at the railroad tracks.  The only way to get to town is from Hwy 75.

Is this permanent? I was surprised to find it closed over the holidays. My dad said he didn't think it was going to be closed permanently, but it sure looked like it when you drive by. I talked to a few other railroad photographers who were surprised by it too.

[Coyote]

Can Platteview Road handle influx of traffic some expect with new bridge?

This fall, drivers south of Bellevue will have quicker access to Iowa by way of a new Missouri River bridge. The new bridge just might speed people's trips between Interstate 29 in Iowa and Interstate 80 south of Gretna.

But the most direct route to get across Sarpy County is the dinky Platteview Road.

Some elected officials say they're behind in formulating a plan for the road's future and unprepared for the influx of drivers, particularly truckers, who will use the route in just a few months.

[Brad]

I shot photos of the new bridge last weekend, I need to get them posted.

[Coyote]

I hope the bridge is 4 lanes...

[BRoss]

I hope the bridge is 4 lanes...

It is. Between I-29 and the Kennedy Frwy, it's four lanes.

[Brad]

I shot photos of the new bridge last weekend, I need to get them posted.

Not sure what it is with these Photos, but Every Time I go to work on them, a Realtor calls and want to show the house. I just pulled out my external hard drive and the phone rang...

[Brad]

1. Looking East from Highway 75.


2. From the West (Nebraska Side) looking at the west approach and north side of the bridge.


3. West Approach


4. Zoomed in on the West Approach

[Coyote]

[MTO]

So this is highway not freeway, great job planning for the future.

[Busguy2010]

So this is highway not freeway, great job planning for the future.

I agree. The whole plan was for this to be part of the beltway, which would presumably be a freeway. How much more could it have cost to build medians and wider shoulders?

[jessep28]

So this is highway not freeway, great job planning for the future.

I agree.  The whole plan was for this to be part of the beltway, which would presumably be a freeway.  How much more could it have cost to build medians and wider shoulders?

If Federal highway dollars are involved, why build something right the first time? You're missing out on that second round of funding when you have to improve the first construction project to conform with the second.

[Brad]

It has a median and wide shoulders?

The very front part of my first photo is the temporary access until they complete the bridge over highway 75. If you look deeper in the photo you can see the raised median the rest of the way. Granted it does have a couple left turn lanes but those could be removed if needed.

[iamjacobm]

Looks a lot like 204th Street.

[Brad]

1. Also going full speed ahead is the Highway 75 Bridge over the Platte River


2. Also the Bay Road interchange

[Busguy2010]

It has a median and wide shoulders?

I was referring to the kind of median you would see on a freeway.

[Busguy2010]

If you look to the east at the I-29 nd HWY 34 interchange it kind of looks like they plan on making it a no stop interchange some time in the future.

[Brad]

If you look to the east at the I-29 nd HWY 34 interchange it kind of looks like they plan on making it a no stop interchange some time in the future.

Too me it looks like they will only have 2 loops so there would still be a traffic light for Eastbound 34 to go north and also westbound 34 to go south.

[Busguy2010]

I am sure you are right. But with just a little imagination I end up with something like this:

[Coyote]

Opening next Wednesday at 6 pm

[skinzfan23]

In opening of Missouri River bridge, Bellevue sees its opportunity to attract development

In November, Bellevue residents will vote on a proposition that would allow the city to spend up to $750,000 a year on economic development in the bridge area. If approved, Bellevue could spend the money on infrastructure; the city is focusing on sewer lines.

Plans call for the area to develop into a rail-served industrial hub. But with the four-lane bridge now complete, Bellevue officials say the development will not arrive without financial incentives from the city.

Highway 34 bridge project facts
» After two decades of planning, the project broke ground in September 2010. It originally was set to open in late 2013 but was delayed until this year because of historic Missouri River flooding in 2011 and wildlife restrictions. The bridge will open to traffic Wednesday afternoon.

» The whole project, which includes the bridge and its approaches, cost about $115 million, with the federal government paying 80 percent of the cost and Iowa and Nebraska splitting 20 percent. The bridge itself cost $61 million. Jensen Construction Co. of Des Moines was the primary contractor on the bridge.

» There has never been a bridge at this location. The last new bridge over the Missouri between Iowa and Nebraska was the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, which opened in 2008. The rebuilt Veterans Memorial Bridge opened to traffic in 2010. The last entirely new bridge meant for vehicles was the Bellevue toll bridge, built in 1950.

[Coyote]

There was a sign along I-29 yesterday that said 34 would be open at 3 on Wednesday. A nice interchange in Iowa. They will probably be building that exchange up. It is a nice location before or after CB.

[Brad]

I still haven't processed a majority of the Aerial Photos that I took in June. Photos of this bridge are one of them!

[nativeomahan]

I drove the new US 34 today, from I-29 to US 75. No question in my mind that this is the way I will now travel into Omaha from NB I-29. It avoids all of the mess in Council Bluffs.
The speed limit is 65 mph all the way until just before you reach US 75.

[bluecollartechworker]

I take Kennedy Freeway South and take this new road over the Missouri and I29 and head east on Hwy 34. Google Maps said it was a little quicker than going on I80 through Council Bluffs even considering there is a stoplight to get off of Hwy 75 and get onto the new Hwy 34 bridge. It's a nice road although it would be nice if it was a freeway interchange instead of a stoplight.

[Turtle9160]

I take Kennedy Freeway South and take this new road over the Missouri and I29 and head east on Hwy 34. Google Maps said it was a little quicker than going on I80 through Council Bluffs even considering there is a stoplight to get off of Hwy 75 and get onto the new Hwy 34 bridge. It's a nice road although it would be nice if it was a freeway interchange instead of a stoplight.

It looks like eventually it will be a freeway interchange but I wonder how long it will be before that happens

[BRoss]

It's scheduled for sometime between 2016 and 2019:
http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/lb-84/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Louie]

It's scheduled for sometime between 2016 and 2019:
http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/lb-84/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's a little too specific for my taste.

[skinzfan23]

After 7-year-old girl's death from crash, officials study temporary fix to make Highway 75 intersection safer

Sometime in the next two to five years, the state wants to replace the intersection that offers left turns across highway traffic. It would install an interchange with on and off ramps.
In the meantime, the Roads Department will study a temporary fix.
Currently, Highway 75 shuttles 20,000 to 30,000 cars daily, driving at 65 mph, into and out of the metro area. A new Missouri River bridge has added more traffic.
Sometime between 2016 and 2019, Platteview Road is due to be realigned and moved south about a half-mile to tie into the new Highway 34 interchange.
Upon completion, Highway 75 will be converted to a freeway system, and the only access will be via interchanges.