Lincoln Beltway

[Edagger]

http://www.kolnkgin.com/home/headlines/49115142.html



Mayor Chris Beutler says Highway 2 is overused and with the rate of growth in the city things are just going to get worse, making a south beltway necessary.

Mayor Beutler will make his pitch to the State Highway Commission Friday. The commission decides which road projects the state does.

He says he wants state roads officials to make the project a priority and is willing to help.

"It may be a state project, but I intend to do whatever I can to help bring renewed focus to getting this particular project done," he said, "and in that regard, I'm prepared to commit to the commissioners to raise any needed local match in a timely manner."

Click on the video icon to hear the mayor's comments on the beltway project.

[iamjacobm]

http://beatricedailysun.com/news/local/ ... 9ffc4.html

The 8.7-mile, four-lane highway would be built half a mile south of Saltillo Road and stretch from U.S. 77 on the west to where Nebraska 2 and 120th Street meets on the east. The price tag: $200 million.

The highway would have interchanges at U.S. 77, 27th, 68th and 84th streets and at Nebraska 2 on the east. It also would include overpasses and underpasses at smaller intersections.

Construction on the beltway project, a concept that dates to the 1960s, is slated to start in 2020 with completion in about 2025, according to an NDOR timeline.

The goal is to get heavy truck and semi traffic off of Nebraska 2, the heavily used commuter thoroughfare in the city, and create a more efficient traffic flow. At its busiest sections, more than 40,000 vehicles traverse it each day, as many as some parts of Interstate 80.

[S33]

About frickin' time.

[Turtle9160]

Sounds like a smart idea on Lincolns part to do this, and with all truck traffic on Hwy 2 this will help get it off there.  Wasnt this the idea behind the beltway proposal in Omaha, get the heavy truck traffic off 80 though town, wonder if and when the Omaha area will start theres or is it a no go?

[RNcyanide]

I don't think Omaha has outgrown the 680 belt yet. I think they would be better off building something through Sarpy. If it wasn't for 370, that would have been a good place for an interstate.

[Greg S]

South Beltway back on the table in Lincoln:

http://journalstar.com/news/local/south ... 6a020.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Linkin5]

South Beltway back on the table in Lincoln:

http://journalstar.com/news/local/south ... 6a020.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This needs to happen, it will clear up a ton of semi traffic on Highway 2.

[iamjacobm]

http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/nebr ... 5697d.html

Nebraska has landed a $25 million competitive grant to build a new expressway south of Lincoln.

The Lincoln South Beltway project is a new four-lane, east-west thoroughfare that will divert freight trucks off local streets, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said in a press release announcing the grant.

“The Lincoln South Beltway project will have an incredibly positive impact on our families and communities for years to come,” Fischer said. “With this new grant, the state of Nebraska will be able to build a brand new expressway, which will alleviate traffic and increase safety for Nebraskans, especially those in the Lincoln area.”

[iamjacobm]

Here is an info sheet.

http://dot.nebraska.gov/media/10545/lnk ... -sheet.pdf

[RockHarbor]

Such awesome news for "The Last City To Get A Loop." !!! (My nickname for Lincoln. For a town its size, it literally probably is...)

[damonhynes]

What about an *east* beltway! (It'd help us stormchasers out...)

Seriously, trying to get to the restaurants along O Street coming from Omaha is a pain.

[EricHaley]

What about an *east* beltway! (It'd help us stormchasers out...)

Seriously, trying to get to the restaurants along O Street coming from Omaha is a pain.

An east beltway is also in the works.

[damonhynes]

An east beltway is also in the works.

W00t! Thanks!

[Erik]

I mean, even Fremont has a beltway

[Dundeemaha]

An east beltway is also in the works.

W00t! Thanks!

The west and south beltways were funded by the Build Nebraska Act https://dot.nebraska.gov/projects/tia/cap-improve/

The east beltway is unfunded but the corridor between 120th and 134th is protected.

Here's the full map:

source: https://lincoln.ne.gov/city/pworks/proj ... t-beltway/

[RockHarbor]

I know it sounds "nerdy", but I am so excited that Nebraska will eventually have three cities -- Omaha, Lincoln, Fremont -- with loops showing on the road atlas. Not only do I like the aesthetics on a map, but Lincoln has needed this for so long. I literally feel sorry for people who live on the newer & nice side of South Lincoln, in regards to the time it takes to get to I-80. I used to live in Lincoln, I know how long it takes. Even exiting 27th off I-80, and driving south to the central core of Lincoln takes 20-30 minutes during the day in traffic. It's almost strange living in such a small-to-medium-size city and having commute times being so drawn out. Plus, people drive slower there than Omaha.

[jsheets]

https://journalstar.com/news/local/govt ... 149a5.html

Final design for the 11-mile Lincoln South Beltway is finished, and the state will begin purchasing the necessary rights of way and relocating utilities early next year, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

[daveoma]

The article mentions truck traffic being diverted to Nebraska City. If truck traffic is being diverted to Highway 2, does that not negate the purpose for a freeway in southern Sarpy County?

[jessep28]

They haven't even broke ground on the thing yet, and people in the comment section are already complaining about the roundabouts.

[ita]

It looks like they are expediting this project; projected completion to be three years rather than eight.

https://journalstar.com/legislature/ric ... op-story-1

[RockHarbor]

Thats so awesome! Lincoln totally needs this. I cant wait until a Nebraska map shows both metros with a loop/beltway. Also, Lincoln will have a outer freeway to maybe put in a new mall & suburban office park along it... So great to hear. Thanks for posting this update.

[Steve]

Nice drone video of the South Beltway progress:

[youtube][/youtube]

[Bomaha]

August 2020 update:

[youtube][/youtube]

[ita]

Nebraska Officials Celebrate Progress On Lincoln South Beltway

Nebraska officials are celebrating the ongoing construction of Lincoln’s South Beltway, a project that, when completed, is expected to improve interstate travel through Nebraska and reduce conflicts between local and through traffic.

At a celebration event Thursday, Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird joined Governor Pete Ricketts, Senator Deb Fischer, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and other officials in applauding the decades of work that brought the project to where it is now.

“This project spans the terms of ten Nebraska governors, eleven Lincoln mayors and thirteen DOT directors, so we know we walk on the shoulders of giants here,” said Baird.

The $352 million project is one of the largest and most complex the Nebraska Department of Transportation has undertaken. COO of Hawkins Construction, Chris Hawkins, recalled the many late nights it took to get the project moving.

[Brad]

I have not been following this topic so I was surprised when I came across this construction a couple different times this fall. Great to see the progress.

[ita]

Looming large: On 11-mile construction site, bridge at end of South Beltway rises

Peter Salter
The scope of the project was unprecedented: 77 total lane miles; five interchanges; and 21 bridges, including the beltway’s most prominent piece — a nearly half-mile-long flyover, soaring up to 65 feet over U.S. 77 south of Saltillo Road.

Hawkins officials spent two months crunching final numbers to respond to the request’s deadline.

The calculations were staggering. They’d have to move 5.3 million cubic yards of earth. They’d need more than 8,000 tons of steel rebar and girders. They would pour nearly 830,000 square yards of concrete. They’d have to have traffic flowing freely in three years.

And it would cost $352 million.

[Brad]

Came across some aerial photos from this project. I drove by this project the other day and they are further along now. I'm guessing these were taken mid summer 2021.

https://www.schemmer.com/portfolio/linc ... h-beltway/

[Coyote]

Watch now: More than half paved,
Lincoln's South Beltway set to open in less than a year[

The first bite of earth for the South Beltway came out of a cornfield near U.S. 77 and Saltillo Road in May 2020. Then contractors took another. And another. Two years later, Hawkins Construction and its army of dozers, diggers, scrapers and haulers have moved 5.25 million cubic yards of dirt along the 11-mile-long construction site — enough to fill nearly 300,000 dump trucks. They’re almost done with that heavy lifting, needed to shape roadways and build bridge embankments. Just 500,000 more cubic yards to move.



Project Update - May 2022

[Louie]

Is there a plan to run a road from where the south beltway connects to HWY 2 to the interstate around Waverly or so?

[almighty_tuna]

Is there a plan to run a road from where the south beltway connects to HWY 2 to the interstate around Waverly or so?

Yes, that's billed as the east beltway

https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departm ... st-Beltway

[Louie]

Is there a plan to run a road from where the south beltway connects to HWY 2 to the interstate around Waverly or so?

Yes, that's billed as the east beltway

https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departm ... st-Beltway

Oh derp, good find.

[Busguy2010]

I really think the Omaha Metro should have been as aggressive in their own beltway aspirations. I'm saying as far as 370 could have been our south beltway, which to me would have made more sense and have been more useful. Now they're trying Platteview road for our south beltway, and it looks like a north/south freeway on the west end of town can't happen because its already developed beyond that point. I really think in hindsight, Omaha should have done their outer beltway about 20 years ago, because as we can see, the sprawl happened even without such a beltway. Now we have subdivisions pushing the Elkhorn River with insufficient infrastructure to support them.

[Garrett]

Beltways only ever increase suburban sprawl. We’d have subdivisions pushing out even further if there was a western belt.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Beltways only ever increase suburban sprawl. We’d have subdivisions pushing out even further if there was a western belt.

Indeed. Beltways serve no purpose other than to make the city duller.

[Busguy2010]

Beltways only ever increase suburban sprawl. We’d have subdivisions pushing out even further if there was a western belt.

Indeed. Beltways serve no purpose other than to make the city duller.

I understand what you both are saying, but I'm saying it would have been different in Omaha. Specifically because the Elkhorn and Platte rivers, and associated flood plains are major geographical boundaries. In essence what I'm saying is I don't think Omaha will ever expand beyond those boundaries, with or without a beltway. So I think we really missed out on providing a real North/South thoroughfare for far west Omaha, We should have had that beltway plan in place 20+ years ago if we were going to do it. That plan essentially had 180th being part of the beltway. I think it would really be an asset today, but obviously Omaha is far too built out to even think about doing it. So now we are stuck with whatever traffic issues we are stuck with out there.

Lincoln, however, I feel would fit your guys' argument, because they have boundless farmland beyond their beltway to sprawl upon, and I do think that will happen there.

[buildomaha]

Beltways only ever increase suburban sprawl. We’d have subdivisions pushing out even further if there was a western belt.

Indeed. Beltways serve no purpose other than to make the city duller.

I understand what you both are saying, but I'm saying it would have been different in Omaha. Specifically because the Elkhorn and Platte rivers, and associated flood plains are major geographical boundaries. In essence what I'm saying is I don't think Omaha will ever expand beyond those boundaries, with or without a beltway. So I think we really missed out on providing a real North/South thoroughfare for far west Omaha, We should have had that beltway plan in place 20+ years ago if we were going to do it. That plan essentially had 180th being part of the beltway. I think it would really be an asset today, but obviously Omaha is far too built out to even think about doing it. So now we are stuck with whatever traffic issues we are stuck with out there.

Lincoln, however, I feel would fit your guys' argument, because they have boundless farmland beyond their beltway to sprawl upon, and I do think that will happen there.

Hopefully the lack of space for beltways and ever increasing traffic will force Omaha to prioritize high capacity widespread public transit.

[Louie]

Beltways only ever increase suburban sprawl. We’d have subdivisions pushing out even further if there was a western belt.

Indeed. Beltways serve no purpose other than to make the city duller.

I understand what you both are saying, but I'm saying it would have been different in Omaha. Specifically because the Elkhorn and Platte rivers, and associated flood plains are major geographical boundaries. In essence what I'm saying is I don't think Omaha will ever expand beyond those boundaries, with or without a beltway. So I think we really missed out on providing a real North/South thoroughfare for far west Omaha, We should have had that beltway plan in place 20+ years ago if we were going to do it. That plan essentially had 180th being part of the beltway. I think it would really be an asset today, but obviously Omaha is far too built out to even think about doing it. So now we are stuck with whatever traffic issues we are stuck with out there.

Lincoln, however, I feel would fit your guys' argument, because they have boundless farmland beyond their beltway to sprawl upon, and I do think that will happen there.

Hopefully the lack of space for beltways and ever increasing traffic will force Omaha to prioritize high capacity widespread public transit.

As well as forcing the density to increase due to those natural limitations. Which in turn boosts the need for said transit.

[nativeomahan]

Just about every major city (and not a few smaller ones) in the US and in the Industrial world has at least one beltway. I’m very familiar with the KC, DC and Baltimore, Maryland ones. Denver built one a decade or two ago. The others are much older. Each has a vibrant inner core. They are far from being mutually exclusive.

[Busguy2010]

Just about every major city (and not a few smaller ones) in the US and in the Industrial world has at least one beltway. I’m very familiar with the KC, DC and Baltimore, Maryland ones. Denver built one a decade or two ago. The others are much older. Each has a vibrant inner core. They are far from being mutually exclusive.

For once, we finally agree. A city can manage to have both vibrant urban and suburban areas. I think Omaha could have benefitted from a beltway if it were done by today, and I also think Omaha can really benefit from transit investments. Lets get real, look at commuter rail and light rail.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I’ll amend my statement to say that they are good for moving freight and industrial traffic, keeping it from going inside the city. I think that’s something the Lincoln beltway will be good at.

But in comparing cities with beltways to those without, look at Vancouver and seattle. The former has no beltway while the latter does. Both have vibrant cores, but you’d get the impression that Vancouver is the larger city based on core size and density when in fact it is significantly smaller than seattle - 2.6 million vs 4 million.