LINCOLN — Former Gov. Kay Orr launched the expressway system 28 years ago as a network of four-lane highways connecting Nebraska’s largest cities to Interstate 80. The last of 600 miles of concrete was supposed to have been poured in 2003, but other budget priorities and a lack of road construction dollars left 132 miles […]
By Joe Duggan / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — About a year ago, Nebraska state senators passed a gasoline tax increase over the veto of the new governor. Tuesday, lawmakers agreed to tap the new gas tax revenue and the state’s cash reserve to pave the way for one of Gov. Pete Ricketts’ top legislative priorities […]
By Joe Duggan / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — A state legislative committee approved an $8.9 billion budget package Monday that includes new funding for road construction, prison beds and levee improvements to help protect Offutt Air Force Base from flooding. Members of the Appropriations Committee voted 8-1 to advance amended versions of two budget bills […]
POSTED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016 9:00 PM By Joe Duggan / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — Business, industry and agriculture groups lined up Tuesday to support the governor’s plan to create a new fund for state highway construction and county bridge repair. The Legislature’s Appropriations Committee heard three hours of testimony for a bill that would […]
POSTED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2016 5:45 PM By Joe Duggan / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — Two key senators in the Nebraska Legislature agree that an infrastructure bank could accelerate major road projects, bridge repair and economic development in the state. They disagree, however, on how best to pay for the proposed method of funding transportation construction. […]
POSTED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016 7:45 AM| UPDATED: 4:43 PM, TUE FEB 2, 2016. By Martha Stoddard / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts got a cordial reception from Nebraska lawmakers for his State of the State address Thursday, but his ideas may be a tougher sell. Some lawmakers questioned his opposition to expanding Medicaid, his plan […]
POSTED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Duggan / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts urged state lawmakers Thursday to greenlight a $150 million proposal he said would help Nebraska’s expressway system cross the finish line sooner. A forthcoming bill sponsored by State Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion will propose transferring $150 million […]
By Paul Hammel / World-Herald Bureau LINCOLN — The state senator who won approval of a state gas tax hike earlier this year now wants to create a state loan fund to move spending on the state’s expressway system into the fast lane. Nebraska still has 167 miles of its 600-mile expressway project to build, […]
By Paul Hammel / World-Herald staff writer NORFOLK, Neb. — Get ready for more talk about Nebraska using a new financing method called an infrastructure bank to speed up completion of the state’s long-delayed expressway system. On Wednesday, a parade of witnesses told a panel of state lawmakers that they’ve grown tired of waiting for […]
By Joseph Morton / World-Herald Bureau WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday voted to slap yet another temporary patch on the Federal Highway Trust Fund, while the Senate appeared to be making progress on a long-term transportation bill. The House bill, which passed 312-119, garnered the support of all members from Nebraska and western […]
