The plan is to use $300 million from funding set aside by the Legislature in recent years to complete the system that was originally designed in 1988. Gov. Pete Ricketts said it is important for the state’s future. “Our three largest industries are agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, all of which require a strong, 21st century infrastructure […]

Norfolk gets a four-lane highway, but for now, Lincoln’s East Beltway will remain just a glimmer in the Capital City’s eye. The long-sought, 13-mile connection between Interstate 80 and Nebraska 2 didn’t make the list of $300 million in new expressway construction projects announced Thursday by Gov. Pete Ricketts and the state Roads Department. Yet […]

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 […]

Norfolk, NE – 4 Lanes 4 Nebraska today praised the work of the Nebraska Department of Roads and Governor Pete Ricketts after the announcement of new roads priorities that focus on completion of the decades-old Nebraska Expressway System. “These plans create a playbook for modern infrastructure that better connects us, enhances economic opportunities in our […]

The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) is asking to hear from you.  Next week NDOR is hosting eight meetings across the state with the purpose of gathering public input on which roads projects deserve priority and might most benefit our state and regional economies. It is very important that you make your voice heard at […]

By The Associated Press Updated Apr 12, 2016 COLUMBUS — Nebraska’s expressway system is still generating a lot of attention from the pubic and was one of the primary topics discussed Friday at a public hearing held by the Nebraska Department of Roads. Business and community leaders in northeast Nebraska are calling for expansion of […]

By ZACH PLUHACEK and JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star Updated 11 min ago (0) Lawmakers have approved a $450 million infrastructure bank intended to speed work on Nebraska’s expressway system and other major highway projects. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, passed Tuesday on a 48-0 vote. “It’s great to see […]

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. […]

By Melanie Wilkinson Managing Editor YORK – Armed with a recent economic impact study and first-hand knowledge about the importance of transportation infrastructure, local officials testified Tuesday afternoon at a legislative committee hearing in a push to have Highway 81 finished once and for all. York, Polk and Platte Counties financially participated in the new […]

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 […]

January 07, 2016 4:00 pm  •  By ZACH PLUHACEK | LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR Paving the way for another big boost in spending on Nebraska roads, Gov. Pete Ricketts and key lawmakers unveiled plans to pull up to $150 million from the state’s rainy-day fund to pay for highway construction and related work. The move would establish a “transportation […]

Norfolk, NE — 4 Lanes 4 Nebraska praised proposals announced today to reform state transportation policies and speed up long-stalled Expressway System projects. “This is great news for infrastructure development across Nebraska,” said Josh Moenning, executive director of 4 Lanes 4 Nebraska. “These proposals are necessary first steps to modernizing Nebraska’s transportation policies, and they […]

December 23, 2015 Gov. Pete Ricketts Gov. Pete Ricketts says he is looking at more than just property tax relief in the upcoming legislative session. Priority number one, as expressed many times by the governor, is property tax relief. He follows that closely with income tax relief, which he says is unlikely to go anywhere […]

December 16, 2015 11:59 pm • BY THE JOURNAL STAR EDITORIAL BOARD2 Journal Star editorial board The state rules for funding highway projects are changing, with a new emphasis to be placed on economic goals when projects are selected. The pending changes make it doubly important for communities and businesses to take advantage of opportunities […]

Nebraska could get a jump on about $16.1 billion worth of highway needs over the next two decades if state lawmakers approve measures that will be proposed next year, officials say. The measures would use money already available to the state and could “fast forward” future highway projects by as much as five years, state […]

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, […]