City officials will be fielding input from the public on Thursday, September 5, regarding the construction of a overpass in the area of 33rd and Cornhusker Highway.
Staff with Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) and the Railroad Transportation Safety District (RTSD) will be available at the Country Inn and Suites, near 27th Street and Folkways Boulevard, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the open house. A formal presentation will begin at 5 p.m., followed by public testimony at 5:30 p.m.
The project would construct a viaduct over the BNSF railroad tracks in the area, closing the at-grade railroad crossings at Adams Street and the 33rd Street. The purpose for the project is to eliminate or reduce conflict points between trains and vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists; to reduce delays for emergency responders, motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists when streets are blocked by trains; to reduce congestion; and to improve mobility and multimodal connectivity.
“This is an exciting milestone for the community as we continue to move this project along,” said RTSD Executive Director for Lincoln/Lancaster County Roger Figard. “It’s not an easy area to find a perfect solution. There are almost 50 trains a day going through there. There’s over 20,000 cars driving through that area… it’s taken us a while to pull together perfect plans, but we think we have a really good solution for this area, and we want to share it with the public and garner their input on our proposed project as we move ahead.”
With nearly 50 trains moving through the area everyday, Lincoln drivers experience significant delays in travel. StarTran busses and emergency vehicles also must adapt their travel routs to preemptively avoid train delays. For these reasons, Figard is excited to move this project along and hear from members of the public.
The RTSD has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA). At the hearing, the RTSD will present the DEA and accept public comments. Representatives from the RTSD, LTU, and consultant team will be available to answer questions and receive feedback.
The meeting room is accessible for persons with disabilities, and a Spanish interpreter will be available. To make accommodations for those with hearing and/or vision impairments and those with limited English proficiency, call the RTSD at 402-326-0617 by August 30. Written materials will be available in English and Spanish.
Complete project information, hearing materials, and online-comment forms are available at lincoln.ne.gov/33rdCornhusker. Comments will be accepted through September 26.
After Sept. 5’s public hearing, Figard says the goal is to start on final design drafts in 2025-26, with construction slated to begin in 2028.