The City of Lincoln’s voter approved quarter-cent sales tax increase for street improvements — Lincoln on the Move — is set to expire in September of 2025… and city leaders hope that voters renew the program.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird was joined by other officials Thursday to deliver the 2023-24 Lincoln on the Move annual report. This year, the program yielded $19.3 million and funded nearly 27 lane miles of street improvements and new construction on a variety of neighborhood and arterial street improvements. The fifth Lincoln on the Move annual report is available at lincoln.ne.gov/streets.
While the Mayor did not make an announcement on a renewed voter initiative today, she said she wanted to highlight the improvements the program has provided.
To date, the City has invested $79.5 million in street improvements and new street construction through the program. The City has implemented or completed 55 additional street improvement and new construction projects since the voter-approved quarter-cent sales tax took effect in 2019. The City anticipates completion of 65 street improvement and new construction projects before the quarter-cent sales tax expires in September 2025.
“Simply put, with Lincoln on the Move we have seen the acceleration of our community’s economy, safety, and quality of life; without Lincoln on the Move, $18 million dollars in annual street funding goes away, a severe blow to our community’s momentum and quality of life,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said.
Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director Liz Elliott said that without Lincoln on the Move quarter-cent sales tax, the community faces a future with fewer street improvements, longer wait times for street projects, and higher street repair costs as interest rates and material costs continue to climb.
“At the City of Lincoln, we will continue to build new streets and maintain existing ones to serve our growing community. However, without additional sales tax funds to offset a future gap in funding, we would need to prepare for a much different reality – one with significant negative impacts on street safety, congestion, and future costs,” Elliott said.
The Lincoln on the Move initiative allocates 73.5% of the revenue to existing street improvements, 25% to new street construction in growth areas, and 1.5% to the LTU and Railroad Transportation Safety District partnership to enhance the North 33rd and Cornhusker Highway railroad intersections.
To view all Lincoln on the Move projects, visit lincoln.ne.gov/LOTMProjects.