U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao recently received an update on the $300 million Lincoln South Beltway project, which was awarded a $25 million Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grant in May.
Chao was joined in Omaha by U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE). Nebraska Department of Transportation Director Kyle Schneweis provided the update.
The project will divert most of the large truck traffic from Nebraska Highway and reduce wear on the existing road. Nebraska Highway will serve local traffic through Lincoln. Redirected traffic will bypass the city and become part of the state highway system.
“The Lincoln South Beltway project will allow freight to move more efficiently and also increase safety and ease congestion for local residents,” Chao said.
Once constructed, the four-lane, 11-mile Lincoln South Beltway will be the primary route between U.S. Highway 77 and the existing Nebraska Highway 2.
It will have system interchanges at US-77 and N-2 as well as service interchanges at S. 27th Street, S. 68th Street, and S. 82nd Street.
Project benefits also include stormwater mitigation, groundwater recharge in areas of water scarcity, wetlands creation, and brownfield redevelopment.
The project is in the final design stage.