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1999-10-12 Transportation Coalitionot"?Ise of avO To: Nebraska Department of Roads John Craig — State Engineer Judith Schweikert — District Commissioner John Jacobsen — District Engineer Nebraska Highway Commission From: Washington County Transportation Coalition City of Blair - Michael Mines, Mayor Washington County - Kent Wilcox, Chairman Blair Public Schools - Lyle Schjodt, President Gateway Development Corporation - James Realph, President Blair Area Chamber of Commerce - Bob Schmoll, President RE: Annual Highway Information Meeting — District 2 Blair City Council Chambers October 12, 1999 On behalf of the citizens of Blair and Washington County, we would again like to take this opportunity to thank the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) for the continued good working relationship that we have enjoyed in the past several years. Your cooperation has been greatly appreciated. Although much highway work has been completed in the past several years, Blair and Washington County continue to grow, and with this growth, new transportation needs are upon us. The City of Blair has worked hard over the past three (3) or four (4) years to provide necessary local funding to help improve the streets and highways in the Blair area, including the passage of a one (1) cent City sales tax for seven (7) years. The continued cooperation of NDOR, the City of Blair, and Washington County will be vital if we are to meet the area transportation needs as we move into the new millennium. We continue to propose an aggressive agenda. The highway needs are enormous, but are vital to our health, safety, and welfare of our citizens. Our needs and goals meet the needs and goals of the Department, the Commission and citizens of Nebraska. Thank you and we urge your support in a continuing effort to move these projects forward. 218 South 16th Street • Blair, Nebraska 68008 • 402-426-4191 • Fax 402-426-4195 • E-mail cityofblair a huntel,net 17 r06/se of Washington County Transportation Coalition Priority and Project List 1. Highway 30 South / Lincoln Street South to Highway 133 (Blair Map) This project continues to be the high priority project for the City of Blair. The number of accidents on this stretch of highway continues to go upward. All efforts need to be made to keep this project on schedule. 2. Fort Calhoun Cut -Off Road (Area Map) This is a County Federal Aid Road Project. Phase one (1) of the project is under construction. All efforts should be made to keep this project moving forward. It will provide increased safety for school buses, as well as the general public. 3. Highway 75 and Nebraska Street Intersection (Blair Map) It is our understanding this project will be let in July 2001, with the project consisting of installation of turning lanes and traffic control lights. This project is all the more critical with the opening of the new Fire Station located on the South East corner of this intersection in March of 2000. 4. A.) 10th Street Overpass at Highway 30 (Blair Map) The City has completed a preliminary study to determine the feasibility of constructing an overpass on 10t Street and closing two (2) or three (3) grade crossings on the Union Pacific main line. Currently the City is waiting for confirmation from the Union Pacific as to their financial commitment to the project prior to going to a public hearing. This project is vital to the safety of students and vehicles moving to and from the Blair Junior and Senior High School area. B.) 1't Street Connector — From Highway 30 to Jackson Street at 3"d Street (Blair Map) This project has long been looked at as the project needed to help move the traffic in the area of the Blair Junior and Senior High Schools. After working with the Railroad and NDOR staff, it was recommended that this project be put on hold to determine the feasibility of an overpass on 1 Oth Street. If the 1 Oth Street overpass should prove too costly or impractical, this project should move ahead immediately to provide the necessary safety in and around the Blair Junior and Senior High School area. 218 South 16th Street - Blair, Nebraska 68008 - 402-426-4191 - Fax 402-426-4195 - E-mail cllyofblalrC huntel, net 5. Highway 91/23"d Street Intersection (Blair Map) The City of Blair has completed a feasibility study to determine whether anything could be done in this area and the estimated cost. We anticipate holding a public hearing on this project in the near future and hopefully construction could start in the next year or two. 6. Highway 30/75 North and South Bypass (City Bypass Map) The City, working with the NDOR and Washington County, is in the process of doing the Bypass Study. The Study is being conducted in three (3) phases. It is anticipated phase one (1) will be completed by the end of October with a preferred corridor being selected. Phase two (2) will take three (3) months and if the proposed corridor is feasible, we will move ahead with the environmental assessment. This project is vital to the growth and development of Blair and Washington County. It will allow trucks and cross country traffic to bypass the Blair business area, increasing traffic safety in Blair. 7. Highway 133/Highway 30 South to I-680 (Area Map) Highway 133 is a vital economic link between Washington County and Omaha. Our citizens work, shop and enjoy entertainment throughout the greater Omaha area. With the number of accidents and deaths continuing to grow, it only emphasizes the need to expedite the project. 8. Highway 75/Highway 30 South to I-680 (Area Map) With the expansion of economic and residential development in Washington County, a four (4) lane expressway is needed to efficiently handle traffic from Blair and Washington County to the downtown Omaha area. The Blair Bypass Study shows the majority of the truck movements through Blair are accessing North/South on Highway 75. OPPD and Cargill have over 1,000 employees daily commuting to their facilities on this highway. to TO: FROM Es City of Blair 218 South 16th Blair, Nebraska 68008 402-426-4191 Fax - 402-426-4195 " promise - Nebraska Departrent of Roads Allan L. Abbott - State Engineer Judith Schweilcart - District Commissioner John Jacobsen - District Engineer Nebraska Highway Commission Washington County Transportation Coalition Michael Mines - Mayor of Blair Rod Storm - Blair City Administrator Warren Whitaker - Blair Director of Public Works Mary Doeden �- Blair Chief of Police Mark Dickenson - Blair Community Schools/Director of Transportation Annual Highway Information Meeting — District 2 Transportation Meeting - Papillion High School September 24, 1997 The citizens of iBlair and Washington County sincerely appreciate the recent improvements in the Washington County Area. We also appreciate the good working relationship with the Department of Roads and greatly appreciate your history of cooperation. The Washington County Transportation Coalition was organized to provide the citizens of Washington County with a unified voice in representing our transportation needs to the Department of ,Roads. Again this year, the coalition represents the City of Blair, Washington County, Blair Community Schools, Blair Area Chamber of Commerce and Gateway Development Corporation. Although much hilghway work has been completed in the past few years, Blair and Washington County continue to grow and with this growth, new transportation needs are now upon us. Not only has growth created transportation problems, but also improvements to the general highway !system have created tremendous increase in regional traffic flow through the Blair and Washington County area. We propose an aggressive agenda. The highway needs of Blair and Washington County are enormous and are vital to our health, safety and welfare. The Area's needs and goals meet these of the Department, the Commission and the citizens of Nebraska. Thank you, and we urge your support in moving these projects forward. EOUAI NOUSINO OPPOHTUNfiY Washington County Transportation Coalition Priority and Project List 1. Highway 30 East —14t" Street to Industrial Road. (Blair Maki) This project Is scheduled as part of the May'1998 letting with construction to begin'as soon as possible. We appreciate' Department' efforts to help keep the project on schedule. 2. Highway 30 South/Lincoln Street South to Highway 133. (Blair Map) Almost 40% of Blair's working population commutes to their jobs outside the Blair City Limits.:A large percentage travels to Omaha via Highway 133. Accident reports show a true safety concern and increased traffic patterns. In 1992, temporary stoplights were installed at 19t" and South Streets, so. that a permanent project could be planned and completed in three or four years. A plan has not even been designed yet. Increasingly, businesses are locating along Highway 30 South. Sid Dillon Chevrolet has opened a new dealership across from (Woodhouse Ford. We submit that this project requires immediate attention and should be designed for four lanes with a center turn lane. 3. Highway 91�23Id Street Intersection. (Blair Map) This project is long overdue. West Elementary School is on this intersection. As the Blair population grows, so too does the enrollment at this school. The City of Blair, Blair Community Schools and the State of Nebraska installed warning lights (approximately 3 years ago) with the intention to slow traffic. Visibility is severely limited because of a sharp turn. It presents'a hazard to our children and to ,7 vehicles thatenter, Highway 91 from 23r Street. Gf r 4. Fort Calhoun Cut -Off Road. (Area Map) Federal Aid dollars are used for this Washington County Project. This project is being constructed in (2) phases. Phase I land acquisition is about completed and the project is waiting approval of construction dollars. 5. \Highway 30/Downtown Blair/14t" Street to 18t" Street. (Bla�r Map) 'The economic `center of Blair anq the crossroads for Highway 30, 75 and 91, along with increased traffic produced by economic, residential.,and through -traffic has�reated'an enormous safety issue. for pedestrians and motor vehicles. `The City has�reated a street, improvement district to improve sidewalks and to make, businesses.,accessible to the elderly and handicapped. Additional funding is being requested to help widen the driving area to allow for turning lanes so that a complete project can be done at one time. 6. Highway 133/Highway 30 South to 1-680. (Area Map) Highway 133 is a vital economic link between Washington County and Omaha. Our citizens, work, shop and enjoy entertainment throughout greater Omaha. The increased traffic poses dangers when Blair Community School buses load and unload school age children on Highway 133. Based upon current traffic volumes and projected future increases, we feel that an expressway designation is warranted and request that planning begin immediately. The Coalition would support Department review of Expressway designation and possible inclusion of additional projects to help expedite this project as well as Highway 31. 7. First Streeti Connector — From Highway 30 to Jackson Street at 3rd Street Glair Map) i Due to the increased development in the eastern part of Blair and the development of the new Middle School by the Blair Community Schools, it is imperative that a new connector be constructed to relieve the traffic pressures from loth Street. The City has proposed that the connector, which would be built across the l'lnion Pacific main line, have a grade separation structure that would allow vehicular traffic to cross over the railroad. The City has proposed the possibility of closing (2) main line at grade crossings to support the new grade separation. Union Pacific Railroad has tentatively discussed the possibility of helping fund the project because of the safety value to closing at grade crossings and the probable addition of a second track through Blair in the foreseeable future. We feel this project is of utmost importance to the general traffic safety and the safety of School traffic in particular to this area. We urge the Departments support in the development of this project and the expediting of funding. 8. Highway 30/75 North and South Bypass. (Circulation Map — C-5; C-6; C-7) The Blair Comprehensive plan outlines the need and desire for a bypass to serve the traveling public. The area is host to approximately $350 million in economic development over the past (3) years, with an additional $150 million over the next year or two. Traffic moving west on Highway 30 from 1-29 to the central part of the State has also increased with improvements to Highway 30 in western Washington' County and the Fremont area. The Coalition will support the Department!, in pushing for increased funding to help develop projects such as this that are vital to the development of the whole re ion.,, ,rr1.� C/'� ��)riU�lLle�i,.�-,., ,ri./21Lsif:ii�•`. C._,.r �D '0 „C.t,, t�j i 9. Highway 75/Highway 30 South to 1-680. (Area Map) With the expansion of economic and residential development in Washington County, a four -lane Expressway is needed to efficiently handle traffic from Blair and Washington County to downtown Omaha. 800 employees at the Omaha Public Power District Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Facility create additional traffic. 10, Highway 31/1-lighway 30 South to 1-80. (Area Map) The Department needs to revisit the Expressway designation on Highway 31. With the growth of traffic this highway carried, and the future importance of another connection from Highway 30 to 1-80, we feel now is the time to move ahead with planning for this project. j 11. Highway 75 and Nebraska Street Intersection, Glair Map) We ask that the Department of Roads/reevaluate the traffic study completed last spring- to dEcide the feasibility of installing traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 75 and Nebraska Street. Traffic now avoids rail crossings at 16th and 12 Street and travels Nebraska Street to reach the railroad underpass. School bus routes also use Nebraska Street to get to Highway 75. Traffic is congested and safety is a concern., IIA a s a sg EE V I I i I ' c T\(4ENTY,FIFTH STREETi'" ��' \ / f IXTEENTH ST EET ..;TENTH SE • _! r,. / � I >,� LR --• I - -- 7 —� ,1 Qc�S�• I m I r �, � q J D,/ / b lz k 1.1 y I I I I li ci �d r 1-4 i i Dbert P2 Ivlaskell �: AUrelia v !.A 7 Alic ®®+7 Ponca { NewcastleS.P. 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