Heartland Expressway (Omaha, Lincoln, Fremont: construction, property tax, live in)

[DannyBanany]

Hello all,

I live in Rapid City. There have been plans for many years to build a major superhighway from Rapid City to Denver that will go straight through Western Nebraska (Chadron, Alliance, Sidney). Is Nebraska behind this plan still? I know that South Dakota is very optimistic about it, but I have heard that some Nebraskans are upset because there is a chance that the highway will bypass towns instead of going through them. Thoughts?

[GraniteStater]

I have not heard anything about this. Could you post a link?

[DannyBanany]

Welcome to Heartland Expressway on the Web!

This is a proposed superhighway connecting Rapid City to Denver. It has already been turned into a four-lane superhighway from Rapid City to the Nebraska border. There has been discussion of someday extending it from Regina,SK to the Mexican border.

It is now SD-HWY 79 and NE-HWY 385 and 71.

[Steve_W]

Who cares if it doesn't stop at every town. Isn't that the point of a 'superhighway'? To get to one point to another as fast as possible?

[tpabes]

The big problem with it getting done is money and getting the state to put it over priorties in the eastern part where the population is, which is hard b/c for example Lincoln needs a southern bypass. There have been several articles on how the 5 mile bypass around Kimball has been pushed off for years and now there may be no money for it, Nebraska is in big trouble regarding transportation funds. They say in a few years they will only have money to maintain the roads we have. If they get the bypass built it would be finished between Scottsbluff and I-80. I believe the Heartland is to go east on US 26 (which some is 4 lane already), continueing east on Link 62A then North on US 385 through Alliance and Chadron. The have redone a stretch of 385 north of Alliance a few years back and I believe the purchased the land for future expansion.

[tpabes]

I should add that this is not the only expressway Nebraska is trying to build. It is a goal of Nebraska's to connect every city in the state over 15,000 population to the interstate with an expressway (which you wonder why the state is so slow to connect the Scottsbluff/Gering area completely). Therefore they are trying to connect Norfolk and Columbus with the interstate. This involves US 81 south of Columbus to York (Connect with I-80), US 30 east of Schuyler to Fremont (Connect to I-680 in Omaha via 275 and West Dodge Expressway, roads already built), US 275 out of Norfolk to Fremont(To I-680 in Omaha again) and NE HWY 33 to Sioux City (I-229 to I-29). I believe Minnesota and Iowa have built roads to connect Minneapolis to I-29 and Nebraska is to connect from there clear to I-80 at York, which would be a faster route for shipping from Minneapolis to places such as Denver and also an alt. to I-35 to go south as US 81 is expressway from York to Salina when it turns into Interstate.

[DannyBanany]

Originally Posted by tpabes

The big problem with it getting done is money and getting the state to put it over priorties in the eastern part where the population is, which is hard b/c for example Lincoln needs a southern bypass. There have been several articles on how the 5 mile bypass around Kimball has been pushed off for years and now there may be no money for it, Nebraska is in big trouble regarding transportation funds. They say in a few years they will only have money to maintain the roads we have. If they get the bypass built it would be finished between Scottsbluff and I-80. I believe the Heartland is to go east on US 26 (which some is 4 lane already), continueing east on Link 62A then North on US 385 through Alliance and Chadron. The have redone a stretch of 385 north of Alliance a few years back and I believe the purchased the land for future expansion.

I have heard before that Nebraskans have "the best roads in the country and the property taxes to prove it". Is this true?

If you are running out of money for roads, you may want to ask where your property taxes are going!

[mattpoulsen]

A lot of that money is from federal tax dollars. At any rate, Nebraska does have excellent roads, compared to many states (ever been through Oklahoma??). The problem is we are a large area state, with many many miles of roads, but a relatively small population. As a result, the amount of money allocated for roads per person is much higher in Nebraska than the more densely populated states. The property taxes may be higher, but the relatively cheap cost of property more than makes up for it.

[Coaster]

How is road construction funded in Nebraska? Federal funds are in trouble because the federal fuel tax revenues aren't keeping up. Same is true in most states. Does Nebraska use the property tax to fund highways?

The point about states getting to where they can only maintain what they already have is important. Without some major changes in funding -- new funding sources or increases in gas taxes -- a lot of states will be in that boat. Some states are looking at imposing tolls on new bridges and roads to help pay for them.

[Steve_W]

Originally Posted by Coaster

How is road construction funded in Nebraska? Federal funds are in trouble because the federal fuel tax revenues aren't keeping up. Same is true in most states. Does Nebraska use the property tax to fund highways?

The point about states getting to where they can only maintain what they already have is important. Without some major changes in funding -- new funding sources or increases in gas taxes -- a lot of states will be in that boat. Some states are looking at imposing tolls on new bridges and roads to help pay for them.

They are funded on all levels. State Hwy = Funded by state.
City Street = City Funded Interstate Hwy = Fed Funding