Lincoln On The Move Invests $59.9 Million in First Four Years

LINCOLN–(News Release Dec. 18)–Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, joined by City of Lincoln transportation representatives and local business leaders, today said that the community is seeing significant benefits from the Lincoln on the Move initiative that, to date, has invested $59.9 million in street improvements and new street construction.

The announcement follows the release of the fourth Lincoln on the Move annual report available at lincoln.ne.gov/streets. The six-year street initiative will invest an estimated $96 million in additional street improvement and new street construction before the quarter-cent sales tax that funds it expires in September 2025.

Mayor Gaylor Baird said that, since the voter-approved quarter-cent sales tax took effect in 2019, Lincoln on the Move has added nearly $60 million additional dollars to the City’s overall street investments, resulting in the completion of 47 additional street improvement and new construction projects that support our city’s growth. This nearly $60 million Lincoln on the Move investment has allowed the City to invest annually, on average, over 25% more in the improvement of local streets.

“This significant boost to our street work enables us to connect more of our community members to their homes, schools, and businesses; contributes to a thriving economy; and enhances the safety of our transportation system,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird. “In short, Lincoln on the Move is accelerating the progress of our community.”

Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird at the news conference were Liz Elliott, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Director; Amy Eidenmiller, ACT Co-Chair and business owner; Jeanne McClure, ACT Co-Chair and Executive Director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska; Lincoln Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jason Ball; Kyle Fischer, Executive Vice President, Realtors Association of Lincoln; and Bud Synhorst, President, Lincoln Independent Business Association.

In 2023, the City invested $17.8 million in seven large street projects. Five of the projects focused on a variety of neighborhood and arterial street improvements like mill and overlay work to repair and construct smooth top layers of streets in the Lefler Middle School neighborhood, on 27th Street, and on North and South 84th Streets. Two new street construction projects focused on developing new infrastructure like new pavement, raised median and a roundabout near 40th Street and Rokeby Road and a non-residential street on South Folsom Street at the Foxtail Meadows housing development. A complete project list follows this release.

“This big boost in funds for streets is delivering big results. Just last year, Lincoln ranked as the sixth best city to drive out of 100 cities. This year alone, Lincoln on the Move helped fund more than 23 lane miles of street progress,” Elliott said. “This is an amazing accomplishment made possible by the ongoing support of our fellow community members and visitors who invest their sales tax dollars in our city by shopping at our local businesses, enjoying our fabulous hotels, eating at our delicious restaurants, and more. In fact, Lincoln visitors contribute an estimated 30% of all Lincoln on the Move funding.”

Work scheduled for the final fifth and sixth years of the program include projects on West Highland and West Fletcher, Leighton Avenue, Eastridge Neighborhood, South 11th Street corridor, 84th Street from South to “K” streets, Country Club neighborhood, and Normal Boulevard as funding allows. Street projects are planned with the guidance of the Advisory Committee on Transportation (ACT), a public committee appointed by the mayor to provide oversight and guidance on the use of Lincoln on the Move quarter-cent sales tax street funds.

“As we gaze into the future, our public oversight committee shares a passion to sustain this positive momentum for the final two years of the Lincoln on the Move quarter-cent sales tax and potentially beyond, contingent on the continued support of Lincoln residents,” McClure said.

“This program continues to make great progress in our neighborhoods, on our arterial streets and in our growing city,” Eidenmiller said. “Our committee encourages the community to continue discussions about the future of Lincoln’s streets and how to best meet the city’s growing infrastructure needs.”

Ball said infrastructure improvements have long been a priority of the Chamber because they support economic development, tourism, resident safety, and community growth.

“Investment in streets and roads is essential to our future as a city,” Ball said. “When we make investments in our city, everyone benefits.”

Fischer said availability of housing is one of the most important reasons people cite when making a decision to stay in Nebraska, and home ownership is the key to the development of vibrant neighborhoods. Street construction facilitates growth and more home ownership opportunities.

“The new roads we are talking about today, they lead to new houses,” Fischer said.

Lincoln’s business growth depends on infrastructure improvement programs like Lincoln on the Move, Synhorst added.

“Streets and roads are a vital and important part of our business community,” Synhorst said.

In the first year of the Lincoln on the Move initiative, the City invested more than $10 million into Lincoln’s streets. In year two, the program invested more than $15 million. In year three, the program invested $16.8 million. For years five and six, an estimated $31.7 million will be invested in Lincoln’s streets as part of the City’s total $98 million infrastructure allocation.

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 (RTSD) partnership to enhance the North 33rd and Cornhusker Highway railroad intersections.

To view the report and a map of projects and locations, visit lincoln.ne.gov/streets. To view all LTU projects, visit lincoln.ne.gov/projects.

Lincoln on the Move funded projects in years one, two, and three include: 

Improvements to existing streets:

1. Belmont Neighborhood
2. Capitol Beach Neighborhood
3. Clinton Neighborhood
4. College View Neighborhood
5. Cotner Boulevard from “O” to South streets
6. Culler Middle School Neighborhood
7. Havelock Neighborhood
8. Highlands Neighborhood
9. Huntington/Leighton Avenues from North 33rd to North 48th streets
10. Kahoa Elementary Neighborhood
11. Lincoln High School Neighborhood
12. McPhee Elementary Neighborhood
13. Near South Neighborhood
14. Ninth Street from I-180 to “A” Street
15. North 14th Street from Adams to Superior streets
16. North 23rd and Potter streets neighborhood
17. North 70th Street from Colfax to Havelock avenues
18. Park Manor Neighborhood
19. Randolph Street from South 40th to South 56th streets
20. Sevenoaks Neighborhood
21. South 40th and “A” streets neighborhood
22. South 40th Street from Highway 2 to Clifford Drive
23. South 48th Street from Woodland Avenue to Pioneers Boulevard
24. Southwood Neighborhood
25. Union College Neighborhood
26. Westgate Boulevard and West Saunders Avenue
27. Witherbee Neighborhood
28. Yankee Hill from South 56th to South 70th streets
29. Zeman Elementary Neighborhood

New  street construction projects:

1. “A” Street from South 89th to South 93rd streets
2. East Holdrege Street from North 87th Street to Cedar Cove Road
3. North 104th and Holdrege streets intersection
4. Rokeby Road from Friedman to South 84th streets
5. Rokeby Road from South 31st to South 40th streets
6. South Folsom Street from West Old Cheney Road to one-quarter mile south
7. Southwest 14th Street and West “O” Street turn lane
8. Van Dorn Street from South 84th to South 91st streets
9. West Holdrege from Northwest 48th Street to Chitwood Lane
10. West Holdrege Street from Northwest 56th to Northwest 48th streets and Northwest 56th Street from West Holdrege north to existing pavement
11. Yankee Hill Road from South 40th to South 56th streets

Lincoln on the Move funded projects for year four include:

Improvements to existing streets:

1. North 48th Street from Leighton Avenue to Superior Street
2. Piedmont Neighborhood
3. South 27th Street from Coronado Drive to Old Cheney Road
4. South 48th Street from Old Cheney Road to Nebraska Parkway
5. South 84th Street from Sandalwood Drive to Elizabeth Drive

New street construction projects:

1. South 40th Street between Rokeby and Tiger Lily roads
2. South Folsom Street at Foxtail Meadows

Lincoln on the Move street projects planned for year five include:

Improvements to existing streets:

1. 11th Street corridor
2. Country Club Neighborhood
3. Eastridge Neighborhood
4. Leighton Avenue from North 48th to North 70th streets
5. Normal Boulevard from South 33rd to 70th streets (If funds are available.)
6. South 14th Street from Yankee Hill to Pine Lake roads (If funds are available.)
7. South 17th Street from “A” to “S” streets (If funds are available.)
8. South 84th Street from Pinedale Avenue to Sandalwood Drive
9. West Highland Boulevard and West Fletcher Avenue

Additional Lincoln on the Move street potential projects for year six and beyond include:

Improvements to existing streets:

1. “R” Street from North 48th Street to Cotner Boulevard
2. North 33rd Street/Fletcher Avenue from Superior to North 27th streets
3. Northwest 12th Street from West Adams to West Highlands
4. Pine Lake Road from South 14th to South 27th streets
5. South 10th Street from “A” to “Q” streets
6. South 27th Street from Nebraska Parkway to South Street
7. South 40th Street from “A” to “O” streets
8. South 48th Street from Normal to Cotner boulevards
9. South 70th Street from Pioneers Boulevard to Van Dorn Street

Additional projects will be planned based on how much revenue the City receives over the six-year timeframe, while also managing rising inflation and material costs.