A representative with the Nebraska Department of Roads Monday night at the regular meeting of the City Council said that public comments were about 50-to-1 against re-configuring Highway 73/Harlan St. into three lanes, so they aren’t going to go ahead with the plan.
District 1 Engineer Thomas Goodbarn explained that what had been projected to be a $2.9-million project will be scaled back dramatically with the decision and from 7th to 9th Streets on Harlan will now be patched, smoothed and then re-striped. An overlay had been discussed, but that is not likely to happen now.
From 19th Street north, the highway project will be done as planned, with an asphalt overlay and the shoulders being repaired and guardrail either fixed or removed. All of the corners will meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. By staying with the four-lane design the City will be responsible for upkeep of the outside two lanes of the highway with the State responsible for the inside lanes. Under the three-lane design the State would have been responsible for all of the upkeep.
Goodbarn said the Highway District does not want to force anything on the community that it is not comfortable with.
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