2 weeks Ago
On any given day, between 46 and 65 trains cross the railroad tracks near North 33rd and Cornhusker Highway, cutting off traffic for a cumulative three-and-a-half hours a day. That, naturally, causes a lot of congestion on streets that see thousands of cars daily. A bold, $120 million project to transform those intersections and railroad crossings would reduce such congestion by creating a new viaduct, introducing two roundabouts and widening Cornhusker to six lanes, marking a significant investment into the infrastructure of north Lincoln.
But it would, at the same time, cut off access to businesses in the area and push others out, prompting questions at a public hearing last week that was one of the final steps of an environmental assessment that, once the Federal Highway Administration signs off on it, will mean the project can advance to the design phase and to the purchasing of rights of way. People are also reading..
. The project will eliminate at-grade railroad crossings by creating a viaduct that goes over the tracks at North 33rd and Adams Street, starting at North 31st Street south of Cornhusker Highway, the Journal Star's Margaret Reist reported. Two roundabouts will also be added on 33rd Street — one at Huntington Avenue and another at Adams Street — and a nearby trail would be realigned.
The cause of concerns, however, centered in part on the widening of Cornhusker Highway, which would force changes to intersections with several side streets and encroach on businesses in the area, such as a U-Stop, auto parts business and restaurant. In total, the project would displace two residences and 14 businesses, including La Cabana Mexican Restaurant, Taqueria Limon food truck, a Mexican grocery store, a photography business, warehouse tenants and a check-cashing business. To their credit, project organizers plan to work with those property owners to buy the properties and help them relocate, according to Kris Humphrey, city engineer and project manager.
If this project is to move forward, the potential benefits must be worth the disruption to local business, and the plans should be tweaked if necessary to assuage concerns and help keep businesses afloat during construction, which is still years away. But when it comes to the impact on taxpayers, the plan is an opportunity the city couldn't pass up: Out of the $120 million cost, a federal grant will cover $67 million, the Railroad Transportation Safety District, which is spearheading the project, will contribute at least $17 million, and the state will contribute $25 million. There have also been numerous public meetings, and early on, concerns about a portion of the project that ran through Virginia's Travelers Cafe, prompted project organizers to rethink their plan, showing their willingness to listen and respond to concerns.
Such a dialogue should continue to ensure this project, which would be transformational for that part of the city, can move forward. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!.
