Beatrice City officials approve study of Court Street
Professional services agreement would look again, at relocating highway traffic
By News Channel Nebraska
BEATRICE – The City of Beatrice is taking another run at possible improvements to the Court Street corridor through the downtown.
Years ago, a study was completed by an Omaha firm, RDG… that included the suggestion of relocating Court Street through-traffic one block south of the downtown, but it largely sat on the shelf. City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says a $37,000 professional services agreement, with Olsson, Inc. would revisit that issue.
"One of those things we keep hearing from the public is, well what about Court Street? And so, this study would hire Olsson's to do two things for us.....one, would be to update the cost estimate of moving the highway one block to the south. The numbers we have are about a decade old, so to update those to see what kind of a number we're looking at. Two, is to hold public hearings and to get input from the community as to what improvements they would like to see on Court Street, if the highway was moved."
That means two studies in the city on major corridors….the other being Lincoln Street. Tempelmeyer says the public would have a chance to chime in on the Court Street study, similar to the Lincoln Corridor project.
"We will probably look at not having any of the public meetings until after the holiday season. Trying to get people to come into a public hearing prior to Thanksgiving or Christmas time period...might be counter-productive. So, we'll probably wait until after the holiday season to kind of have those meetings get started. Otherwise, we're looking to get things kind of wrapped up by July of next year, is what they're hoping for."
The city council approved the consulting agreement unanimously.