BEATRICE - The Beatrice City Council and Mayor have approved a support resolution to change U.S. Highway 77 from Mulberry Avenue to Dorsey Avenue, into three lanes, rather than four.


Since the highway is controlled by the state, it’s their call…and if the change happens, it wouldn’t take place until 2028 when the north-south highway is scheduled to be resurfaced.


A recent Safe Streets For All plan formulated with the help of a consulting firm noted that U.S. Highway 77 is the road most prone to vehicular accidents in the city, several causing injuries. The council recently enacted a safety action plan which proposes the three-lane conversion. That would help address five of the six-most accident-prone intersections in the city.


City Council President Mike McLain says a highway committee made up of three council members, the city engineer, street superintendent and police recommend the change.  "The safety of the citizens was a big factor in our decision. When you look at the severity of the accidents...a lot of the accidents occur when cars are trying to turn left across two lanes of traffic. As they pointed out, a lot of times, even though it's four lanes, the middle two lanes are cars always stopped for traffic, functioning as a three-lane highway basically now, anyway."


McLain said vehicle traffic counts along U.S. 77 range from 6,000 to 14,000 daily, depending on location.
Moving sidewalks away from curbside could be a longer-term project….but City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer said that cost could be above $30 million. Regarding the number of lanes, Tempelmeyer said which option is chosen offers a different cost-share for the city under current state policy.


"The first cost estimate that the state provided for our share, was $6.1 million...if we leave it at four lanes. If it goes to three lanes, the policy changes...we fall into a different category and our cost share would go to a half-million dollars."

 

U.S. 77 and Dorsey Avenue
U.S. 77 and Dorsey Avenue  

 
One citizen spoke out bluntly against the potential for a three lane on U.S. 77. Attorney Jim Nelson called it a “hair-brained idea” from a safety standpoint and contends it would cause traffic back-ups. "The majority of accidents are angle accidents which would be people turning. When you put two lanes of traffic into one lane of traffic.....your're going to increase accidents...it's just common sense. You're going to put two lanes of traffic into one lane of traffic, and people are still going to try to turn across that traffic."


Council member Dana Hydo says the cost-share comparison to convert to three-lanes should be considered.
"The study was very interesting, so safety is number one. But, the bottom line is, I don't want the city to have to spend close to six million dollars because we don't want to be backed up, at (traffic) lights."


The council’s vote to support conversion to three lanes, was 7-1, with Councilman Duane Ruh voting no.