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Council backs conversion of Sixth Street (Highway 77) from four lanes to three; members and residents debate safety and cost
Summary
Council voted 7–1 to support a lane-reduction recommendation for Sixth Street/Highway 77, citing safety improvements and a lower city cost share; residents voiced opposition and questioned traffic and pedestrian impacts.
The Beatrice City Council voted to support converting Sixth Street (Highway 77) from four lanes to three between Dorsey Street and Mulberry Avenue, endorsing the city’s Safety Action Plan recommendation and indicating willingness to work with Nebraska Department of Transportation on design.
Nut graf: Council supporters said the lane reduction would address multiple high-injury intersections and reduce the city’s share of reconstruction costs; opponents and members of the public warned of traffic backup and pedestrian-safety tradeoffs.
Details: The change was recommended in the city’s Safety Action Plan and discussed with the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) as part of a 2028 mill-and-overlay project. City staff reported daily traffic counts on the corridor of roughly 6,000–14,000 vehicles depending on the day and said the corridor could accommodate up to roughly 20,000. Staff also presented a preliminary cost comparison: the city’s share would be about $6.1 million if the corridor remained four lanes but about $0.5 million if the design converts to three lanes.
The city’s Highway Committee (two council members plus Jason Moore and James Burrows) recommended the resolution to support a conversion, citing patterns of left-turn collisions and pedestrian risk. Council members and staff noted that initial striping could be done in coordination with the state, and that a full reconfiguration (moving curb lines and sidewalks) would be a larger long-term project with an estimated cost in the $35–40 million range.
Public comment: James Nelson of 1025 N. Sixth Street urged council to reconsider, arguing the majority of pedestrian incidents occurred in low-light conditions and warning that lane reductions could increase angle collisions where drivers turn. Nelson said, “start using some common sense,” and reported canvassing residents who opposed the change. Another resident told the council they had received calls urging a no vote because of delays created by lane reductions.
Vote and next steps: The council passed the resolution supporting conversion 7–1. Staff and the council said NDOT will proceed with design discussions and that the city’s final obligations will be set during design and right-of-way negotiations; the mill-and-overlay remains tentatively scheduled in the state program for 2028.
Why it matters: The change could materially alter traffic flow through the city’s primary north–south corridor, affect pedestrian crossings, and shift significant capital costs depending on the final design.
What’s next: NDOT and city engineers will refine designs; council members said any major curb or sidewalk reconstruction would return for review and that the city would plan financing for its share of the project.
