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Wahoo staff submits $12.6 million BUILD application; council plans earmark request for 10th Street bridge
Summary
City staff told the Wahoo City Council it submitted a $12.6 million BUILD grant application for a roundabout and the 10th Street bridge and recommended pursuing a congressional earmark specifically for the $8.6 million bridge to avoid a funding shortfall from typical earmark amounts.
Wahoo city staff reported Feb. 24 that the city submitted a $12.6 million U.S. DOT BUILD grant application covering a roundabout at 15th Street and the 10th Street bridge over Dry Run and said they will also seek a congressional earmark specifically for the 10th Street bridge.
"This morning I hit submit on our $12.6 million BUILD grant application for the roundabout at 15th Street and the 10th Street bridge over Dry Run," a city staff member said. The staff member said the city plans to pursue a congressional designated‑spending request (earmark) for the 10th Street bridge rather than the roundabout because the roundabout’s estimated $8.6 million cost likely exceeds typical earmark awards.
The staff member explained the reasoning: earmarks commonly have landed between about $1 million and $4 million, so seeking an $8.6 million earmark could produce a substantial shortfall if the city received a smaller award. "If we ask for $8.6 million and get $4 million, then we have a $4.6 million shortfall," the staff member said, noting that any gap would need to be covered locally or by state contributions.
The city expects the BUILD grant awards to be announced at the end of June. The speaker thanked the Nebraska Department of Transportation infrastructure hub (IHUB) and consultant High Street for assistance with the application and said the county is pursuing related county‑road improvements.
Why it matters: the 10th Street bridge project and the 15th Street roundabout are capital projects that would change traffic flow and require significant local matching or additional funding if federal awards fall short. Council members did not take a separate vote on an earmark strategy at the meeting and directed staff to continue coordination with IHUB unless a councilmember objected.
Next steps: staff will continue to work with the Nebraska DOT infrastructure hub on federal funding requests and will report back on award decisions expected at the end of June.
