Residents press Fremont council for stronger action on truck traffic and safety on Broad Street

Residents, business owners and city staff told the Fremont City Council on Monday that the long-running problem of heavy truck traffic on Broad Street is degrading neighborhood livability and posing safety hazards.

"Isn't it reasonable to ask the citizens of Fremont to take on the financial burden for what is in all intents and purposes a state highway?" Don Atwell, who has lived at 1650 North Broad Street for more than 45 years, asked the council during the study session public-comment period, urging a lower speed limit and four-way stops at Linden, 16th and 19th streets.

Other residents described sustained noise from tractor-trailers, repeated engine or "Jake" braking late at night, cracked foundations and unsafe crossings for children. "In the 10 minutes I sat at my office to write this memo, 19 tractor trailers drove by," said Ellen Lund, who lives at 1929 North Broad Street, citing informal counts of truck volumes.

Business representatives told the council that Broad Street remains a state highway and is important for deliveries. "It would be adversely impactful to our business if we have to . . . deliver a load of concrete to the Masonic Home and go all the way around the bypass," said Michael Arps, president of Arps Ready Mix, noting that some truck movements are legitimate local trips.

City staff and council members framed the problem as a mix of jurisdictional limits, engineering choices and enforcement constraints. Dan Gillis, director of public works, said the city's relinquishment agreement lets Fremont design and maintain the road, but the state retains legal title and can retake the segment in some circumstances, meaning major changes require state coordination. Gillis also noted that the city's long-range transportation plan and a separate Safe Streets study highlight Broad Street segments among the community's higher-injury crash locations.

"We can't put signs outside of our own jurisdiction," City Administrator Jody Sanders told the meeting, describing a recent NDOT response that refused additional signage on the new bypass because of concerns about 'sign fatigue.' Sanders said staff will continue to press the Nebraska Department of Transportation for a callback and to request a state representative at a future meeting.

Chief Jeff Elliott told the council that enforcement is difficult on Broad Street because the corridor lacks parking lots or safe places to station radar cars, the street's width and traffic volume make turning around hard, and the police department is short‑staffed. "The single biggest issue we have is the lack of manpower," he said, adding that special enforcement events and overtime assignments are possible but limited by available officers.

Council members proposed multiple next steps: better notification of enforcement before citations are issued, targeted special-enforcement events, exploring dual speed limits for trucks and cars, truck identification or decal programs to distinguish local deliveries from through traffic, and forming a small advisory group of residents, a council representative and business leaders to develop practical recommendations. One council member asked staff to explore whether state right-of-way signage could be placed far enough outside the city limits to notify drivers before they reach Broad Street.

The council did not take formal action Monday. Staff said results from the ongoing Safe Streets study will be available this summer and pledged to continue outreach with NDOT and truck‑using businesses. The meeting record shows broad agreement that truck traffic should not be eliminated entirely but that managing through traffic, improving signage and focusing enforcement and education could reduce safety and quality-of-life impacts.

Next steps noted by council members included forming a small working group to develop recommendations and continuing to pursue state cooperation on off‑road signage and enforcement assistance.