Fremont residents urge action as heavy truck traffic and noise persist on Broad Street

Residents along North and South Broad Street pressed the City of Fremont on Monday for faster action to curb noise, safety risks and property damage they say are caused by heavy truck traffic on Highway 77 through the city.

At a study session before the regular council meeting, longtime resident Don Atwell said he and his wife have lived on North Broad Street for more than 45 years and urged the council to lower the speed limit to 25 mph and add four‑way stops at Lynen/16th and Lynen/19th. “Is it reasonable to allow traffic to move at speeds that make pedestrian crossing and entrance onto the roadway treacherous?” he asked.

Why it matters: Broad Street is classified in the city comprehensive and long‑range transportation plans as a principal arterial and part of the state and federal highway systems, which complicates city‑level changes. Residents say local quality‑of‑life harms — noise from engine braking, increased wear on foundations and unsafe crossings for children and runners — persist despite a new bypass intended to divert through traffic.

Public commenters detailed frequency counts of tractor‑trailers at different times of day, called for stricter enforcement of engine‑braking rules and said repeated signage alone has not been effective. “In the 10 minutes I sat at my office writing this memo, there were 19 tractor trailers that drove by,” Ellen Lund said, describing two‑to‑three times that count in the mornings.

Local businesses urged caution in imposing restrictions that would block essential deliveries. “We certainly hope we can continue to use Broad Street with the existing stop lights in place,” said Michael Arps of Arps Readymix, noting some local deliveries would be burdensome if forced onto a longer bypass route.

Public safety and enforcement constraints: Police Chief Jeff Elliot told councilors the department faces practical limits on traffic enforcement — the street lacks parking lots for stationary radar placement, it is often difficult to turn a patrol car to pursue a violator, and staffing is stretched by 911 calls. Elliott said special enforcement events and overtime details are possible but manpower is the single biggest constraint.

Council response and next steps: Council members expressed sympathy for residents’ concerns and rejected the idea of wholesale truck bans. Several urged staff to continue pressing the Nebraska Department of Transportation for appropriate signage on highway approaches so drivers learn of local restrictions before entering city streets. Council members also recommended a small informal working group — including councilmembers, staff, a Broad Street resident and a business representative — to craft practical short‑term recommendations while the city awaits the consultant JEO’s Safe Streets study, due this summer.

The council did not take formal action during the study session; staff said they will keep pursuing NDOT coordination, consider targeted enforcement options and bring forward recommendations to the council when the Safe Streets study is finalized.