1,000 signatures reached
To: Beatrice City Administrator, City Council & NDOT
Keep 4 Lanes Through Beatrice on HWY 77 (6th Street)
Keep 4 Lanes Through Beatrice on Highway 77 (6th Street)
We, the undersigned, respectfully ask the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Beatrice City Council, and City Administrator to maintain four lanes on Highway 77 (6th Street) through Beatrice.
Highway 77 is a primary route through our city and is heavily used by residents, commuters, and local businesses every day. Reducing it from four lanes to three would likely increase congestion, slow access to businesses, and impact daily traffic flow.
Safety is important. Slowing traffic is important. However, those goals can be addressed through reduced speed limits, improved intersections, turn lanes, and better traffic control before reducing lanes throughout the entire city.
It is also important to recognize that much of the data being referenced comes from traffic studies conducted in 1999 and published in 2001. Those numbers showed traffic volumes on "6th Street" ranging from approximately 12,000 to over 19,000 vehicles per day on 6th Street. Our community has evolved since then, and decisions should be based on current and future needs, not outdated data.
Traffic volumes also clearly decrease south of Mulberry St. (Beatrice Concrete), which supports a more targeted approach if changes are necessary, rather than reducing lanes along the entire roadway.
Beatrice is a growing community. We should be planning for growth, supporting local businesses, and maintaining infrastructure that meets demand, not limiting it.
*Request
We respectfully ask decision makers to:
Maintain four lanes through the main portions of Highway 77 in Beatrice
Prioritize safety improvements that do not reduce capacity
Use updated traffic data to guide decisions
Consider targeted solutions instead of reducing lanes across the entire roadway
Prioritize safety improvements that do not reduce capacity
Use updated traffic data to guide decisions
Consider targeted solutions instead of reducing lanes across the entire roadway
Why is this important?
This is not just about a road. It is about how we move through our community every day and how Beatrice grows in the future.
Highway 77 is one of the most used roads in our city. Reducing it from four lanes to three will affect traffic flow, increase congestion, and make it harder for people to access local businesses.
Safety matters, and we all want safer roads. But there are ways to improve safety, such as lower speed limits and better intersections, without reducing capacity.
This decision will have long-term impacts. Once lanes are removed, it is very difficult if to reverse.
By signing this petition, you are helping ensure decisions are made with community input, updated data, and a focus on both safety and growth.