Critical decision
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Kurt Johnson
Plans to redo the Highway 34 corridor running through Aurora were aired publicly for the first time last week, starting a process that deserves this community’s full attention.
There is a lot to digest with this issue, with safety and traffic flow concerns topping the list. Whether you live here or are among the thousands passing through on a daily basis, Highway 34 access is invaluable in terms of access and visibility.
The four-lane cement roadway is more than 30 years old now and showing its use, particularly in the outer lanes. The Nebraska Department of Transportation confirmed that the roadway is beginning to show serious signs of wear, thus plans are being made on how and when to address the issue.
It may come as a surprise to many that NDOT officials say four-lane cement highways are no longer built in communities this size, recommending instead a three-lane or three-lane-plus-one hybrid for Aurora. That’s a head-scratcher, at first glance, since the wider roadway is already in place and a novice eye would assume that more lanes, not fewer, would allow traffic to flow more freely, and thus more safely. State and federal studies in other communities reportedly show otherwise, however, concluding that accidents are reduced with the three-lane design. It would be helpful to see a current study based on Aurora’s traffic/accidents in recent years, including both Highways 34 and 14, since this is not an apples to apples statistical decision, but rather what works best for our community.
Obviously, there are unique circumstances which should be considered with this project, including the heavy truck traffic headed to and from the ethanol plant, particularly during harvest season. Business is also booming along the 1.7-mile stretch through Aurora, where more than $4 million has been invested with new construction and renovations in the past few years. Add to that the Streeter housing subdivision projected to add several hundred residents in the next few years and it’s safe to assume that traffic counts at already busy Highway 34 intersections will only continue to rise.
Beyond the dollar signs involving road costs and/or economic development, however, is the safety factor. The fact is that this invaluable roadway bisects our community, as does Highway 14, thus creating daily challenges for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclers to cross safely. Thus, the Highway 34 design projected to last the next 50 years is absolutely critical. As a community, we only get one chance to get this right.
The main message from last week’s meeting was an invitation to get engaged, study the details and voice your questions or concerns. Business and home owners along Highway 34 have already been asked to weigh in, and the community at large now has that same opportunity. It’s important to use it.
Stay tuned!
Kurt Johnson
