Lincoln city officials announced Thursday the completion of the improvement project along the 17th Street corridor.
Improvements to 17th Street between “A” and “S” streets include a mill and overlay of the existing surface and base repairs where required, joint and crack sealing, public utility adjustments, pavement markings to include a buffered bike lane and inlet top replacements. These works were mainly funded by Lincoln on the Move (LOTM)—the city’s recently re-approved quarter-cent sales tax for additional street investments.
Additional work with other funding sources includes upgrades to the existing curb ramps to comply with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
“Lincoln on the Move projects like this one are about more than new pavement. They are about making life easier, safer, and better for the people of Lincoln,” said Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird at a curbside press conference.
The 4.8 lane mile 17th Street project was done in coordination with water main replacement on 17th Street from “A” to “H” streets and from “K” to “O” streets. Working on the two projects simultaneously reduced construction time by six months, according to Thomas Shafer, Assistant Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director.
Shafer added the 17th Street Improvement Project is one of six LOTM projects to be completed in 2025, totaling nearly $18 million in investments and nearly 36 miles of street work across all four quadrants of the city. The 17th Street project cost $3 million, of which $2.6 million came from LOTM funds. The water main project cost $3.1 million, sourced from the City’s Water Main Replacement Fund.
Since its inception, LOTM has added an additional $102 million to the City’s overall street investments, resulting in more than 220 lane miles of new and resurfaced streets.