By Kalin Krohe, Panhandle Post
At the most recent Alliance City Council meeting on May 5, council approved new speed limits for portions of the City of Alliance.
The new speed limits will affect Highway 385, Highway 2, and Highway 87.
"This is something that the state does...they go through and reevaluate speed limits and things like that," said Mike Dafney, Alliance City Mayor. "Coming into town now...just south of Kansas Street where our limits start it's going to go to 50 MPH there all the way to 10th Street. Coming into town on Cody Avenue it's going to go to 40 MPH. Flack Avenue is going to go to 45 MPH heading out of town on Highway 2 clear out to the old Woolrich building."
Speed limits will also change to 35 MPH from 3rd Street to 12th Street as you leave the corporate city limits. Speed limits will change to 45 MPH from 400 feet north of 12th Street as you re-enter corporate city limits to 800 feet north of 12th Street (north corporate limits).
In many cases speed limit changes are made after the City of Alliance and Nebraska Department of Transportation receive considerations and complaints from the public.
"On Highway 385, heading north...coming into town at 60 MPH and it doesn't go to 45 MPH til you're almost at the Bomgaars building," said Mike Dafney. "People coming off of Cody Avenue...they were coming out and a car would almost be right on top of them so they [NDOT] looked at that. I'm kinda surprised they didn't move the 4 lane to 70 MPH like they got from Minatare to Scottsbluff."
In other business, council:
-Approved a Federal Aviation Administration grant for the Alliance Municipal Airport. The grant is in the amount of $30,000 and can be used towards any authorized expenses as defined by the FAA.
-Approved an agency agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division so the Alliance Municipal Airport can receive the CARES Act Grant.