By Governor's Office
LINCOLN, Neb. — Today, Governor Jim Pillen, joined by members of his cabinet, held a roundtable briefing to highlight accomplishments from the 109th Legislative Session, as well as previous agency accomplishments. Agency leaders, including Director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Vicki Kramer, outlined achievements agencies have made in fulfilling Gov. Pillen’s key initiatives.
“From our first conversation, Gov. Pillen’s vision for the NDOT was smarter, faster, safer. Those three words have shaped the agency, producing real and tangible results for Nebraskans,” Director Kramer said. “From streamlining project delivery and securing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, to expediting delivery on major projects and prioritizing safety, NDOT is delivering on that vision every day.”
Working smarter to deliver projects efficiently, secure federal funding
In February 2026, Nebraska was awarded Full National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Assignment by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Nebraska is now the ninth state with the authority, creating a streamlined environmental review process to deliver vital transportation projects. In 2026, NDOT expects to be granted broadened authority to make improvements to Interstate 80 (I-80) through the Interstate Access Justification Reports process.
Just last week, the NDOT was awarded $15.6 million to replace and repair aging bridges in Lincoln. Since 2023, the NDOT has secured more than $453 million in federal discretionary grants for Nebraska. Annual awards have grown from $62 million in 2023, to $158 million in 2024 and $139 million in 2025. Thanks to Gov. Pillen’s signature on LB 1126 (2026), that momentum will continue with the creation of the Infrastructure Development Investment Program. The program, alongside the Nebraska Infrastructure Hub (IHub), will develop projects in partnership with local communities to optimize federal funds and make their projects a reality.
Utilizing innovative finance and bonding to deliver projects faster
In January 2026, the NDOT and Gov. Pillen formalized a major step forward in completing the vital U.S. Highway 275 (US-275) corridor, which is anticipated to be completed in 2028. This comes after Gov. Pillen tasked the NDOT with expediting the project. The delivery timeline was able to be condensed due to the Nebraska Highway Bond Act and investments made through LB 1412 (2024). Now, all segments of US-275 are under contract on track to beat the original corridor completion date by over five years.
Since 2023, NDOT has pushed through the final stretch of massive projects, including overhauling 54 miles of I-80 from Lincoln to west of Kimball, and completing the 47 miles of US-30 connecting Columbus and Fremont. This construction season will mark the third interstate modernization project in Omaha in an effort to meet the projected needs of Nebraska’s largest city.
Balancing common sense with public safety
Thanks to the support of Gov. Pillen, the NDOT has implemented measures to improve safety in work zones. The NDOT currently operates 50 Automated Flagger Devices (AFADs) to support construction and maintenance activities. The devices use highly visible signage, traffic signal heads and automated flag arms to communicate stop and proceed instructions to drivers, while allowing traffic to be controlled remotely from a safe distance.
In addition, the NDOT grew its Traffic Incident Management (TIM) program in 2025 by expanding training opportunities for first responder agencies. Effective implementation of TIM practices can reduce congestion, limit secondary crashes and improve safety for motorists, crash victims and responders working in high-risk roadway environments. Last year, 52 statewide trainings were held in Nebraska, certifying 52 new trainers, with 952 responders completing the course, just shy of the annual goal of 1,000 responders. So far in 2026, 509 first responders have been trained across 24 sessions, over halfway to the annual goal.
Together, these efforts reflect NDOT’s commitment to building the best possible transportation system.