By Nebraska Department of Transportation
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has been awarded $15 million in Congressional Directed Spending (CDS) through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) section of the FY26 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Across the state as a whole, $93.4 million was appropriated to improve mobility.
Dollars appropriated to NDOT will support three projects, including the 38th Street viaduct in Omaha, improvements to U.S. Highway 136 (US-136) in Fairbury, and the Chadron North project on U.S. Highway 385 (US-385).
38th Street Viaduct, Omaha
NDOT was awarded $5 million to help fund the 38th Street viaduct project, located on U.S. Highway 275 (US-275), also known as L Street. The funding will be used to replace an existing viaduct that carries four lanes of traffic and pedestrian access between 42nd and 36th street. The 38th street viaduct serves as a vital route for South Omaha, connecting local businesses, schools, neighborhoods, parks and meat processing facilities central to Nebraska’s agricultural economy. The structure supports regional and national freight along a critical corridor that connects communities across the Missouri River and supports both local travel and the movement of goods throughout eastern Nebraska.
Improvements to US-136, Fairbury
$4 million was awarded toward improvements to US-136 in Fairbury. The project will replace aging concrete pavement and reconfigure the highway into a three-lane roadway with a center two-way left-turn lane. This change will result in several safety improvements that reduce conflict points, provide sidewalks on both sides of the roadway for pedestrians and bicyclists, and will encourage lower driving speeds. It will also make navigating intersections safer for traffic coming from side streets.
Improvements to Chadron North on US-385
NDOT was awarded $6 million toward improvements to the Chadron North segment of US-385. The improvements include upgrading 17 miles of highway to a Super-2, developing a two-lane resurfaced roadway with paved shoulders and additional passing lanes, intersection reconstruction, and bridge repairs. The addition of passing lanes will improve the connectivity and benefit regional commerce between Chadron and South Dakota, while also improving operations, safety, and reduce delays caused by truck volumes and rolling terrain.
“Each of these projects addresses real needs across Nebraska, from aging bridges to highway improvements” NDOT Director Vicki Kramer said. “We appreciate the Nebraska congressional delegation’s support in securing these funds, specifically Rep. Don Bacon and Senator Deb Fischer. Their efforts will help NDOT deliver improvements that enhance safety and economic opportunity for years to come.”
In addition to securing statewide funding, NDOT has also played a crucial role in helping individual communities secure CDS grants. The Nebraska Infrastructure Hub (IHub) supports local agencies who compete for CDS grants by providing letters of support, assisting with applications, and, if grants are awarded to local agencies, managing those grants on their behalf.
The IHub worked directly with Sheridan County in securing almost $3.5 million for a road rehabilitation project. The county reached out to the IHUB interested in a congressional delegation for their project. The IHUB assisted them with their application and provided a letter of support. The project will rehabilitate a 28.5 mile rural corridor; the route connects residents, ranching operations, and emergency services to Nebraska Highway 2 (N-2) and Nebraska Highway 87 (N-87) improving safety and connectivity for the community.
Grants appropriated to Nebraska airports are also developed with support from NDOT. At the request of airport sponsors, NDOT Aeronautics supports the development of Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects that address long-standing, safety-critical infrastructure needs.
Nebraska has received over $121 million in transportation-related congressional delegations from 2022-24, bringing the total awards since 2022 to over $214 million.