City Announces Completion of 17th Street Improvement Project

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and City officials today highlighted the benefits of the recently completed Lincoln on the Move 17th Street Corridor Improvement Project.

 

“This spring, our community voted decisively in favor of continuing our Lincoln on the Move initiative, reaffirming streets as a top priority and enabling the City of Lincoln to invest in them at record levels,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “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.”

 

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. Additional work with other funding sources includes upgrades to the existing curb ramps to comply with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

 

Joining Mayor Gaylor Baird at the news conference were Brodey Weber, City Councilmember; Thomas Shafer, Assistant Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director; and Cathy Wilken, Near South Neighborhood Association Secretary.

 

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, Shafer said.

 

Shafer said the 17th Street Improvement Project is one of six Lincoln on the Move 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 Lincoln on the Move funds. The water main project cost $3.1 million, sourced from the City’s Water Main Replacement Fund.

 

Wilken said she and her neighbors appreciate the City’s hard work, regardless of weather, to transform 17th Street.

 

“Whether we are walking our kids to school, biking to our parks, or simply driving to the grocery store, this upgrade makes daily life easier, safer, and more enjoyable,” Wilken said. “When we see projects like this, we know our city leaders are listening and taking action to improve our quality of life, one street at a time.”

 

Weber thanked community members for showing their commitment to street improvements by supporting the Lincoln on the Move initiative.

 

“This project is part of a broader citywide story – one where we’ve invested in both established neighborhoods and new growth areas, from our downtown to all corners of Lincoln,” Weber said. “Projects like this remind me what’s possible when a community comes together with a shared vision and a commitment to progress.”

 

Approved by residents in 2019 and 2025, Lincoln on the Move is a quarter-cent sales tax specifically for additional street investments. Since its inception, Lincoln on the Move 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.