Lincoln, NE - North 48th Street Underpass Study

Traffic & Technology
3 min read

The Challenge:

The City of Lincoln identified operational and safety concerns at the intersection of N. 48th Street and Cornhusker Highway (US Highway 6). Faced with a severe skew angle and substantial peak hour traffic volumes, the city required an engineering analysis to document the issues, as well as find potential solutions.

The Solution:

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) hired JEO to complete a study to support long-term safety and mobility objectives for roadway and trail projects, including a traffic operations analysis for both existing and projected future (2045) traffic conditions. Specifically, JEO analyzed infrastructure and funding needs for the intersection of N. 48th Street and Cornhusker Highway — the 48th Street underpass of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks just south of Cornhusker Highway and associated pedestrian walkways/trails.

Project Benefits:

Based on the results of the analysis, various intersection and roadway improvement concepts were developed to improve intersection operations, provide additional through lanes on N. 48th Street, and incorporate the desired trail connection as outlined in Lincoln’s 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan. In addition, JEO identified other infrastructure improvements and funding needs to accomplish critical roadway and trail projects. This provides city staff alternatives to consider, as well as additional information for capital planning purposes.