May 22, 2013

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Train – vehicle collisions on the rise

May 21, 2013 by

There will be many travelers on the roads this holiday weekend and Union Pacific Railroad reminds drivers to use caution at all railroad crossings. Spokesman Mark Davis says it appears that more drivers are not paying attention when approaching tracks.

2012 statistics for all railroads operating in each state shows there were 28 train – vehicle collisions in Nebraska that injured 13 people with four fatalities. In Iowa there were 43 collisions that injured 15 people and six fatalities. In Illinois there were 104 collisions that injured 35 people and killed 26.

Davis reminds never try to beat a train to the crossing. He says it is very difficult to judge the rate of speed of a train because of its size. Davis says trains don’t stop on a dime. It can take a mile or more for a train to come to a complete stop.

Filed Under: News, Transportation

EU maneuvers seen as threat to American ethanol

May 13, 2013 by

gas-pump-111Several members of Congress are writing to the U.S. trade rep and the commerce secretary, asking for a review of a potential threat to domestic ethanol production.

The European Union has imposed an anti-dumping duty on ethanol for American producers. It’s suggested the World Trade Organization could challenge the duty.

Todd Sneller, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, says the challenge is needed to keep world markets open for free trade.

Given the debate over the renewable fuel standard and whether the U.S. can absorb more biofuels, Sneller says it’s important to have additional alternatives, including export to places around the world, especially Europe.

Ethanol is responsible for about 1,200 jobs in Nebraska. The Husker State is the nation’s number-two ethanol producer, just behind Iowa.

Sneller says allowing the anti-dumping duty would set a dangerous precedent just ahead of negotiations between the U.S. and European Union on a Trans-Atlantic Free Trade agreement.

“To allow those programs in the European Union to grow in an orderly fashion and not artificially raise the price of biofuels, we really need to have free access to that market and vice versa,” Sneller says. “I think everybody understands that if we have free and fair trade, that it’s a two-way street.”

Nebraska has 24 ethanol plants operating with a capacity of more than 2-billion gallons a year and consuming 700-million bushels of corn.

By Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, News, Transportation

Legislature rejects plane purchase, calls for study

May 10, 2013 by

State lawmakers have rejected a proposal to pay $2.2 million to buy a 2001 King Air airplane from the University of Nebraska Foundation, opting instead to commission a study of its air transportation needs.

Though it makes up only a small portion of the $7.8 billion state budget for the next two years, the purchase has become a controversial issue at the Capitol nearly from the moment Gov. Dave Heineman proposed the purchase.

The state had leased the plane from the Foundation.

Debate on the proposal late last night blocked final consideration of the final budget bill. Lawmakers this morning reconvened and reconsidered an amendment proposed by Sen. Annette Dubas of Fullerton. The amendment scuttled buying the plane and, instead, directed a study to be made as to how best to meet the transportation needs of the governor and state officials attempting to reach western Nebraska in a timely fashion.

Dubas’ amendment failed last night, primarily because several senators abstained from voting and it fell four votes short of passage. Upon reconsideration, the amendment passed 26-to-14.

The vote cleared the way for preliminary approval of the budget. It will return to the legislature again and will be subject to further amendment. Once the budget bills clear a second round, they will be ready for final consideration before moving on to the governor.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Legislature & Government, News, Transportation

I-80 Archway near Kearney files Chapter 11

May 3, 2013 by

ARCHWAYThe museum and exhibit hall that spans Interstate 80 just east of Kearney has been open 13 years, but visitor numbers have never reached projections. Now, a plan is in place to save the structure.

Despite more than a decade of financial failure and vastly reduced attendance, former state Senator and chairman of the Great Platte River Road Archway Foundation Joel Johnson expects the Kearney Archway to survive.

“What a black eye the city of Kearney would get if we failed to do that,” Johnson says.

He defended the organization’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing earlier this week.

“With no prospect of being able to pay off the bond, have a judge say, ‘Sorry, bondholders, this is the end for you,’” he says.

The foundation is also counting on more visitors that will be delivered by the long-awaited Cherry Avenue Bypass which is scheduled to be open in a couple of months for the summer travel season. But, Johnson says admissions won’t do it all.

“Even with a 100% increase in the attendance, the Archway will still not pay its operating costs itself,” Johnson says. “There has to be outside support and that leaves absolutely no money that you would pay off the bonds.”

With those two things in place, Johnson said the foundation could go about raising the private donations he knows the archway will need to supplement admissions.

By Tyson Havranek, KHAS, Hastings

 

Filed Under: Business, News, Recreation & Entertainment, Transportation

Despite weather, new bridge is on target to open in July

May 1, 2013 by

After multiple delays, progress is being made on the new bridge over the Missouri River that will join Nebraska and Missouri.

Construction manager Mike Habegger, with the Nebraska Department of Roads, says a concrete crew poured about half the bridge deck last week and, if the weather holds, the rest of the span may be poured this week.

“The weather has pushed us back a little bit this spring with the cold temps and the snows,” Habegger says. “It’s been a little tough to get our concrete pours in, the way the temperature has been going.”

The Missouri River bridge on Highway 159 at Rulo has been a work in progress for two years.

In recent weeks, temperature extremes, rain and snow made it difficult to make much progress on the project.

“The contractor came in when the weather moderated earlier about three or four weeks ago and he got started and then, of course, the rains came and then the cold weather,” Habegger says. “He’s been kinda pushed out and we’re hoping that he comes back in here next week.”

Habegger says the approaches to the bridge are mostly finished, with some minor work yet to complete on the Missouri side of the river.

He says they should still be on target to open the bridge to traffic by mid to late July.

By Matthew Leaf, KTNC, Falls City

Filed Under: News, Transportation, Weather
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