This image shows the layout of a roundabout coming to the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and University Drive. The University Village development is to the south and the Health Science Education Complex and UNK’s West Center are to the northwest and northeast, respectively, (UNK, Courtesy)
KEARNEY – An addition to U.S. Highway 30 near the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus will improve pedestrian safety in this high-traffic area.
Work started last month on a $3.48 million project that will add a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 30 and University Drive – the main entrance to the University Village development. This change will make the intersection safer for pedestrians and easier to navigate for motorists exiting University Village and UNK’s west campus.
“As University Village continues to develop, we’ve recognized the growing need for a safer pedestrian crossing near the intersection of University Drive and Highway 30,” said Michael Cremers, director of UNK Facilities Management and Planning. “Currently, pedestrians must cross five lanes of fast-moving highway traffic, a significant challenge for anyone traveling between the main campus and University Village.”
Located on 104 acres just south of Highway 30, University Village is a public-private development that combines educational, residential, recreational and commercial opportunities in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. The site includes the Element 30 housing project, Ernest Grundy Tennis Center, Regional Engagement Center, Plambeck Early Childhood Education Center, UNK’s Village Flats apartments and Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.
In collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Transportation and city of Kearney, UNK commissioned a traffic study that explored multiple options to improve accessibility in this area. A roundabout emerged as the best plan to enhance pedestrian safety while maintaining a steady traffic flow.
“Not only will it reduce vehicle speeds to a safer, more manageable level, but it will also introduce a wider center median where pedestrians can pause safely. With the new design, pedestrians will only need to cross two lanes of traffic at a time,” Cremers explained.
“Beyond the safety improvements, the roundabout will also enhance the visual appeal of the west campus entrance, contributing to the overall landscape and arrival experience at University Village,” he added.
Similar to an existing roundabout at the intersection of East 39th Street and the Kearney Expressway, this one was designed to handle semitrucks and oversized loads. There will be two lanes for both eastbound and westbound traffic, with single lanes for vehicles turning north or south.
Nielsen Contracting of Kearney started working on the project in early March, with the first phase focusing on relocating a water main that runs under the highway and constructing the temporary roadway that will be used to reroute traffic just south of the highway.
Highway 30 traffic will shift to the temporary, two-lane roadway in mid-May – after the UNK semester ends – allowing the contractor to start working on the roundabout construction. That phase is expected to be finalized before UNK fall classes begin Aug. 25. Traffic will move back to the highway at that time.
The University Drive entrance to University Village will take longer to reopen since the temporary roadway needs to be removed first. That portion of the project should be completed around mid-October. Motorists will be able to access University Village from Highway 30 throughout the project using Chancellors Avenue to the west.
The entire project, including landscaping, will wrap up by mid-November. UNK is providing about $1.57 million in funding for the improvements, with the state of Nebraska contributing around $1.53 million and the city of Kearney paying about $380,000.
In a related project, UNK is working with a consultant to design a T intersection at the north end of Lot 26 – between the Communications Center and new Rural Health Education Building – that would connect this stretch of University Drive to the roundabout.
“While we do not yet have a timeline for this portion of the project, since it will depend entirely on funding availability, we recognize the important role it will play in supporting traffic flow and overall connectivity for University Village,” Cremers said.
