FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

The junction of US Highway 77 and 136 in the heart of downtown introduces heavy truck traffic into the Central Business District and clearly affects its economic and human environment. The current State highway designation limits Beatrice’s ability to improve the downtown environment or expand convenient on-street parking. Highway relocation would mean heavy truck traffic would bypass Court Street downtown, allowing for:

• A comfortable pedestrian environment
• Improved and increased downtown parking
• Improved overall quality of the downtown to retain and attract new business, and welcome patrons to the area

The Resolution establishing a voluntary truck route was supported by an Agreement with the State of Nebraska. The Agreement states that truck routes are voluntary and advisory in nature. The truck route is not enforceable by law. As long as Court Street is designated as a State highway, trucks can and will be allowed to drive through the downtown on Court Street. The Resolution and Agreement can be viewed below. Refer to Section 5 of the Agreement.

The proposed Court Street streetscape would maintain existing curb lines and eliminate the turn lane, add angled parking on the north side, and maintain parallel parking on the south side. This configuration would allow for larger driving lanes and parking lanes on Court Street than on 5^th Street. Below is a comparison.

Proposed beautification elements include increased plant life, color, and inviting décor and signage in the core of downtown. Decorative concrete, above-ground and in-ground planters, bump-outs, pedestrian amenity nodes, and seating areas will enhance the aesthetic and create a sense of place and human scale.

Signature gateways with landscaping, entrance monuments, and public art features will announce entrance into the downtown and guide visitors. Highway relocation will also allow the stringing of decorative lighting and holiday decor across Court Street downtown.

The project area holds 57 parking stalls today. The proposed project area offers 64 parking stalls. Currently, Court Street’s highway traffic discourages people uncomfortable with parallel parking from using its spaces. The addition of angled on-street parking creates more stalls that are accessible to more users.

Creating a pedestrian-oriented main street that remains highly visible to regional traffic vastly improves the image and marketability of downtown Beatrice.

Rerouting Highway 136 will provide downtown businesses on Court Street with additional building signage and sidewalk usage opportunities not possible under the current highway designation.

Improved and increased parking will allow for easier access to businesses and enhance the overall customer experience of visiting downtown.

Initial investments in the public environment can create conditions for economic growth that are unlikely to happen spontaneously. These investments will maintain proper values, increase revenues, and create a district that adds business to Beatrice.

The improved overall quality of the downtown creates an environment for businesses to stay downtown while attracting new private investment.

The City of Beatrice has been awarded a grant of $400,000 through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development that could aid the proposed project. There are several other grant applications pending, and the City will continue to seek out any grant funding that is available.