FREMONT, NE — The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), together with Governor Jim Pillen and other local leaders, recently gathered to celebrate the opening of the Fremont Southeast Beltway. Through the collaborative efforts of NDOT, City of Fremont, Dodge County, Lincoln Premium Poultry, and other community investments, work was completed ahead of schedule on the $62 million project.

The project was originally scheduled for the 2024 construction season, but due to the growing need to improve mobility and support truck traffic associated with economic growth of the region, the project timeline was accelerated to 2020 thanks to local financial support.

"The Fremont Southeast Beltway is a perfect example of how Nebraskans work together to get big things accomplished. The City of Fremont and its partners came together with NDOT to accelerate this project because they understood collaboration was key,” Pillen said. “This beltway is an investment for the future — for families who call Fremont, the county and the region, home. It will serve not only Fremont, but also Nebraska as a whole, as it connects farms to markets and improves the free flow of commerce along the U.S. 275 and U.S. 30 corridor.”

The Fremont Southeast Beltway improves traffic flow on U.S.-77 and provides regional connectivity. It is an expressway that includes four travel lanes, bridges over railroad tracks and local roads, and a new U.S.-77/U.S.-275 interchange. The project was completed with state funding provided through the Build Nebraska Act and the Transportation Innovation Act with contributions from the City of Fremont. The consultant for the project was Schemmer Associates, Inc. out of Omaha. Graham Construction out of Omaha was awarded the construction contract in May of 2020.

“This project came on the heels of the floods of 2019 and broke ground during the pandemic," NDOT Director Vicki Kramer said. "Despite these challenges, the project not only stayed on schedule, but through coordination with Graham Construction, was completed early. This project is a great example of how partnership from the community can supplement the Build Nebraska Act and the Transportation Innovation Act to accomplish large capital improvement projects across the state.”

“The Southeast Beltway is vital not only to Fremont, but to the entire region. It will increase the safety of our roads and support the freight needs of businesses like Lincoln Premium Poultry, Wholestone Farms, and Fremont Beef,” Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said. “We are pleased with the partnerships that accelerated progress in the area and to the commitment from the community to safety and to the future for our community and our families.”