Planned Heartland Expressway to travel through western Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – A planned highway will connect key cities in South Dakota and Colorado by going through western Nebraska.

It’s called the Heartland Expressway. It’s a major highway project that connects Rapid City, South Dakota and Denver, Colorado by going through a stretch of Nebraska.

Planners have been trying to get a four-lane highway in that specific area for nearly 30 years.

The expressway will head through Alliance, Scottsbluff and Kimball.

Supporters believe the four-lane project will lead to economic and energy development in the western part of the state and other parts of the region.

They believe it would be key in providing access to and developing oil wells, as well as moving wind turbines.

”Of course as part of the Heartland Expressway, this will help us develop trade and commerce,” said Gov. Pete Ricketts. “It will be an alternative to I-25. Maybe we can move that traffic farther east here and take advantage of that. And with NAFTA getting resigned between the U.S., Mexico and Canada trade, we should see continued development of the three-country trade relationship that will bring more traffic to the Nebraska panhandle.”

A key portion of the $32 million cost came from a federal Department of Transportation grant.