Lincoln has been awarded an $11.7 million federal grant for safety improvements along West O Street, including four multi-lane roundabouts and safer pedestrian crossings.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced the award Friday. The funding will support a $14.6 million project covering nearly 1.8 miles between Northwest 22nd and Third streets, with the city providing $2.9 million in local matching funds. “This $11.7 million federal award gives us an extraordinary opportunity to improve safety along one of Lincoln’s most important transportation corridors,” Gaylor Baird said. “By investing in West ‘O’ Street, we can continue our work to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injury crashes while supporting businesses, encouraging redevelopment, improving accessibility, and strengthening this important entryway into our city.”
The planned roundabouts would be located at Northwest 20th Street, Capitol Beach Boulevard, Roundhouse Drive and U.S. 6/Sun Valley Boulevard. Other improvements include raised medians and changes to access points throughout the corridor, a dedicated turn lane at Northwest 16th Street, pedestrian crossings and refuge islands.
The corridor carries about 19,000 to 22,000 vehicles daily and serves freight traffic, transit riders, businesses, industrial properties, social service providers and surrounding neighborhoods. According to the city, four of Lincoln’s 78 traffic fatalities during a recent five-year analysis period occurred within the project area.
Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director Liz Elliott said the project is designed to address the most serious crashes while improving travel for everyone using the corridor. “This grant gives us the resources to address safety challenges along West ‘O’ Street with improvements designed to prevent the most serious crashes,” Elliott said. “These investments will reduce conflict points, improve traffic flow and provide safer, more predictable travel for drivers, pedestrians, transit riders, freight operators and emergency responders.”
The city estimates the improvements could prevent about 25 fatal or serious injury crashes and 146 additional injury crashes over 20 years, generating about $78 million in safety benefits. Those projections are based on the city’s analysis; officials also cited Federal Highway Administration data indicating the proposed safety measures can reduce crashes by about 39% to 42%, depending on the improvement.
The award comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All implementation grant program. Gaylor Baird thanked U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts and U.S. Rep. Mike Flood for supporting the application.
The grant brings Lincoln’s competitive transportation funding through discretionary programs authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to more than $100 million. Previous awards include $23.6 million for the Multimodal Transportation Center, $66.7 million for the 33rd Street and Cornhusker Highway intersection project and $400,000 for safety planning.
The city plans to gather input from community members and stakeholders during design and construction. Friday’s announcement did not include a construction timeline.
The project supports the Safe Streets Lincoln Vision Zero Action Plan, which the City Council adopted in March 2026 to work toward eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. More information is available at lincoln.ne.gov/SafeStreets.