The Lincoln Journal Star | May 19, 2015
"Shifting traffic from city campus"
Mark Lutjeharms, P.E., PTOE
Schemmer’s 16th and 17th Street Traffic Study, in association with the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), was featured in the May 19, 2015, Lincoln Journal Star. Traffic Engineer Mark Lutjeharms, P.E., PTOE, led Schemmer's efforts in the study.
Talk of closing 17th Street on the UNL campus may finally come to fruition. The idea of converting 17th Street into a “pedestrian mall” between dorms and the recreation field, has been circling for almost three decades. However with the construction of Antelope Valley, a four-lane parkway east of 17th Street, planners think that the road can accommodate for the traffic influx if and when 17th Street closes.
Schemmer, UNL and City Hall proposed changes to UNL’s campus that would increase safety measures for pedestrians and bikers, as well as reducing speeds on 16th Street to mitigate issues with vehicles. The study looked at implications that the street closing could have on emergency routes for Lincoln Fire and Rescue’s Fire Station, and the conversion of traffic on 16th street from a one-way to a two-way roadway. Nine options are in discussion including “bike lanes, center turn lanes, and parking and curb design to shorten pedestrian crossings.”
To read the full Lincoln Journal Star article, click here.
