KEARNEY – Detoured traffic on U.S. Highway 30 along the west edge of the University of Nebraska at Kearney campus will return to the highway Thursday following phase two completion of a new roundabout that’s been under construction since March.
During phase three, access to University Village will shift. University Drive South, the main entrance to the development, will close as crews remove the temporary roadway and connect the street to the new roundabout. During this time, southbound traffic turns into University Drive South and access to Highway 30 from University Drive South will not be permitted.
Motorists can enter and exit University Village using Chancellors Avenue, located just east of the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. This traffic pattern will remain in place until mid-October.
The $3.48 million project is designed to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow, with lanes that can accommodate semitrucks and oversized loads. Landscaping and finishing work are expected to wrap up by mid-November.
University Village, located on 104 acres south of Highway 30, is a public-private development that blends educational, residential, recreational and commercial opportunities in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.
The project stems from a traffic study conducted by UNK, the Nebraska Department of Transportation and City of Kearney. Funding includes approximately $1.57 million from UNK, $1.53 million from the state and $380,000 from the city.
