County Commissioner Testifies In Support Of Bridge Match Program

By Gordon HopkinsJefferson County Commissioner Mark Schoenrock testified in front of the Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday, February 4, to support extending the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) County Bridge Match Program (CBMP). Unfortunately, that program may be coming to an end, unless lawmakers appropriate additional state funds in 2026.That is why Senator Tom Brandt (District 32) introduced LB 1218, which would continue to fund the program for two more years. Under the program, which began in 2016, counties receive 55 percent of the construction costs, up to $500,000 per project, for approved bridge projects. Approval is determined by a working group consisting of two county officials, such as highway superintendents, surveyors or engineers, and three NDOT representatives. This infrastructure program is seen by county officials as essential for improving public safety and ensuring reliable transportation for goods and services, especially in Southeast Nebraska, where a great of the state’s bridges are located. Without it, counties that cannot afford to repair bridges will either have to close those bridges or raise property taxes to pay for repairs.Schoenrock told the legislature two of the highest priorities for government are public safety and infrastructure, “Nebraska state government, working with counties across Nebraska to replace these bridges improves farm to market routes, school routes, crates local construction work, and improves the lives of our fellow Nebraskans. Placing funding into the program allows our fellow citizens to get to school, get to work, or get goods to market in a safe way on a reliable route. Restoring our rural bridges restores basic needs and resiliency to our rural communities.” Jefferson County has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Bridge Match Program.Schoenrock said, “In my nearly eleven years as a Jefferson County Commissioner, Jefferson County has been a leader in Nebraska in this program thanks to the efforts and dedication of our county highway department and county engineer. We have replaced 10 worn out and unsafe bridges at a cost of $2,423,985. We have received 52 percent of that total, or $1,267,943 in funding assistance from the Nebraska County Bridge Match program. We would not have been able to afford most of those projects within the county budget or would have had to significantly raise our tax asking of county citizens if it were not for the program. Additionally, we have partnered with Saline, Seward, and Fillmore counties on four of the applications for a total of 22 projects and the citizens in those counties have benefited as well.”

Beverly E. Daubendiek

Dave Kettlehut Is Jefferson County’s February Veteran Of The Month

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