2023 Project of the Year – ALT2 Winner: Lincoln South Beltway

By: Metal Culverts, Inc

The idea of a beltway around south Lincoln, Nebraska began in the 1960’s. Due to funding and planning issues, the project evolved slowly over the next 60 years. The goal of the beltway was to reduce nearly 80% of the truck traffic from Highway 2 which due to expansion of south Lincoln, had become overrun with commercial truck traffic. With fewer commercial vehicles, local haulers and commuters would benefit from the convenience and additional safety.

The Lincoln South Beltway is one of the largest and most complicated projects the Nebraska Department of Transportation has ever completed. The beltway is 11 miles and is an east/west four lane freeway. The beltway opened in Spring of 2023. The contract was awarded to Hawkins Construction of Omaha Ne. Matt Lunzman, Engineer at Hawkins Construction noted that the lower cost of corrugated metal pipe was influential in its decision to be used in the beltway project. Exceptionally competitive steel prices advocated for the use of corrugated metal pipe. Also factoring in the decision was the lighter weight and ease of installation from utilizing longer single pipe runs (the longest run length on the project was 220’. Many 50’ single runs were utilized in the project). The variety of corrugated metal coatings to meet service life requirements, ease of installation, and cost competitiveness all made selecting CMP an easy choice.

Corrugated metal pipe is an extremely large component of the Beltway. CMP was used in many different applications from numerous landowner driveway/field accesses, extremely large runoff diversion systems, and cross road storm drainage. Depending on soil types, applications and service life requirements, Hawkins Construction utilized galvanized, aluminized and polymer coated corrugated metal pipe. In total, with construction of ancillary roads, private landowner driveways, and roundabouts corrugated metal pipe was used to provide stormwater management for 43 miles of roadway. The

overall cost of the beltway was 352 million dollars. In total more than 10,560 linear feet of cmp in diameters from 15”-54” were used in the construction of the beltway. Included in the material list were various elbows, diaphragms, slotted drain, and metal end sections. It truly was a representation of nearly every type of cmp product available in todays market! The beltway consists of 550,000 square yards of pavement the majority of which is drained by corrugated metal pipe.

While continuing to alleviate commercial traffic in suburban Lincoln, the city anticipates massive expansion of business adjacent to the beltway. A medical center, new high school and several housing developments are under construction hoping to take advantage of the easier access to both Highway 77 and Highway 2.

As a side note, much of this project was underway during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. While many industries experienced drastic supply chain disruptions and delays, Metal Culverts and the corrugated metal pipe industry was able to move forward and continue to provide product to keep the project moving. It was a pleasure to work with both Hawkins Construction and the Nebraska Department of Transportation over the two plus years to complete this project.