STILL ON TRACK

Nearly a century ago, there were concerns for safety at the railroad crossing on Highway 29 (now Highway 71) in Kimball.

In 1927, when George and Edna Lynch were taking their newly purchased truck to get a load of wheat, the truck was struck by a train and was totaled. Both of the Lynches were killed.

The Kimball City Council agreed to ask the state of Nebraska to petition the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads for approval and construction of an underpass on May 9, 1938.

Kimball was to secure the site for the construction and provide the lighting. The state was to furnish the labor involved at the expense of the federal government under the provisions of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). As it turned out, the WPA was terminated in June 1943 shortly after the underpass was completed.

The state did not approve an overpass for the site due to the cost being higher than the underpass. The state demanded that the underpass be brought to a public vote in the general election on April 4, 1939. The vote was 451 in favor and 63 against.

Eighteen months after the initial step was taken to secure the improvement, Kimball was assured that the underpass would become a reality when the contract was signed by the state, city and Union Pacific.

The contract for the underpass was awarded to Roberts Construction Co. of Lincoln, which submitted a bid of $105,938. Later information indicates that it cost $140,000. The project was to start 10 days after the low bidder was announced.

On Oct. 17, 1940, it was announced that the underpass was to be opened for one day to accommodate local farmers who would be coming to town for Farmers Day.

The stones on the slopes were quarried locally, 23 miles south of Kimball, according to an article in the Western Nebraska Observer. Stones have covered the slopes since 1940 with almost zero maintenance.

However, the original berm has eroded with many storms. Heavy rains in 1987 and 2003 caused runoff water to wash under the stones. which caused them to shift. No new material would be required to restore the original look. Fiber optic cable was put under the rocks, but rocks were not installed correctly.

The city received a letter from the state stating that if the city was not going to use the $1,441,264.24 allocated to continue the work, the state would want its money back. There was a meeting, and it was decided to pursue the issue.

There were public hearings on this matter and public input would be considered. The issue was settled with the go ahead to refinish the underpass.