16th Street Overpass – Hastings NE

City:
Hastings, NE

Site Type:
Infrastructure and Utilities, Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels

New Deal Agencies:
Public Works Funding, Public Works Administration (PWA)

Started:
1935

Completed:
1936

Contractor:
Koehler Construction Company

Quality of Information:
Minimal

Site Survival:
Unknown

Description

In September 1935, an enormous highway and grade crossing elimination program was approved by the state Public Works Administration (PWA) officials and was forwarded to Washington for final approval. The large number of projects would amount to a financial outlay of $3,614,500.00 in PWA funds, and an estimated $80,000.00 of the total would be spent on a grade separation at the intersection of Highway 281 and the Union Pacific tracks in Hastings. Although specifics had not yet been shared with the public, it was thought that the project would include an overpass near 16th Street and Kansas Avenue. The highway would be rerouted through Hastings north on Burlington Avenue to 16th Street, thence east to St. Joseph Avenue, where the overpass approach would start, northeast over the tracks and continuing in that direction to meet the highway.

 

In May, 1936, work on the Highway 281 overpass began. Thiesen Brothers was hired to move earth for the approaches. A mechanical loader was used to fill dirt from a borrow pit into trucks for the approach. A roller was used to pack the dirt into place. The work started in a field north of the tracks and east of Kansas Avenue. Koehler Construction Company received the contract for building the viaduct itself. One by one, enormous concrete pillars were built to support the new Union Pacific overpass on Highway 281. The overpass was completed by the end of October, 1936, and was formally opened by a program at which Governor Roy Cochran was the principal speaker. The viaduct was finished in time to make the January 16, 1937 Year in Review issue.

Traffic coming from the north approached the new overpass on an easy curve that diverged from the old route of the highway at the point where a sharp turn had existed as a traffic hazard for many years. The overpass was built on a horizontal curve of 5.5 degrees and one approached from the north heads straight west on 16th Street upon leaving the structure. New paving linked the “skyway” with Burlington Avenue, a gradual curve replacing the old square turn at 16th and Burlington. All told, the 570 foot long overpass cost $103,000.00.

Source notes

Hastings Daily Tribune, 7 September 1935. Hastings Daily Tribune, 30 May 1936. Hastings Daily Tribune, 30 July 1936. Hastings Daily Tribune, 22 October 1936. Hastings Daily Tribune, 16 January 1937. Hastings Daily Tribune, 24 October 1936.

Site originally submitted by Jill Dolberg on July 8, 2015.

Location Info


Hastings, NE Adams County

Location notes: Highway 281/34 where it crosses the Railroad Tracks at Hastings

Coordinates: 40.586258, -98.389873

Site Details

Total Cost
$103,000.00

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3 comments on “16th Street Overpass – Hastings NE

  1. Parker Trumble

    The overpass is still in place. Kept up and improved through the years. At 16th and Burlington, however, there is a stoplight now.

  2. Roy DeMars

    This structure is presently closed pending repair, rebuild decision. Some structural concerns exist on the southwest concrete approach.
    Hopefully, this historical entry/exit will be preserved for years to come.

  3. I am now 80 years old, and have lived near this structure all my life. I can recall coming with my parents from our farm located between Giltner and Trumbull, shopping when I was very small. At that time it seemed like quite an adventure, and crossing “that big bridge”, made the adventure even greater, and I can recall marveling at how high up in the air we were in our old 1929 Chevy.
    I recall going on my first “test drive” when I was contemplating purchasing my own first car (no, I wasn’t 16 yet), and driving it over the overpass. I felt really grown up I’ll tell you!
    What I’m saying is I would guess there are many in our community who share my feelings and would hate to see this landmark be torn down. Thank you.

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Contribute to this Site

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3 comments on “16th Street Overpass – Hastings NE

  1. Parker Trumble

    The overpass is still in place. Kept up and improved through the years. At 16th and Burlington, however, there is a stoplight now.

  2. Roy DeMars

    This structure is presently closed pending repair, rebuild decision. Some structural concerns exist on the southwest concrete approach.
    Hopefully, this historical entry/exit will be preserved for years to come.

  3. I am now 80 years old, and have lived near this structure all my life. I can recall coming with my parents from our farm located between Giltner and Trumbull, shopping when I was very small. At that time it seemed like quite an adventure, and crossing “that big bridge”, made the adventure even greater, and I can recall marveling at how high up in the air we were in our old 1929 Chevy.
    I recall going on my first “test drive” when I was contemplating purchasing my own first car (no, I wasn’t 16 yet), and driving it over the overpass. I felt really grown up I’ll tell you!
    What I’m saying is I would guess there are many in our community who share my feelings and would hate to see this landmark be torn down. Thank you.

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.