Jefferson County Commissioners support Tri County safety plan, want speed limit permanently dropped

FAIRBURY, NE — The Tri County school district is a step closer to slowing down traffic near its school building.

The Jefferson County Commissioners offered support to Superintendent Randy Schlueter during their meeting on Tuesday. The Gage County Commissioners already pledged their support for new safety measures at the school.

Schlueter says the Nebraska Department of Transportation is open to installing a lighting system that would cut traffic speed on Highway 103 from 65 to 45 miles per hour during two-hour windows around the start and end of school. The State said it would pay half of the $60,000 cost but wants the two counties to split the remaining $30,000.

The plan is partly a response to an accident in the summer that killed two people near the school. The flashing lights wouldn’t have been operating at that time, but Schlueter says there was a non-injury accident in the spring that might have been prevented.

“It was a non-injury (accident), wasn’t students involved but it was still in the time when lights would have been flashing to slow it down," Schlueter said. "I have several pictures from skid marks out in front of the building where cars were almost rear-ended.”

Commissioners Michael Dux and Mark Schoenrock both said the county would pay its share but questioned why they’re getting asked to pay for work on a state highway.

The commissioners also suggested the stretch near the school be lowered to 45 miles per hour at all hours. Schlueter said he thinks the state will oppose that plan.

If the state approves the flashing lights plan, it will be installed in the spring.