The Tri-State Corridor Alliance, a grassroots organization advocating construction of a new Missouri River Bridge at Rulo (Richardson Co.), NE, and EDGE are encouraging area citizens to view plans and participate in a public comment session on plans for the new bridge and road construction associated with the project. The Nebraska Department of Roads and the Missouri Department of Transportation will host the event Tuesday, December 2, at the Camp Rulo River Club located just south of the present bridge. Plans will be on display for public viewing from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and public comments will be received during a session beginning at 7:00 p.m.

The new bridge will be located approximately 650 feet south of the existing historic bridge. The project will also include a new and improved alignment and concrete pavement on U.S. Highway 159 and reconstruction of one block of First Street Street and one block of Rouleau Street.

“We’ve come a long way since a letter-writing campaign for a new bridge began in November 2007,” according to Alliance Co-Chairs Charlie Radatz and Beth Sickel. (Radatz and Sickel also serve on the EDGE Board of Directors.) When new Hotel Stephenson owner Mitch Glaeser appealed for letters of support for the project during the 2007 Customer Appreciation Banquet, sponsored by the Falls City Chamber of Commerce, no date had been established to build a new bridge and prospects were not good. Since then, over 1,600 letters of support have been received from individuals and businesses and many resolutions of support have been received from county governments and area municipalities.

Nebraska and Missouri roads officials have contracted for construction design plans and are now looking to begin construction in 2011. The bridge is expected to take about two years to complete. Highway 159 and the existing bridge will remain open to traffic during the construction process with select access points to cross roads. This will be accomplished through phasing construction of the project.

During this year’s Customer Appreciation Banquet, Glaeser used a football metaphor to describe the status of the project. “We’ve gone 99 yards and now is not the time pull the offense off the field,” said Glaeser. He urged all to show up December 2 demonstrate their strong commitment to a new bridge over the Missouri River.

Glaeser had initially challenged the public to come up with one 1,000 letters in support of the project. When that number was nearly doubled, a public news conference was held January 16. Over 250 persons attended. Members of the Alliance and participating citizens described their safety concerns saying the bridge had a lower safety rating than the bridge that had recently collapsed in the twin cities. They explained that the existing bridge, with its narrow deck and sharp curves in its approaches, made safe passage of vehicles, especially buses and semi-trailer trucks, difficult. To underline their point, arrangements were made to allow reporters to cross the existing bridge in a semi-trailer truck. A new bridge was described as mandatory to improve access to the interstate highway system and to enable the flow of commerce.

Information is also available on the Nebraska Department of Roads website.

Falls City Economic Development and Growth Enterprise (EDGE) officials announced today that Chuck Whitney, Executive Director for the past year, has decided to resign, effective December 17, to take a new position in the marketing department of Southeast Nebraska Communications (SNC). Officials also announced that Rebecca Cromer, formerly Workforce Coordinator at the Nebraska Workforce Development Office in Falls City, has been hired to replace Whitney and will start work on Monday, December 1.

In making the announcement, Kevin Malone, President of EDGE, commended Chuck for his commitment to the growth and prosperity of Falls City and the role he played in recent successes. “We are pleased Chuck and his wife, Bev, will be staying in Falls City. We wish him continued success in his new endeavors with SNC,” said Malone. Whitney will assist with transitioning responsibilities and duties to Cromer until his departure on the 17th.

“Beckie is an excellent fit for the position,” said Malone. “In the 10 years working for local workforce development office, she served as a business liaison with business and community partners and marketed workforce programs and services to businesses, job seekers and students. This work has allowed her to form a working relationship and familiarity with existing and new industry as well as most businesses in the area. She has been the recipient of numerous commendations for exceptional work and volunteerism and has a high energy level. Her work experiences as well as her personal attributes will serve her well in her new capacity with EDGE. We were fortunate that this talented individual was searching for a job at the same time we were beginning our search for a new executive director.”

Cromer is a graduate of Falls City Sacred Heart High School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She currently resides in Falls City with her husband Nick and two sons, Brady and Tanner.

“I am excited to be part of EDGE. Falls City is poised for growth and I look forward to leading efforts to develop a prosperous business community and growing job market,” said Cromer.

Community Medical Center Administrator Ryan Larsen hosted guided tours of the new hospital building site to 67 interested patrons who braved the cold wind last Friday afternoon. Administrator Ryan Larsen said that the hospital is pleased by the progress of construction to this point and by the level of community support. Construction on the 56,000 sq. ft. facility – with a $21 million price tag – started in April of this year and remains on schedule to be completed in December 2009.

“After watching site preparation and construction for months from a distance, we felt the public might enjoy seeing things from a closer vantage point. This is everyone’s hospital and we want them to feel a part of what’s going on,” Larsen said.

The one-story facility providing 24 patient rooms, a state-of-the-art surgery center, private specialty clinics, two delivery rooms with maternity suites, and Family Medicine Clinic is taking shape on 70 acres of CMC-owned land west of Old Highway 73. A road providing direct access from Highway 73 to the hospital campus will also be constructed.

Source: Falls City Journal, November 21, 2008 – Jason Schock