NDOR
Policy for
NAMING STATE HIGHWAYS
Effective
May 5, 2000
For further info
on beginning the process, contact
Shirley
Schafer, Executive Secretary,
Nebraska Highway Commission
402-479-4530
1.
Purpose: The purpose of naming a segment of state highway
or a bridge is to bring to public attention and recognize officially a
person, organization or other entity who has contributed significantly
to the well-being of others.
This document provides policy for processing requests to name state highways and bridges. The office of primary responsibility for this DOR-OI is the Traffic Engineering Division. This DOR-OI supersedes DOR-OI 60-1 dated March 19, 1999.
2. A request to name a state highway or bridge must be made by written resolution from the applicable political subdivision to the Department of Roads. When a state highway bridge is located on the state line and, therefore, is located partially in another state, the request to name the bridge must be approved, in writing, by the highway department or department of transportation (whichever is applicable) of the other state.
a.
Individual interchanges may not be named.
b. Rest Areas each have an official name and are not eligible for additional
naming.
c. Only those border bridges crossing the Missouri River are eligible.
d. No more than one name per major highway segment will be approved. The
Director and State Highway Commission will determine what constitutes
a major highway segment.
e. There is a limit of one named highway segment or bridge per person,
organization or other entity.
3. The name requested must be of substantial importance or significance. Requests will be evaluated using the following criteria:
a.
A person shall have been deceased five years to be considered.
b. A person shall meet at least one of the following three requirements:
(1) Have been born in Nebraska.
(2) Have lived a significant part of his or her life in Nebraska.
(3) Made a contribution to society that was affected by his or her residence in Nebraska.
c.
The honored person, organization, or other entity must be of substantial
importance or significance, and must have contributed to the betterment
of Nebraska.
d. Primary consideration will be given to contributions in fields such
as public affairs, the arts, the sciences, the professions; secondary
consideration will be given to contributions in entertainment, athletics,
and kindred fields where interest, publicity, and general recognition
may for a time be intense but where a contribution to society is secondary.
e. Activities that have added to the welfare of society and to the reputation
of the state shall be weighed more heavily than activities primarily benefiting
the individual or organization.
4. Interstate routes have been designated by Congress as the "Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways." Except for I-480 which has previously been named, interstate highways and bridges will not be further named.
5. The Department of Roads will refer requests to name state highways or bridges to the State Highway Commission for review and recommendations to the Director and Governor. Final approval is by the Governor.
Limitations: Beginning July 1, 2000, the Highway Commission will select not more than one name for consideration by the Director and Governor in any one-year period. Requests may be received at any time. Only those requests submitted before September 1 of each year will be considered for that year’s single name approval. An opportunity for a brief presentation to the State Highway Commission will be offered in October. If necessary, the number of requests may be narrowed to an appropriate group of finalists prior to recommending a single name to the Director and Governor.
6. After approval by the Governor, the political subdivision will provide, at its own expense, the roadway signs to designate the route, including installation costs.
These
signs, limited to one at an appropriate location in each route direction,
must conform with the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices"
and must be installed by the Department of Roads. Replacement and repair
costs necessary to maintain
the signs will be borne by the political subdivision.
7.
The Department of
Roads will not place directional signs on interstate or other state highways
in order to direct traffic to a state highway which has been “named”
in accordance with the procedures in paragraphs two through six above.
The policy in
this paragraph does not apply to or affect directional signs which were
in place prior to August 23, 1996.
8. This policy is supplementary to and does not infringe upon the authority of municipalities within their jurisdictions in accordance with Sections 60-6, 120 and 60-6, 121, Nebraska Statutes.
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