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City of Lincoln
Aldermen hit a stalemate on Elm Street issue; Mayor breaks the tie.
North Elm Street WILL be one way soon
[September 09, 2026]
This week the Lincoln aldermen
once again hashed through the topic of traffic control on North Elm
from Eighth Street to Woodlawn Road. An ordinance previously passed
was on the table for revision. The two conditions of the ordinance;
establishing north-bound one-way traffic from Eighth to Tenth
streets, reducing speed from 30mph on the entire street to 20mph
from Eighth and Tenth and 25mph from Tenth to Woodlawn. The revision
would reverse the one-way portion but keep the changes in speed
limit.
For the vote, a NO answer would keep the one-way in place, and a YES
vote would rescind that portion of the ordinance. During the vote
Stan Anderson, Tim Becke, Robin McClallen, and Robin O’Donohue voted
no. Kevin Bateman, Dennis Clemmons, Sam Downs, and Steve Parrott
voted yes. With the tie vote, Mayor Tracy Welch was called upon to
break the tie. He voted no, meaning that the section of North Elm
between Eighth and Tenth streets WILL be made one way soon.
Prior to the vote there were exchanges between Becke and Parrott,
with Becke repeating much of what he has said at the last two
meetings. He emphasized that the people who are opposed to the one
way are not residents of the street, and that changing what has been
done for the sake of driver convenience is not a valid reason.
Parrott said that not all those who live on the street want the one
way. Becke had said that if there were any residents who opposed the
change they had not come forward. Parrott said that while those
people chose not to speak to the full council, they had reached out
and they are indeed opposed to it.
Becke said that the council needed to lean on the advice of the
experts and that the police said there was a concern on the street.
Parrott said that the police reports said that it was a relatively
safe street as it is.
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Lincoln Police
Chief Joe Meister spoke up saying that his report to the city
had been a reflection of his and his officers’ observations, and
the expressed concerns of the residents.
In the end, the vote proved to be a tie, with Mayor Welch called
upon to make the deciding vote.
Welch said, “I’m going to stand behind the position I have taken
this whole time. I think that the actions that have been taken
down there need to be taken. I am going to vote NO.”
With the decision made, Parrott posed
one more question. He asked who everyone else in town who wants
one-way streets and other considerations should contact, the street
department, aldermen or who. Welch simply said, “all of the above.”
That closed the topic and aldermen moved on to the next item on the
agenda.
[Nila Smith]
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