Document 3JJ5L9nXJN8rdXKGONrMjjgGn

PETE RICKETTS NEBRASKA SUITE 139 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510-2710 (202) 224-4224 lanited *tams senate COMMITTEES: FOREIGN RELATIONS ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS BUDGET August 4, 2025 The Honorable Sean Duffy Secretary of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Secretary Duffy, I write to request your consideration for the Bridge Investment Program - Bridge Project grant application for $76,461,000 submitted by the Nebraska Department of Transportation and is supported by the Iowa Department of Transportation who is a project partner. The existing Decatur Bridge that connects Decatur, Nebraska and Onawa, Iowa, opened in 1956. Nine structural repair projects have been performed since 1970, in addition to ongoing maintenance, to address structural deficiencies identified during regular inspections. The bridge condition is currently rated "Poor," is narrow, and does not meet current standards for clear roadway width. It also has a load posting of 25 tons which does not meet the current standard for legal loads. A repair project is scheduled for Fall 2025 and is necessary to keep the bridge in service until the new bridge would open in 2032. The new Decatur Bridge will provide 75 to 100 years or more of lifespan, reduce maintenance costs, and add wider lane widths and shoulders to improve safety, increase access, and accessibility for agricultural equipment, large trucks, and emergency vehicles. It will also improve flood resiliency by utilizing drilled shaft foundations, scour protection measures, and a longer approach unit. I ask that you please give all due and fair consideration, in accordance with all rules and regulations, to the Nebraska Department of Transportation's grant application for the Bridge Investment Program - Bridge Project grant. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Trinity Chappelear in my Omaha office; she may be reached by phone at (b)(6) or by email at Trinity Chappelear@ricketts.senate.gov. Respectfully ete Ricketts United States Senator OST-2025-1200 Page 02124 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0028005