Investing in the Heartland

The Expressway to Strengthen Nebraska’s Economy

For more than three decades, Nebraska’s local leaders, businesses, and transportation coalitions have advanced a powerful vision: a modern north–south trade corridor connecting the Great Plains to markets from Canada to Mexico. The Heartland Expressway, which forms the central third of the larger Ports to Plains Corridor, is a critical link in this future multi-state interstate system.

Yet today, despite being federally designated as a High Priority Corridor, the Heartland Expressway and the three related corridors in the Ports to Plains Alliance face the same barrier: there is no dedicated federal program to build future interstates. 

If rural America wants Washington to act, Congress must hear directly from the people who live and work along this corridor.

Progress has been made in portions of the corridor. On March 15, 2022, the FY 2022 Omnibus Appropriations legislation signed by President Biden designated the entire Ports to Plains Corridor in Texas and New Mexico as a Future Interstate Highway. The Alliance and its partners continue to work on securing funding for construction and the future four-lane expansion across the rest of the corridor, including the Heartland Expressway segment serving Nebraska.

A New Proposal in Congress: A Future Interstate Formula Funding Program

A coalition of national corridor organizations, including the I-27 Ports to Plains Alliance, the Alliance for I-69 Texas, and the I-14 Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition, is urging Congress to create a Multi-State Future Interstate Highway Formula Funding Program. This proposal would establish a dedicated and guaranteed federal funding source for multi-state future interstates, similar to the original Interstate Highway System. 

Nebraska and the Heartland Expressway can only benefit from such a program if Congress includes the entire Ports to Plains Corridor, including the Heartland Expressway, in the next transportation reauthorization bill.

Congress has followed this approach many times before, including the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the America's Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019, which already includes six additional future interstates among numerous others.

Why Federal Action Is Needed Now

When the Interstate Highway System began in the 1950s, the federal government guaranteed 95 percent of the construction funding. That program officially ended in 1992.

Since then, Congress has continued to recognize the need for new corridors by creating the High Priority Corridor program in 1991. However, for more than thirty years, no dedicated funding source has been created to build them. Not one multi-state future interstate authorized by Congress has been completed.

Why This Matters to Nebraska

As population, freight demand, and trade volumes grow rapidly, the United States faces a widening gap between transportation capacity and economic need. Expanding and modernizing the national highway network, particularly the rural corridors that move the nation’s food, energy, and manufactured goods, has become increasingly essential.

Reliable north–south freight mobility is vital to Nebraska’s future economic growth, underscoring the essential role of the Heartland Expressway. Completing the corridor would provide significant benefits to the state, strengthening both its economy and its long-term competitiveness.

Agriculture remains the foundation of the state’s economy, generating $97.4 billion in annual business volume, supporting 244,000 jobs, and producing $16.4 billion in labor income. Within the corridor counties, agricultural strength is especially pronounced, with $1.03 billion in crop sales and $ 1.81 billion in livestock sales each year. Tourism also plays a vital role, generating $234.2 million in direct spending, 2,688 jobs, and $22.6 million in local tax revenue.

Completing the Heartland Expressway would improve market access, enhance supply chain reliability, and promote new industrial and commercial development across western Nebraska. Freight exports demonstrate why these improvements matter: trade with Canada is projected to rise from 369,000 tons in 2024 to 932,000 tons by 2050, with a corresponding increase in value from $1.059 billion to $2.632 billion. Trade with Mexico is expected to increase from 257,000 to 310,000 tons, with a corresponding rise in value from $550 million to $787 million. Domestic freight to other corridor states is projected to increase from 9.68 million tons to 12.74 million tons, accompanied by a corresponding rise in value from $9.35 billion to $16.2 billion.

Safety is also a significant consideration. Even where Nebraska has built four-lane divided highways, they do not meet the safety standards of interstates. Rural four-lane highways often feature at-grade intersections, narrow medians or limited barriers, and high travel speeds, with fewer safety redundancies. Upgrading the Heartland Expressway to interstate standards will prevent crashes and save lives.

Grassroots Support Is Crucial: What Can You Do?

Congress is preparing the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill. Nebraska communities can support a dedicated future interstate funding program in various manners to shape Nebraska’s economy and safety for decades.

Encourage Local Governments to Pass Resolutions

City councils, county boards, chambers of commerce, and metropolitan planning organizations are encouraged to adopt resolutions supporting:

• A Multi-State Future Interstate Formula Funding Program
• Future Interstate designation for the Heartland Expressway, Theodore Roosevelt Expressway, and the remaining segments of Ports to Plains
• A Future Interstate Feasibility Study

Engage Members of Congress

Meet with federal representatives during district visits and recesses, as local input carries significant weight.

Work With State Departments of Transportation

State-level support helps strengthen the national case for corridor inclusion. These actions will help unlock future funding eligibility, support corridor-wide planning, and position Nebraska for long-term growth.

A Corridor Worth Building and a Future Worth Securing

Seventy years ago, the United States built the Interstate Highway System, which transformed mobility, commerce, and prosperity. Today is another pivotal moment.

The Heartland Expressway and the entire Ports to Plains Corridor present Nebraska with a rare opportunity to enhance economic competitiveness, improve safety, expand trade, and strengthen rural communities.

None of this progress will happen without strong grassroots action. Now is the time to speak up to support federal designation and future funding. Now is the time to finish the Heartland Expressway.

For further information and current developments, visit Heartland Expressway or contact the Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation.