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BBR Roads Study Featured in Omaha World-Herald

The UNL College of Business Administration Bureau of Business Research (BBR) was recently featured in an Omaha World-Herald article for a new study looking at how large road projects impact big cities. The Nebraska Roads Department sponsored the study.

Dr. Eric Thompson, director of the BBR, presented the results to the State Highway Commission on December 16.

"The biggest projects in the biggest cities tend to have the biggest economic impact," Thompson reported.

The study examined how the construction of new roads, viaducts and expressways affected growth in wages in manufacturing jobs over the past 20 years in Nebraska.

Thompson explained that while retail and service jobs tend to be redistributed within a community following a new road project, manufacturing jobs are more likely to see actual growth because of the impact of better access to customers nationally from new roadways.

The study was also welcomed by state legislators who see it as a green light to proceed with new legislation looking to build and improve road systems in the state.

 

Published: December 19, 2011