Inaugurating both a newly named Nebraska Department of Transportation and a new organizational structure, Gov. Pete Ricketts and NDOT Director Kyle Schneweis unveiled the department’s new name and logo.

The new state DOT merged what had been the Department of Roads and the Department of Aeronautics as of July 1, with Aeronautics now a division of the DOT.

Ricketts’ announcement said the legislation to combine those agencies was one of his top priorities during the 2017 legislative session.  

“This merger [of] our infrastructure-focused agencies is creating efficiencies, which will allow us to put more money into runways and roads without sacrificing jobs,” said Ricketts. “With a unified agency focused on Nebraska’s transportation needs, this team will be able to take a long-term, more strategic view towards building the 21st-century infrastructure we need to grow Nebraska.”

Schneweis previously headed the NDOR and is now the DOT director, while former Aeronautics Department Director Ronnie Mitchell heads the department’s Aeronautics Division.

The administration expects to recoup from monetary savings through the merger, and said that “those savings will be reinvested into roads and runways.”

“We have already realized some of the opportunities this partnership provides to streamline services and we look forward to finding more,” said Schneweis. 

He added: “This evolution supports the state’s commitment to more efficient and effective, customer service-focused government. With our resources combined, we have the ability to help Nebraska take a more strategic, long-term view of our state’s transportation needs.”