Conference Agenda

DAY 1 – Tuesday, June 23, 2026

8 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Registration & Breakfast

9 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.: Welcome

Vicki Kramer, Director, Nebraska DOT

9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Update

Frank Frey & James Dahlem, General Engineer, FRA Office of Railroad Safety

9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.: American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Update

Daniel Wanke, Program Manager for Freight, AASHTO

9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Update

Abe Anshasi, Rusty Simerl, or Alison Koch, Safety & Traffic Operations, Nebraska Division FHWA

10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Break

10:30 a.m. – noon: Operation Lifesaver Update

Rachel Maleh; Matt Vogt; Tim Hull; Rich Kotan; Francis Edeker; Aisha Jackson; Richard Hansen; Gary Koerner

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch

1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Update

1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.: Union Pacific Update

Chris Keckeisen or Andrew Arnold, Industry & Public Projects, Union Pacific

1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.: Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Update

Abe Anshasi, Rusty Simerl, or Alison Koch, Safety & Traffic Operations, Nebraska Division FHWA

2:10 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Railroad Transportation Safety District (RTSD) – City of Lincoln, 33rd and Cornhusker Project

Roger Figard, Director, RTSD

2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.: Break

2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.: Panel Discussion I – Various State Involvement on Preemption Reviews

3:15 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.: Example Section 130 Project – Partnering with Key Stakeholders

Kris Klop, Manager, Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Programs, Modal Transportation Bureau, Iowa DOT

3:35 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.: Panel Discussion II – Artificial Intelligence (AI)

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Evening Social

DAY 2 – Wednesday, June 24, 2026

7:15 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Breakfast

8 a.m. – 8:20 a.m.: Industry / Legislative Update

8:20 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.: BNSF Railway Update

French Thompson (or Kara Brockamp or Richard Scott), General Director, Public Infrastructure & Investments

8:40 a.m. – 9 a.m.: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Update

Scott Lavellee, Office of Railroad, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials, NTSB

9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: State DOT Updates

Shawn Hennes, Kansas

Alex Schroeder, Missouri

Travis Haberman, Nebraska

Kris Klop, Iowa

William Pearsall, Illinois

Julie Whitcher, Minnesota

Kris Sommers, Wisconsin

10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.: Break

10:50 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Flood Preparedness & Bridge Stage Sensor Network

Dr. Larry Weber, University of Iowa

11 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.: Panel Discussion III

11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.: Canadian Pacific Kansas City and/or Canadian National Railway Update

11:40 a.m. – noon: American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) Update

Mike Ogborn, ASLRRA

12 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.: Open Forum and Wrap Up