Conference Agenda
DAY 1 – Tuesday, June 23, 2026
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Registration & Breakfast
9 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.: Welcome
Khalil Jaber, Chief Operating Officer, Nebraska DOT
9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association Update
Mike Ogborn, ASLRRA
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
Rusty Simerl, Safety & Traffic Operations, Nebraska Division FHWA
10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Break
10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Operation Lifesaver Updates
Rachel Maleh; Executive Director,
Matt Vogt (KS), Tim Hull (MO), Rich Kotan (NE), Francis Edeker (IA), Aisha Jackson (IL), Richard Hansen (MN), Gary Koerner (WI)
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch
1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Update
Patrick Halsted, AREMA VP, Track Functional Group
1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.: Union Pacific Railroad Update
Andrew Arnold, Union Pacific Industry & Public Projects
1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.: FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Update
Abe Anshasi, & 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 w/Preemption Reviews
Kris Klop (IA), Shawn Hennes (KS), Kris Sommers (WI), Frank Frey & Jim Dahlem (FRA)
NDOT Moderator – Jodi Gibson
3:15 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.: Example Section 130 Project – Partnering with Key Stakeholders
Kris Klop, Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Programs, Modal Trans. Bureau
3:35 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.: Federal Railroad Administration
Frank Frey & James Dahlem, General Engineer, FRA Office of Railroad Safety
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Evening Social & Hors d’oeuvres
DAY 2 – Wednesday, June 24, 2026
7:15 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Breakfast
8 a.m. – 8:20 a.m.: Industry / Legislative Update
Ashley Shelton, Railway Supply Institute
8:20 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.: BNSF Railway Update
Richard Scott, French Thompson (backup), BNSF
8:40 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Omaha to Lincoln Rail Crossing Study
Jessica Hekter, HDR
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: State DOT Updates
Shawn Hennes (KS), Alex Schroeder (MO), Travis Haberman (NE), Kris Klop (IA), William Pearsall (IL), Shahin Khazrajafari (MN), Kris Sommers (WI)
10:30 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.: Break
10:50 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Nebraska Central Railroad (NCRC) Update
Taylor Kelley, Track Maintenance, NCRC
11 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.: Panel Discussion II – Modern Tools
for Rail Safety: AI, Technology, & Data Driven Decisions
Frank Frey & Jim Dahlem, FRA; Aarron Brown, UPRR/Benesch Sr. Mgr. Geometry Engineering, Richard Scott, BNSF
11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway Updates
Ryan Nonnemaker, CPKC Railroad
11:40 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Panel Discussion III – Pedestrian Safety & Mitigation
Bill Pearsall (IL DOT), Kris Klop (IA DOT), Brian Brunmeier (WisDOT), Jacob Rzewnicki (BNSF), Frank Frey & Jim Dahlem (FRA)
12 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.: Open Forum and Wrap Up
Moderator – Jodi Gibson