LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials say the first roads projects covered under a 3-year-old state law are ahead of schedule.

The work began after lawmakers passed the Build Nebraska Act, which commits one-quarter of a cent out of the state’s 5.5-cent sales tax to roads projects. Gov. Dave Heineman and Department of Roads Director Randy Peters said Wednesday that the projects scheduled for fiscal 2014 and 2015 are moving forward.

Projects include highway construction between Blair and Omaha, bypass projects in Kearney and Wahoo, and three projects around Interstate 80 in Omaha. Future projects will include roadwork around Lincoln, Plattsmouth, Bellevue, Hastings, Schuyler, Fremont, Nebraska City and the Heartland Expressway to Alliance.

The law was approved in 2011 in an effort to accelerate work on construction that was delayed for years.