Omaha Streetcar - CONSTRUCTION

halgy · Post by **halgy** » Thu Mar 26, 2026 11:27 am

They've started to pour concrete at 10th & Capitol.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Mar 26, 2026 4:26 pm

Are they repaving the whole street there? For most of the route, they are just tearing up the section where the track will be laid, correct?

halgy · Post by **halgy** » Fri Mar 27, 2026 8:43 am

skinzfan23 wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2026 4:26 pm Are they repaving the whole street there? For most of the route, they are just tearing up the section where the track will be laid, correct?

That section had a median that might have been interfering and had to be removed/replaced, and it looks like they narrowed the road somewhat. However, they've put down concrete for the whole thing, with no obvious space for the tracks. Are they going to cut into and replace the concrete again?

EDIT: nevermind, the construction thread has a layout, and it makes sense with what has been constructed.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Mon Mar 30, 2026 4:36 pm

One of those crosswalks (about 9th & Capitol) related to the streetcar layout is about finished.

I know it's not much, but for those starving for progress, such as myself, it is something.

Also, it looks like they're working on digging for the subdrains at Farnam & Turner Boulevard.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Fri Apr 03, 2026 11:40 pm

I went downtown the other day for the first time in a couple months, and I dont think its at all an exaggeration to call it apocalyptic. LOL, maybe a little. But only a little. I just mosied down there on a whim to check things out, and I accomplished nothing that I wanted to see. I was mainly focused on finding a way out.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:14 pm

Has any rail actually gone in yet? I feel like we're still mostly dealing with utility work.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:39 pm

Stargazer wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:14 pm Has any rail actually gone in yet? I feel like we're still mostly dealing with utility work.

I swore somebody said rails were going in somewhere down by 8th & Farnam. Thats actually half the reason I went down there, but I'm thinking it was just a dream, if that says anything about the snail pace of this thing

Post by **Brad** » Mon Apr 06, 2026 8:14 pm

Stargazer wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2026 4:14 pm Has any rail actually gone in yet? I feel like we're still mostly dealing with utility work.

There’s a press conference at City Hall tomorrow morning and then rail starts moving on Wednesday morning I believe.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Mon Apr 06, 2026 10:29 pm

The steps

1, demolition
2, subdrains, gravel base, and electrical conduit
3, welding and placing track
4, gauge ties and reinforcing mat
5, encase in concrete
6, roadway pavement and striping

Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 07, 2026 12:31 pm

I was unable to make it to the press conference this morning, but it does say the rail will be moved tomorrow from 3am to 6am.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Tue Apr 07, 2026 3:10 pm

Just heard 10th & Capitol, starting at 3am. Sounds like it could be worth a progress pic.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 07, 2026 3:33 pm

<<explained Mike True, streetcar project manager. “They got welded up now, they are longer piles. First two sticks of rail, 160 feet each, is going to be pulled from the 10th and Farnam stockpile out onto 10th street and placed next to the excavation at 10th and capitol. That is going to be the first location; we are going to actually start getting rails streetcar infrastructure in the ground. Two weeks after that they will be cast into place, weather dependent.">>

We need to get Les Nessman out there to do on-the-spot reporting.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Tue Apr 07, 2026 4:16 pm

So are they really just restaging them tomorrow morning?

Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 07, 2026 4:19 pm

Busguy2010 wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 4:16 pm So are they really just restaging them tomorrow morning?

Yes. They brought in the short sicks a few weeks back and have been welding them together in to long pieces of rail. Tomorrow they are going to move the longer pieces and lay it next to where its going.

S.O.Boy · Post by **S.O.Boy** » Wed Apr 08, 2026 6:27 pm

Busguy2010 wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 3:10 pm Just heard 10th & Capitol, starting at 3am. Sounds like it could be worth a progress pic.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:21 pm

So on the east half of 10th Street, between Dodge and Capitol - that's where the first tracks will be laid. Right next to Addy's and The Fat Putter (for future trivia).

Crews are moving gravel, preparing the bed. I took this photo Wednesday afternoon.

I imagine they want to especially get this part finished before the College World Series and that's why they start here.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Sat Apr 11, 2026 9:37 am

Getting work done even in the rain:

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sun Apr 12, 2026 9:51 pm

currently

GenX · Post by **GenX** » Wed Apr 15, 2026 6:25 pm

Rail has now been laid in that area.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Fri Apr 17, 2026 4:30 pm

Rail has been delivered on 8th Street between the two parks. It's laying there on the gravel bed but hasn't been fastened down to anything yet.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 10:14 am

The new tracks, what a beautiful sight...

Along Farnam they are tearing out the old tracks.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 6:50 pm

Sometimes it really is hard to believe its finally happening. We've waited so long I almost tend to forget about it.

omahahawk · Post by **omahahawk** » Sat Apr 18, 2026 8:46 pm

Busguy2010 wrote: Sat Apr 18, 2026 6:50 pm Sometimes it really is hard to believe its finally happening. We've waited so long I almost tend to forget about it.

yep, monumental

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sun Apr 19, 2026 9:09 am

Looks straight to me.

(8th Street)

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 7:35 am

Crews fine-tune the rail position for gauge accuracy, elevation and slope, and smooth curves and transitions. This step is critical - small errors here cause rough rides and maintenance issues later.

Only then is concrete poured around and under the rails to lock everything in place.

(With thanks to chatgpt)

Dusty · Post by **Dusty** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 7:59 am

stadsborgare wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 7:35 am

Crews fine-tune the rail position for gauge accuracy, elevation and slope, and smooth curves and transitions. This step is critical - small errors here cause rough rides and maintenance issues later.

Only then is concrete poured around and under the rails to lock everything in place.

(With thanks to chatgpt)

How are you getting all these closeup shots? Are you jumping the barriers to get that close? lol
Or are part of the construction crew working on the streetcar?

Love the pictures. Keep it up!

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 8:26 am

Dusty wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 7:59 am
stadsborgare wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 7:35 am

Crews fine-tune the rail position for gauge accuracy, elevation and slope, and smooth curves and transitions. This step is critical - small errors here cause rough rides and maintenance issues later.

Only then is concrete poured around and under the rails to lock everything in place.

(With thanks to chatgpt)
How are you getting all these closeup shots? Are you jumping the barriers to get that close? lol
Or are part of the construction crew working on the streetcar?

Love the pictures. Keep it up!

I was just a guy on the sidewalk and he was just on the other side of the barrier taking measurements with that fancy computer. I said "hi" and snapped a picture.

Dusty · Post by **Dusty** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 8:53 am

stadsborgare wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 8:26 am I was just a guy on the sidewalk and he was just on the other side of the barrier taking measurements with that fancy computer. I said "hi" and snapped a picture.

It helps if I replied to the correct picture. I meant the one looking onward at the tracks. You would have to be standing in the gravel bed to get this shot.

Regardless, love the pictures and updates!

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 10:02 am

Dusty wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 8:53 am
stadsborgare wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 8:26 am I was just a guy on the sidewalk and he was just on the other side of the barrier taking measurements with that fancy computer. I said "hi" and snapped a picture.
It helps if I replied to the correct picture. I meant the one looking onward at the tracks. You would have to be standing in the gravel bed to get this shot.

Regardless, love the pictures and updates!

Oh, on this shot it was from a handy metal walkway they put over the work area so pedestrians can get from the Fat Putter to DJ's Dugout.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 10:11 am

Work crew was busy on Sunday setting up the tracks on 8th Street like they did on 10th Street.

buildomaha · Post by **buildomaha** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 1:37 pm

Well now that utility work has pretty much wrapped up and actual streetcar construction has begun, I will say the activity on the ground is a complete 180. Does anyone know if there were different contractors for utilities and the streetcar contract?

MetcalfeHarrison · Post by **MetcalfeHarrison** » Tue Apr 21, 2026 2:12 pm

buildomaha wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2026 1:37 pm Well now that utility work has pretty much wrapped up and actual streetcar construction has begun, I will say the activity on the ground is a complete 180. Does anyone know if there were different contractors for utilities and the streetcar contract?

Not sure what you mean by this, utility work is continuing through the end of the year? There were different contractors for the utilities and streetcar work, Hawkins got all the contracts for utility and bridge stuff but if you drive around you'll see people from Sadler Electric and Roloff working on it also, it's a pretty local team. Kiewit was supposed to have the full package of everything but the city couldn't get within their budget so they bid it out and saved quite a bit.

No matter who did the utilities it was going to be a struggle, in areas that are this old you never know what you are going to find once you start digging and changes happen every day. It's a lot easier and cleaner for the track portion of construction since you have a 2' hole vs a 20'+ deep excavation.

Samuel · Post by **Samuel** » Wed Apr 22, 2026 5:03 pm

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 3:15 pm

On 10th Street (Dodge-to-Capitol) is the part that is furthest along. Looks like a concrete pour may be coming really soon.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 3:33 pm

This on 8th Street cutting through the parks, you can see it curves a bit to the west side of the street.

I had erroneously envisioned the stop to be on the would-be Children's Museum side, but then duh, the streetcar heads southerly here until it turns up Farnam, so the stop must be on the west side, like right here:

In the shadow of this building:

And then it has to, of course, round the turn from 8th Street onto Farnam and head on towards Blackstone, which is why the track is not in a straight line.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 3:53 pm

They've delivered rails to this part from the First Presbyterian Church to west of 33rd and Farnam, and

this part, from east of 33rd to about in front of the Genesis health club entrance.

So that's about 2 blocks worth of rail through Midtown Crossing (minus the intersections of course) ready to be assembled into place.

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 3:59 pm

They're laying pavement closer to the "big hole" at Farnam and Turner Boulevard, which makes me think they are closer to filling up that hole that has cut off Turner Boulevard for several months now. Get that out of the way and it's full spead ahead for the streetcar.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Sat Apr 25, 2026 10:33 pm

Thanks for all the updates!

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Tue Apr 28, 2026 7:45 am

Concrete pour!!!

10th Street (Dodge-to-Capitol)

KETV: "The Omaha Streetcar Authority says the concrete pouring will begin on Tuesday around 7 a.m. Officials warn it may be noisy for sensitive ears."

stadsborgare · Post by **stadsborgare** » Wed Apr 29, 2026 6:20 pm

Here's my first look at where the track meets the newly-poured concrete. This is right outside the door of Addy's. They did the concrete pour yesterday, and they have it all covered with a tarp today, but thankfully the wind blew part of the tarp back so I could snap a picture.

There is this rubberized boot that hugs the rail, and I suppose when you drive over it with your car, you'll hardly feel anything.