North Freeway/480 interchange overhaul

[Brad]

They were closing off a few lanes just tonight on my way to CB.

[Brad]

from theomahachannel.com

[the1wags]

Whoa buddy! Looks like good times driving through there. No wonder I avoid that at all costs.

[Bob from Omaha]

I have always wondered why the bridges were built before the project was finalized.

The better option is still to complete the North Freeway out to I-680.

Actually the project was finalized before the bridges, but there was immense pressure to stop the route of the west expressway and it finally paid off for the opponents. The west expressway stopped at the bridges.

On another note, the Dodge exit was moved to in front of the motel AT THE DEMAND of the motel developer. Its called clout and he had it. Thats politics.

[Brad]

Road work can eat a restaurant's lunch

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1458&u_sid=2051886

Mary Caniglia, a small, grandmotherly woman with a sweet smile, has helped her husband run the Mr. C's restaurant since it opened as a drive-in in 1953.

But these days, she's not smiling as much. Business has slumped since late August, when the state began a construction project on the North Freeway, three miles away from her north Omaha restaurant.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Dumbest headline ever....

[Brad]

Roadwork on fast track

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2073435

Crews are ahead of schedule on a $41 million project to rebuild the freeway junction near downtown Omaha.

But there's still plenty of work ahead on the project, which began in July and is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2009, said Karl Burns, spokesman for the Nebraska Department of Roads, which is managing the project.

The project calls for replacing worn-out bridges and pavement at the 35-year-old junction of the North Freeway and Interstate 480. Other changes are designed to improve motorists' safety. The project involves removing seven bridges and building 13 others.

The highways at the junction connect central and downtown Omaha to Council Bluffs, the Kennedy Freeway and Interstates 29 and 80.

An average of about 95,000 vehicles per day travel through the junction, according to the most recent figures. That count is projected to grow.

We shouyld just let Hawkins do everything in this town.

[Brad]

Looks like some of the new parts are open.

[MTO]

Wow they are really rocking on this project. These 3 years are going to fly.

[Will]

Hawkins is doing great with the four local projects that they have:
Hwy 275 (west of the Elkhorn river)
Dodge st over pass
480/75 split
I80 west to lincoln

they have to making a bundle

[MTO]

Well granted the delays on the Platte are not their fault I'm just hoping it's not costing them a bunch.

[Coyote]

Gas Prices Take Toll On State Road Work

Nebraska has $40 million less to spend on its roads this fiscal year, thanks in part to thriftier drivers. The state's road construction budget is $350 million, more than 10 percent less than last year.

Road Projects Delayed

A year's delay, to 2009, has also been forced on a current project to rebuild the Interstate 480-North Freeway junction in downtown Omaha.

So when was this supposed to be finished - I thought it was already 2009.

[Uffda]

I noticed when I went down to the civic the other day via North freeway to East I-480 that the new bridge that will connect North Freeway to East I-480 has come a long way --- looks like they could be pouring the decking in the next month or so - if not sooner. Also the west I-480 to North Freeway is done. -- well from what I could see as I drove on it in the dark. :D

[Brad]

I noticed when I went down to the civic the other day via North freeway to East I-480 that the new bridge that will connect North Freeway to East I-480 has come a long way --- looks like they could be pouring the decking in the next month or so - if not sooner. Also the west I-480 to North Freeway is done. -- well from what I could see as I drove on it in the dark. :D

I am fairly sure they have started pouring it? I thought they closed part of the freeway last weekend to make room for the concrete trucks, but I am not sure.

[Brad]

I noticed when I went down to the civic the other day via North freeway to East I-480 that the new bridge that will connect North Freeway to East I-480 has come a long way --- looks like they could be pouring the decking in the next month or so - if not sooner. Also the west I-480 to North Freeway is done. -- well from what I could see as I drove on it in the dark. :D

I am fairly sure they have started pouring it? I thought they closed part of the freeway last weekend to make room for the concrete trucks, but I am not sure.

I guess I was wrong, but they are ready to pour it:

[Brad]

Looks like it now poured:

[Coyote]

Bridge demolished in I-480 interchange reconfiguration

It's two bridges demolished and five more to go for those keeping score in the Nebraska Department of Roads' $52 million project to reconfigure Interstate 480 and U.S. Highway 75. A Hawkins Construction Co. crew needed about 15 hours Sunday to demolish and clear away the rubble of a bridge near downtown Omaha that formerly carried eastbound traffic from 30th Street toward Iowa.

The bridge demolition is part of a $52 million downtown project that began in July 2005 and is expected to be completed some time in 2010. In all, seven bridges will be removed and 13 new ones are scheduled to be built. The interchange was built to connect downtown to an expressway that would have cut through the Cathedral, Dundee and Memorial Park neighborhoods toward west Omaha. The expressway was never built, which left the interchange with several unused bridges and substandard connections to city streets.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I drove through there yesterday and saw that. I like the way things are looking down that way in that area. It will be so much nicer when it is all done. I saw that there tearing down those two off ramp Bridges as you head north. Are they gonna tear down those two other Bridges that cross over 30th Street too? They have been the forever but never been used.

[Brad]

I drove through there yesterday and saw that. I like the way things are looking down that way in that area. It will be so much nicer when it is all done. I saw that there tearing down those two off ramp Bridges as you head north. Are they gonna tear down those two other Bridges that cross over 30th Street too? They have been the forever but never been used.

All the bridges will be removed or replaced. It will be much nicer and way less cluttered.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I drove through there yesterday and saw that. I like the way things are looking down that way in that area. It will be so much nicer when it is all done. I saw that there tearing down those two off ramp Bridges as you head north. Are they gonna tear down those two other Bridges that cross over 30th Street too? They have been the forever but never been used.

All the bridges will be removed or replaced. It will be much nicer and way less cluttered.

I agree. I saw the Black tarp wrapped around the peer supports. I thought that they where going to Implode them to the ground. I don't know what is going on.

[Brad]

I was just watching the news and they imploded a big section of bridge at the 480/northfreeway interchange this morning.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I was just watching the news and they imploded a big section of bridge at the 480/northfreeway interchange this morning.

Are there any photos of what it will look like when it's all done?

[icejammer]

Are there any photos of what it will look like when it's all done?

Try the NDOR website: http://www.nebraskatransportation.org/projects/480-75/index.htm

[Brad]

Ramp changes on Interstate 480 surprises morning commuters

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10377253

Drivers northbound on Interstate 480 got a surprise this morning when they tried to head east on the interstate to go downtown.

The state has permanently changed the ramps at the interchange of I-480 and U.S. Highway 75. Now drivers must be in the left-hand lanes of I-480 to enter the eastbound ramp. Drivers have to veer to the right in order to enter the northbound U.S. 75 ramp.

Those new alignments are counter to the typical layout of interchanges. Before the switch, drivers simply had to be in the right-hand lane to veer to the right and head east on I-480.

[almighty_tuna]

Oh, i bet that was pleasant this morning.

[Brad]

Same reasoning they used on I80, this will be great once everyone gets use to it.

Karl Burns, a spokesman with the Nebraska Department of Roads, said the change was made because the state considers the ramp to U.S. Highway 75 to be an exit and exits are supposed to be on the right-hand side of the road.


OWH IMAGE:

[Uffda]

I was going down to the QWEST last night and decided to try using N 75th to E 480 instead of getting off at Hamilton exit like i usually do. I didn't know the new bridge was open --- much nicer than the old bridge. Looks like they still have quite a bit of work to do with on/off ramps but it is getting there.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

I got really screwed up with going northbound one day. I wound up on taking 75 to 480 east instead of heading north. I had to get off to dodge street head back west just to get back on the highway to go north. But the next time I went through there. I finally figured it out. It is all messed up now.

[Brad]

Omaha Interstate plans hit 2-year snag

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10505555

State officials say a lack of federal money is pushing back the completion date for the I-480 improvements. Also affected by the lack of federal money are the widening of Interstate 80 near the Missouri River and Interstate projects serving Lincoln and Grand Island.

Things could change if Nebraska receives a significant boost in roads funding from Washington, but President-elect Barack Obama has yet to detail his plan to jump-start the economy.

In the meantime, the Nebraska Roads Department is being "very fiscally conservative in what we're planning," said spokeswoman Mary Jo Oie.

When work stops this month on the massive interchange project for I-480 and the North Freeway in Omaha, it isn't scheduled to resume until 2011. Work was supposed to resume next year.

"It's still a top priority, a high-priority project," said Karl Burns, the Roads Department's Omaha spokesman. "If funding were to come available, that could be pushed up."

Iowa has not revised the timing of its Interstate construction work, said Dena Gray-Fisher, spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Transportation. The department, she said, still is waiting to see whether Congress will provide extra roads funds.

Right now, Nebraska expects to receive less federal money than projected for its 2009-10 budget year, which starts July 1. The state already is short $50 million in highway funding in the current budget year because federal gas tax revenue has declined.

Faced with funding problems, the state's priority is to keep existing roadways in good shape. Nebraska allotted the bulk of its current $317 million construction budget — $200 million — to preserving highways and bridges. About $117 million is for highway and Interstate improvements.

The I-480 interchange project began three years ago. The total price tag is $52 million. Half of that amount has been spent so far.

The work includes replacing and repairing decades-old bridges, improving ramps and repaving the interchange. Some roadways also will be flattened for better sight lines for drivers.

This year, the state completed improvements to eastbound I-480 and the northbound North Freeway, officially known as U.S. Highway 75. The last bit of that work — entrance ramps from Dodge and Cuming Streets to eastbound I-480 — was recently finished.

But work on westbound I-480 and the southbound lanes of the freeway won't take place until 2011. Money would have been shifted to the project from other areas if the work had to be completed next year, Burns said, but it doesn't.

[MTO]

Wow. That is quite of a delay. And these highways needed these improvements years ago. Oh well maybe an antiquated road network could help market the streetcars a little better.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Great.
That means that nothing will get done.

[GetUrban]

Great.
That means that nothing will get done.

I'll bet if Obama's infrastructure stimulus package passes we'll see action on this project sooner rather than later.

There's quite a bit of land to be opened up when they demolish the 30th street bridges that were never used. I hope that land becomes available for development. It's kind of a no-man's land down there, with tall grass (weeds) growing on the bridges, last time I drove by.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Great.
That means that nothing will get done.

I'll bet if Obama's infrastructure stimulus package passes we'll see action on this project sooner rather than later.

There's quite a bit of land to be opened up when they demolish the 30th street bridges that were never used. I hope that land becomes available for development. It's kind of a no-man's land down there, with tall grass (weeds) growing on the bridges, last time I drove by.

Are you talking about those two off ramps that ran into 31st street just north of the Radio Shack?

[GetUrban]

Great.
That means that nothing will get done.

I'll bet if Obama's infrastructure stimulus package passes we'll see action on this project sooner rather than later.

There's quite a bit of land to be opened up when they demolish the 30th street bridges that were never used. I hope that land becomes available for development. It's kind of a no-man's land down there, with tall grass (weeds) growing on the bridges, last time I drove by.

Are you talking about those two off ramps that ran into 31st street just north of the Radio Shack?

Yeah, those are the ones.

Now that I think about it, I do remember a long time ago the bridges were open across 30th st. and traffic dumped onto 31st. The bridges were then abandoned and traffic was routed down to 30th, instead of across the bridges to 31st, which is kind of a residential street. Of course, originally the bridges were to be connected to an expressway running west cutting through neighborhoods all the way out through Dundee to west O. Thank God that never happened.

If you look at the aerials of the abandoned bridges over 30th and their approaches to the east, there is alot of unused land that could be developed.

[Allan_Love_Jr]

Great.
That means that nothing will get done.

I'll bet if Obama's infrastructure stimulus package passes we'll see action on this project sooner rather than later.

There's quite a bit of land to be opened up when they demolish the 30th street bridges that were never used. I hope that land becomes available for development. It's kind of a no-man's land down there, with tall grass (weeds) growing on the bridges, last time I drove by.

Are you talking about those two off ramps that ran into 31st street just north of the Radio Shack?

Yeah, those are the ones.

Now that I think about it, I do remember a long time ago the bridges were open across 30th st. and traffic dumped onto 31st. The bridges were then abandoned and traffic was routed down to 30th, instead of across the bridges to 31st, which is kind of a residential street. Of course, originally the bridges were to be connected to an expressway running west cutting through neighborhoods all the way out through Dundee to west O. Thank God that never happened.

If you look at the aerials of the abandoned bridges over 30th and their approaches to the east, there is alot of unused land that could be developed.

As long as it is used wisely. I think that they should develop it into more apartments.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Does anyone know if this is getting any stimulus monies to get it going again? It sucks that it's just sitting there half done.

[almighty_tuna]

Does anyone know if this is getting any stimulus monies to get it going again? It sucks that it's just sitting there half done.

Last Friday it looked like there were new lane closures and seemed as though it was, excuse the pun, ramping up! I thought it was getting back on track specifically because of stimulus money.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I noticed the construction barriers along the shoulders as well and was wondering if it was related to the recommencement of progress on the interchange project.

[Brad]

From the NDOR website:

The 3rd and final phase of the reconstruction was scheduled to begin in late summer of 2008 with an overall completion date of December 2009, however, due to funding shortfalls the completion date could be delayed as late as 2011.

http://www.nebraskatransportation.org/p ... /index.htm

[Brad]

Downtown travel smooth - in 2010

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090921/NEWS01/709219946

Hang in there, downtown Omaha commuters: You have another year to deal with construction on Interstate 480.

After reconstruction work had been pushed back late last year because of a lack of funding, the Nebraska Roads Department received $19.1 million in federal stimulus dollars to resume the I-480 project.

Work on the I-480 improvements started up again on Aug. 31. State officials hope the project can be completed by the end of 2010.

“If we wouldn't have had the stimulus money, we wouldn't have been able to even start'' the final phase of the project until the end of 2010, said Karl Burns, a Roads Department spokesman.

He said the construction project now will be finished before the College World Series moves from Rosenblatt Stadium to a new downtown stadium in 2011.

The project to reconfigure the I-480 interchange with U.S. Highway 75, or the North Freeway, began in 2005.