Street Work

[Coyote]

Recent street work closing, narrowing more roads around Omaha



Barricades, traffic cones, construction. All are landmarks in Omaha. You’re about to see even more of them because of recent street projects, and they’re not just going to be downtown near the Mutual of Omaha site. In addition to the work being done around the future skyscraper, several other road projects have already begun around town, including 29th Street for the Highlander development. Starting next week, I Street will be closed off to through traffic between 102nd and 108th streets until November to widen the road.

One of the businesses there is recycling processing center Firstar Fiber. President Dale Gubbels said the added sidewalks will make things safer for pedestrians, as opposed to them having to walk on the shoulders like they currently do. “There are a lot of people who walk from that bus station to not just us, but to our neighbors all along here," Gubbels said. Another business along that stretch that didn’t want to be identified said its biggest concern is making sure the trucks can get in and out easily. Gubbels shares that sentiment, but said the city has been communicating well with him, and that it recognizes the trucks must be accommodated.

[Coyote]

Phase Two of I Street construction begins



Phase Two of the construction project between 102nd and 108th on I Street is underway.

[Coyote]

Stretch of road leaves Omaha neighborhood in a rut



Where the pavement ends, the rubber leaves the road as drivers avoid a mud hole on a rough two-block stretch of South 45th Street in Omaha. “One [driver], she, actually what she did is she drove this way and she went all the way over here, and then she went out over there,” said Judy Blomenkamp. Blomenkamp is one of three homeowners along the substandard street who says maintenance of it has been in a rut. “I’d like them to fix the hole so they don’t come into my property.” Next door, Chris McCart says leaving home in either direction can be nerve-wracking.

“My car bottoms out there, so it can do damage to my car,” McCart said. So she avoids the worse way out and takes the path most traveled -- over her neighbor’s grass. “I don’t want to go in her yard,” McCart said. “She’s a nice lady, but I don’t really have a choice. I went in the hole a little too much the other day and thought I was going to be stuck.” The neighbors say filling the hole and smoothing out the ruts are the best solutions, and not just for protecting their yard -- but taxpayer property.

Drivers avoiding that hole aren’t just trespassing on Judy’s yard. You can see tires have scraped up against a manhole and there’s a lip more than three inches high. 6 On Your Side contacted city sewer maintenance, and within a couple of hours, a supervisor arrived to find no damage and put in a work order for a protective concrete ring around the manhole. “If we know about them we’ll prioritize them,” said Steve Andersen with Omaha Public Works. “This one we hadn’t received a call on it yet, so we appreciate the call and we’ll get it taken care of.” And before wet weather would make it a deeper mudbath for vehicles -- a city crew arrived to fill in the hole not long after 6 News contacted Omaha street maintenance. After months of precarious driving, the residents here have a smooth and safer way to come and go from their homes. Homeowners tell 6 News a city crew worked into the night dumping truckloads of material and smoothing it out. They can use the two-block stretch in both directions -- even after tomorrow’s expected rain and snow.

[Coyote]

Reducing lanes:
Construction work begins on Millard Ave. bridge for repairs



Drivers usually have four lanes in all directions when traveling on Millard Ave. Now, they will just have two lanes in all directions, which could cause delays. Construction crews are making bridge repairs on the bridge deck and the guard rail, as well as sidewalk improvements. Nebraska DOT tells me this portion of the project has a price tag of $1 million. Patty Hanke's local business, B.I.G Meats, is right near the construction zone at 137th and Millard Ave. She said she worries this construction could drive away customers.

[djc311]

This is a road I often use to get to work in the morning... it's already a disaster due to the that stay on the inside lane heading north that then try to merge into the outside lane to turn east on to L St. I swear Q St or somewhere near this general Millard Ave area is torn up every year.

Will be looking at alternate routes while this mess is going on.

[Coyote]

'I think it's about time:'
City of Gretna receives federal funding for Schram Road project



The city of Gretna received five million dollars in federal funding that will help pave a fast-growing corridor in Gretna. Currently, part of Schram Road from 204th St. to 192nd St. is half paved and half gravel, which neighbors told me driving on is a nightmare. Eventually, the entire road will be paved. Schram Road serves as a huge connector road for major areas from Harvest Hills Elementary School and what will be a new 17-acre lake estimated to be completed by mid-2025. Neighbor Frank Perchal has been displeased by the gravel road for decades and says this funding is a long-time coming.

"I think it's about time," Perchal said. "Since they put that new school in on 192nd the traffic has been terrible. The dust is just... when I mow my grass, my mower is pure white from the dust." In total, seven million dollars is going into this project with five coming from federal funding and two from the city.

[almighty_tuna]

"Frank Perchal has been displeased..."

[BRoss]

168th & State intersection reconstruction has a webcam:

https://app.truelook.cloud/dashboard/16 ... ny59z4tvr1