Omaha In An Alternate Timeline

[mrsticka]

Here's how I see Omaha developing in an alternate timeline:

–Peony Park is built downtown where that big/ugly train yard originally went. And it's still there today. It's undergone many renovations over the years.
–I-29 is built through Nebraska instead of Iowa thus serving Omaha directly. I-29 follows the pathways that the Kennedy Freeway, I-480 and the North Freeway do.
–Omaha grows so rapidly to the west. By the late 1970's, Omaha is sprawled out to 204th Street.
–A third spur freeway route is built in the 1970's; I-880. It goes a path similar to what I-680 and I-480 do–Start out as north/south routes, then turn east and go into Iowa.
–I-680 does not end in Crescent. Instead it continues east where it meets I-80 again and ends there.
–Because I-29 runs through Nebraska, there's no I-480 route. Instead, the viaduct route that goes through Downtown Omaha is I-429. It does not turn southeast to meet Dodge Street/US 6 to go into Iowa. Instead, it turns east/northeast and for 2 miles follows the route that I-29 currently does.
–West Dodge Road is built as a full uninterrupted freeway from 90th Street all the way to I-880. That means the intersection with 114th Street is not an intersection with traffic lights. Instead, West Dodge passes over it. There are on and off ramps to and from 114th.
–Rosenblatt Stadium is not demolished in 2010. Instead, it's still there. But they are not host to a local baseball team. Instead, they host the College World Series exclusively. TD Ameritrade Park is still built downtown and it becomes the home for the Storm Chasers instead of Werner Park south of Millard. So that means Werner Park unfortunately never gets built.
–The airport is expanded in the late 1970's to include 2 long concourses and a centralized checkpoint with 6 lanes. It is not called Eppley Airfield. It's Omaha International Airport. It has flights to and from Canada and Mexico.

Yes, I realize this is all just longshot wishlist, but it never hurts to imagine.

[Busguy2010]

Another thing that didnt happen, but would have vastly changed the trajectory of Omaha's growth was the west freeway. They got so far as to build the off ramps for it at 30th & Davenport, but were shot down at the last second. I cant imagine how much more historic housing stock we would have lost if that went through, plus the sprawl that would have stimulated. I feel like if that had gone forward, Omaha would have little, if any identity left.

[Louie]

Another thing that didnt happen, but would have vastly changed the trajectory of Omaha's growth was the west freeway. They got so far as to build the off ramps for it at 30th & Davenport, but were shot down at the last second. I cant imagine how much more historic housing stock we would have lost if that went through, plus the sprawl that would have stimulated. I feel like if that had gone forward, Omaha would have little, if any identity left.

What was that path going to look like?

[Busguy2010]

Another thing that didnt happen, but would have vastly changed the trajectory of Omaha's growth was the west freeway. They got so far as to build the off ramps for it at 30th & Davenport, but were shot down at the last second. I cant imagine how much more historic housing stock we would have lost if that went through, plus the sprawl that would have stimulated. I feel like if that had gone forward, Omaha would have little, if any identity left.

What was that path going to look like?

I'm not entirely sure. This is one of the things I'm really fascinated by, and I too would like to know. What I know is it was generally supposed to parallel Dodge but a few blocks north and may have been planned to cut to the northwest somewhere around Dundee and it would have become what is now NW Radial, Maple/West Maple or Military is what it seemed like. Reason why it didn't go through was cause the Gold Coast, Dundee, and Faracres neighborhoods fought it. So it may have been planned farther south than Maple.

[S.O.Boy]

What if the capital wasn't moved to Lincoln?

[Louie]

What if the capital wasn't moved to Lincoln?

I often wonder this. Surely, Lincoln would be a small city akin to Kearney (just getting growth due to the University). But Omaha would maybe be a city twice its size with the concentrations of industry.

[Bomaha]

An Omaha variant......interesting.

[Bob from Omaha]

Another thing that didnt happen, but would have vastly changed the trajectory of Omaha's growth was the west freeway. They got so far as to build the off ramps for it at 30th & Davenport, but were shot down at the last second. I cant imagine how much more historic housing stock we would have lost if that went through, plus the sprawl that would have stimulated. I feel like if that had gone forward, Omaha would have little, if any identity left.

What was that path going to look like?

I'm not entirely sure. This is one of the things I'm really fascinated by, and I too would like to know. What I know is it was generally supposed to parallel Dodge but a few blocks north and may have been planned to cut to the northwest somewhere around Dundee and it would have become what is now NW Radial, Maple/West Maple or Military is what it seemed like. Reason why it didn't go through was cause the Gold Coast, Dundee, and Faracres neighborhoods fought it. So it may have been planned farther south than Maple.

i remember that. The proposed route would have put the freeway immediately next to my grade school, Western Hills. And when I say next to I mean within 100 yards of it. Somewhere in the owh archives or the Sun Newspapers is the proposed route. Anyway, the idea was to take pressure off Dodge and get people from downtown to the "west suburbs" quickly. Yeah, it upset off a lot of people. There are two differences between this and the North Freeway:
1) The North Freeway allegedly displaced 700 people and the West Freeway would have displaced many more, possibly thousands.
2) The proposal for the West Freeway angered people who could do something about it. Not the case with the North Freeway.

Interesting reading:
https://omaha.com/special_sections/outlook/omaha-shaped-by-turmoil/article_3337c6a7-026b-517e-b0b2-7e231a6a788a.html

[Busguy2010]

That would be really cool to see the proposed route exactly how it was supposed to be. And then look at what would have been lost if it went through. Easy to imagine why it didn't go through cause it really would have displaced thousands of people and the corridor for the west freeway is a lot denser than what ended up being the north freeway. Thinking about all the hills it would have traversed, it would have been a fun drive, and also kinda fun to imagine getting from NW Omaha to Downtown in maybe 10 minutes. I'm sure NW Omaha would be much larger than it is now.

[Garrett]

Another thing that didnt happen, but would have vastly changed the trajectory of Omaha's growth was the west freeway. They got so far as to build the off ramps for it at 30th & Davenport, but were shot down at the last second. I cant imagine how much more historic housing stock we would have lost if that went through, plus the sprawl that would have stimulated. I feel like if that had gone forward, Omaha would have little, if any identity left.

What was that path going to look like?

[Busguy2010]

Nice. I had heard other things that suggested it would have had more of a northwesterly trajectory. I heard from my dad, he though it was supposed to go through kind of the same area that Bob from Omaha said by Western Hills so that would confirm that. Maybe that picture was released as a preliminary or watered down version that what I've heard. Maybe they were trying not to get too controversial. Appreciated anyway

This map is a quick illustration of what it sounded like it could have been to me.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing

[S.O.Boy]

What if the capital wasn't moved to Lincoln?

I often wonder this. Surely, Lincoln would be a small city akin to Kearney (just getting growth due to the University). But Omaha would maybe be a city twice its size with the concentrations of industry.

Would the University even be there?

[Busguy2010]

What if the capital wasn't moved to Lincoln?

I often wonder this. Surely, Lincoln would be a small city akin to Kearney (just getting growth due to the University). But Omaha would maybe be a city twice its size with the concentrations of industry.

Would the University even be there?

I thought that too. My main thought is it would have depended if UNL was established before the Capitol was moved to Lincoln. Had it not been, and the Capitol not moved, maybe UNO would be the major university in the state with the cult following. Something like that would have totally changed the landscape of Omaha and the state.

[Garrett]

What if the capital wasn't moved to Lincoln?

I often wonder this. Surely, Lincoln would be a small city akin to Kearney (just getting growth due to the University). But Omaha would maybe be a city twice its size with the concentrations of industry.

Would the University even be there?

I thought that too. My main thought is it would have depended if UNL was established before the Capitol was moved to Lincoln. Had it not been, and the Capitol not moved, maybe UNO would be the major university in the state with the cult following. Something like that would have totally changed the landscape of Omaha and the state.

UNL was founded in 1869, two years after statehood when the capitol moved

[Busguy2010]

Pretty cool thought that Omaha could have been the biggest city in the state, plus had the primary university, plus the Capitol, plus UNMC. That would definitely have altered the trajectory of the city and state.

[Busguy2010]

Back on the West/Northwest freeway idea, I actually think something like I have pictured below could still be doable and desirable.


NW Omaha is already practically built out so this wouldn't stimulate more sprawl, but would solve a growing congestion issue in NW Omaha. And we wouldn't be sacrificing much in the way of valuable housing stock. We're talking about growing subdivisions at 180th & Rainwood with only the farm grid to support them. I feel like far NW Omaha is going to be a fuster cluck if they don't have some sort of highway or freeway access.

[mrsticka]

Why did the capitol move to Lincoln anyway?

[S.O.Boy]

Why did the capitol move to Lincoln anyway?

The capital of the Nebraska Territory had been Omaha since the creation of the territory in 1854; however, most of the territory's population lived south of the Platte River. After much of the territory south of the Platte River considered annexation to Kansas, the territorial legislature voted to locate the capital city south of the river and as far west as possible. - Wikipedia

[Garrett]

Back on the West/Northwest freeway idea, I actually think something like I have pictured below could still be doable and desirable.


NW Omaha is already practically built out so this wouldn't stimulate more sprawl, but would solve a growing congestion issue in NW Omaha. And we wouldn't be sacrificing much in the way of valuable housing stock. We're talking about growing subdivisions at 180th & Rainwood with only the farm grid to support them. I feel like far NW Omaha is going to be a fuster cluck if they don't have some sort of highway or freeway access.

This would stimulate significantly more sprawl in these areas. Induced demand is a thing; you build a greenfield freeway and development will boom around it. Always has.

[Busguy2010]

My point is that sprawl is already occurring up there. Regardless of if there were a freeway up there or not, it is already going on.

[cchandler790]

The airport is expanded in the late 1970's to include 2 long concourses and a centralized checkpoint with 6 lanes. It is not called Eppley Airfield. It's Omaha International Airport. It has flights to and from Canada and Mexico.


This can still happen!! When I fly, the pilot says Eppley International Airport on the intercom all the time. They are supposed to combine concourse north and South into one big concourse and add about 20 plus additional gates. I also heard you will be able to drive up to the second floor, for direct flights.

I wish Omaha and Lincoln built a huge airport in between of them instead. I feel like Lincoln, Nebraska will become as big as Omaha, because they can grow from all sides. With Omaha, it's only North West and West Omaha that's growing because Iowa is on the East side.

[Bob from Omaha]

Same with Chicago, St Louis, Kansas City, and on and on. It makes no difference that a city is blocked in one direction. Growth will happen the same as water, the easiest route. As for Lincoln growing to the size of Omaha, it may happen. But it will not happen simply based on geography.

[NEDodger]

The airport is expanded in the late 1970's to include 2 long concourses and a centralized checkpoint with 6 lanes. It is not called Eppley Airfield. It's Omaha International Airport. It has flights to and from Canada and Mexico.


This can still happen!! When I fly, the pilot says Eppley International Airport on the intercom all the time. They are supposed to combine concourse north and South into one big concourse and add about 20 plus additional gates. I also heard you will be able to drive up to the second floor, for direct flights.

I wish Omaha and Lincoln built a huge airport in between of them instead. I feel like Lincoln, Nebraska will become as big as Omaha, because they can grow from all sides. With Omaha, it's only North West and West Omaha that's growing because Iowa is on the East side.

People from Lincoln fly out of Eppley all the time, regardless. It's way too valuable to have an airport as close to downtown as we already have for business, tourists, CWS, etc.. for the minimal gain that Lincoln would provide.

[buildomaha]

I think it would be so interesting to see an Omaha capital city. The state would have resembled Minnesota, with the twin-cities being the primary city of the entire state. I would argue that omaha as a city would be much better off if we had retained the capital. Losing some of the southern parts of the state to annexation by Kansas would have meant little to nothing to the city. Rural Nebraska is subsidized by our urban areas, and Omaha is often held back by the relationship.
I’ve thought before that omaha should push to be annexed by Iowa to receive the benefit of their universities, more proactive planning and infrastructure, etc.

[mrsticka]

I've been through major airport hubs like Minneapolis, Denver and Salt Lake City. Their concourses feel like they go on forever. I often wonder what if Omaha had an airport like that.