The Harney Street bridge was demolished Friday night to make way for a new bridge that will support Omaha’s upcoming streetcar system. While the project is a major step forward for public transportation, it has created traffic headaches for Midtown businesses and residents.
Businesses Struggle with Parking, Customers Frustrated
Local businesses, like Gel Nails, have seen a drop in customers due to limited parking and detours.
Papillion resident Megan Page, a regular customer, said the parking situation has made her visits less frequent.
“There is no parking, even as far as you can go down to turn around,” Page said. “The parking is off-set from the direction of traffic, so that makes it hard to park here as well.”
Owner Linh Duong reported a 35% drop in business due to the construction.
“My employees work by commission, so if the customer comes, they make money. If no customer, no money,” Duong said.
The nearby Midtown Crossing parking garage, which offers three hours of free parking, has helped ease some of the strain.
Drivers Face Traffic Jams and Detours
Residents like Evelyn Grixby have also had to change their routes.
“Getting off of I-480 has been very difficult with the merging traffic from neighborhood streets,” Grixby said. “The detour signs asking traffic to merge make it even harder.”
Page echoed similar concerns:
“I just went through the city instead of using the interstate because it’s messy. Exits like Leavenworth, Harney, and Farnam are backed up.”
What’s Next for Construction?
While I-480 is expected to reopen Monday, streetcar construction will continue.
- Farnam between 36th and 37th Streets will close for 15 days starting the same day.
- The Farnam Street bridge is the next scheduled replacement.
Grixby encouraged patience and community support for struggling businesses.
“It’s hard enough on all of us. We should try to support each other,” she said.
