OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) — Streetcar officials said construction has entered its most disruptive phase, just one week before tens of thousands of Berkshire Hathaway visitors are expected to arrive downtown.
Crews are tearing up streets across several districts to replace aging water lines, sewer systems, and underground utilities—some more than 100 years old. Officials said this work must be completed before crews can install the streetcar tracks.
Project leaders described this stage as the most intense period of construction, coinciding with one of Omaha’s busiest tourism weekends of the year.
To ease congestion, several construction crews will scale back operations to limit road and sidewalk closures during the event.
On the east side of 10th Street near Capitol Avenue, crews are installing a temporary pedestrian bridge to keep all four corners accessible for foot traffic.
Officials are advising visitors to check travel routes before heading downtown. Navigation apps like Waze, Apple Maps, and Google Maps are updated within hours of any changes. Tear-off maps will also be available at most downtown hotels.
Project manager Michael True said the disruption represents a turning point for the city.
“It’s going to be a change for the city. When you come downtown — remember this year, maybe next year — because by 2028, 2029, if you come back…it’s going to be one of the last times you won’t have something that circulates downtown to hop on,” True said.
The full streetcar system remains on schedule to open in fall 2028. Residents can sign up for text or email updates about construction impacts through the streetcar website.
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