OMAHA – Before construction began on 72nd and F Street, planning for the new bridge began in 2017.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) currently estimates that construction will begin on the 36th and L Street bridge in 2029.
“We have made complaints before. And, you know, there are no holes to fall through right now, but in terms of improvements, it is like a band-aid that keeps ripping off.
A warning to drivers: a busy bridge is closed for repairs. However, this is not the only bridge in the Omaha metro that requires assistance. Jill Lamkins, a reporter for 3 News Now, has an update on several bridges in the Omaha Metro area that she has been monitoring since the summer.
Construction at 72nd and F Street has been underway for about a year. On Monday, the bridge was closed for the next six months.
The reason is to replace it. The city claims that this is a necessary safety improvement.
However, the schedule for projects like this takes time. Before construction began, planning for the new bridge began in 2017.
Another nearby bridge at 36th and L Street is only in the planning stages.
Since August, this bridge has been a top concern for many south Omaha neighbors.
The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) currently plans to begin construction in 2029. Too far away for neighbors like Debra Smith, whom we last spoke with in August before meeting up with her today.
“We have made complaints before. And, you know, there are no holes to fall through right now, but in terms of improvements, it is like a band-aid that keeps ripping off,” Smith explained.
NDOT says they are attempting to move construction up a year to 2028. The issue that remains is funding.
Omaha City Councilman Ron Hug believes that the problem could be solved if Douglas County tax dollars were reinvested in the community.
“If we had more equity in those dispersal tax dollars, projects like this would not be pushed back three, four, or five years. But, until then, I am very encouraged by the Nebraska Department of Roads’ progress in ongoing maintenance repair,” he said.
NDOT says there are worse bridges than the 36th and L Street bridge, which Lamkins reported on in September.
As of now, the 72nd and L Street bridge is still scheduled for 2026. The 204th Street bridge crossing over the Old Lincoln Highway has been pushed back to 2027.
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