Some Omaha Streetcar construction paused in Downtown ahead of College World Series

• Omaha pauses some streetcar construction downtown for the College World Series
• 10th Street and key corridors on Farnam and Harney are open to traffic now
• Construction is set to resume after the CWS ends later this month

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Some construction of the Omaha Streetcar in Downtown has been paused ahead of the College World Series, reopening 10th Street and other key corridors to traffic.

Alyssa Smith with Omaha Public Works said some construction has been paused downtown for the CWS. She also said both Farnam and Harney will be open from the interstate east, as well as parts of Midtown.

Access along 10th Street had been limited for months. Rails were placed in April.

Tim Addison, owner of Addy's Sports Bar and Grill at 10th and Dodge, said the return of traffic is a welcome change.

"It feels great," Addison said.

Addison said the College World Series is a critical stretch for his business.

"These 10 days, we can make anywhere from 50 to 60% of our yearly revenue. That's how busy it is down here," Addison said.

He said the mood among nearby business owners reflects the moment.

"Everybody around here is just so excited to see the progress that we're seeing today and just couldn't be happier," Addison said.

Jessica Duggan, co-owner of Kitchen Table on Farnam, said the reopened streets are already making a difference.

"It's been an interesting ride, for sure, but happy to have parking open right now and streets clear, so driving up and down Farnam, so it's much better right at this moment," Duggan said.

She said she hopes the timing brings a boost to the entire corridor.

"Yeah, I really hope all the business is on the corridor, see all the CWS folks and have a really great next 10 days," Duggan said.

Smith said streetcar construction will ramp back up after the CWS ends later this month.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.