Neighbors share concerns on 36th and L bridge at South O town hall

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Neighbors came together to hear firsthand from NDOT about the plans they have in place for more permanent repairs on the bridge, what they're doing now and why it can't be reconstructed sooner.

• Neighbors expressed concerns with the safety of the bridge.
• NDOT says the bridge will be fully reconstructed in 2029. They can't move it up due to the budget and other contraints.
• Neighbors think that the timeframe is too far away.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

People who use this bridge are worried about its safety. Now it has led to a neighborhood meeting. 3 News Now reporter Jill Lamkins has been following this story after a second hole opened up on the bridge in the span of three months. Now neighbors are meeting to find out when their concerns will be taken seriously.

Candice Menking lives just a block away from this bridge.

"My concern is the safety of the kids that go to school and the amount of traffic that drives under that bridge every day, including school buses,” she said.

She's at this South Omaha town hall because she thinks the bridge is unsafe to drive under. She's proposing that the state put up netting to prevent any more debris from falling.

"Because someone is going to get hurt, it is going to fall on someone eventually.”

To answer her questions Omaha District Four Councilman Ron Hug invited law enforcement and the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) to tell neighbors firsthand how they're handling the situation.

"I want the state to take responsibility. I want the state to step up and meet my constituent’s eye to eye and say we're going to take care of this,” said Hug.

NDOT District Two Engineer Thomas Goodbarn shared the plans they have in place for a total bridge reconstruction.

Those plans won't come into fruition until 2029 due to budget constraints and coordinating efforts for repairs with partners like the City of Omaha and the railroad system.

"The timeline we have set is about as fast as a job of this magnitude can happen. So, we're going to have to hold this thing together for a while,” said Goodbarn.

While Goodbarn says there may be a possibility of moving up operations neighbors don't think it's soon enough.

"Yes, the bridge is going to be replaced in 2029 but that's almost five years away. Right now, we've got the problem. We need to find some funds and shift priorities, so we get it done sooner than five years,” said Don Preister, a South Omaha neighbor.

In the meantime, NDOT says they're working to be proactive on fixing what they can.

More information on this bridge project can be found here. Before the complete reconstruction in 28'-29', NDOT says there will be another public meeting.