[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by pheaton

I would just like to mention to the OP that this is not a news dump.

Jerk.

Speaking of dumps, I believe it's time to go take one...

[joelwnelson]

I moved east of I-680 (and east of 72nd St.) this spring and traffic has been a pleasant surprise, having always lived west of 680 or I-80 in the past. Even at 8 AM or at 5 PM I can get around in only a few minutes on Military Ave., NW Radial Hwy, N. 72nd St., Ames Ave., even parts of Maple St., without having to deal with backed-up traffic and multiple traffic light cycles to get through an intersection. Now granted, the traffic does get considerably heavier on NW Radial once it turns south to meet Cuming St. and Saddle Creek Rd., but it's still manageable -- and 72nd St. north of Maple seems to always be moving along well. Access to I-680 via Fort St. is also a breeze even during peak travel times. And we do still have shopping centers with big parking lots and the ability to get a number of errands done in one area -- Sorensen Park Plaza and Benson Park Plaza to name a couple...

I groan anytime I have to go south or west during peak traffic times, though. 72nd and Dodge and the whole area surrounding that intersection is understandably bad at those times of day, and the West Dodge Expressway often seems to crawl starting around 4:30 PM. Don't even get me started about having to go down streets like 168th or 180th south from Dodge... a couple days ago I had to wait through 3 red lights around Center or Pacific as only about 8 SUVs* could get through per light on a narrow 2-lane road apparently having to handle about 3x the traffic volume it was built for! I did have to wonder how those who drive in that part of town every day manage to keep blood pressure under control! :P

( *I'm not stereotyping! Seriously, of about 25 vehicles lined up waiting to go through the light, all but three or four were SUVs! )

So anyway... not trying to dis West O, but traffic volume and congestion is definitely not a plus to that part of the metro (especially southwest). At one time it probably was an advantage, but right there could be one reason some people are moving eastward again.