Keeping Omaha Moving Through Downtown Transformation and Major Events

Downtown Omaha: streetcar construction, permitted work and major events all share the same fast-changing network.

Using Causeway Technologies’ one.network software, the City of Omaha is connecting street closures, work zones and special-event information to improve coordination, safety and traveler communication across a fast-changing downtown.

At a glance

• The challenge: streetcar construction, permitted work and major events compete for the same downtown streets, and travelers need current information to get around them.
• The response: Omaha brings permits, work zones, lane authorizations, obstructions and special events into one.network, with Live Link confirming closures in the field.
• The value: more efficient coordination across Public Works divisions and more accurate routing information for everyone traveling through Omaha.

The challenge: a changing downtown

Keeping pace with a downtown in motion.

Downtown Omaha is changing quickly. Streetcar construction, roadway and utility projects, permitted work and major events can all affect the same transportation network at the same time. As conditions shift, travelers need clear, current information about which routes are open, where closures are in place and how to get around them.

The streetcar project makes that challenge especially visible. In regular platform reviews, City staff have stressed that streetcar closure information must reflect what is actually happening on the ground. When downtown streets change, outdated information confuses the residents, commuters and visitors who rely on digital navigation.

Six types of road activity compete for the same downtown streets: roadwork, permits, street obstructions, lane authorizations, emergencies and special events.

• Streetcar work: major construction reshaping downtown streets over time
• Overlapping activity: permits, work zones and events stacking up on the same corridors
• Visitor navigation: visitors unfamiliar with local streets depend on navigation apps
• Data accuracy: outdated closure data can send drivers the wrong way

Omaha set out to do more than put closures on a map. The goal is one connected, accurate picture of the road network that serves City teams and travelers alike.

The solution

How one.network supports Omaha’s strategy.

Causeway one.network gives Omaha a common operational view of the road network, so the City can see where permits, work zones, lane authorizations, obstructions and special events overlap and where they compete.

See everything in one place

Instead of treating permits, work zones, lane authorizations, street obstructions and special events as separate records, City teams see them together and spot competing impacts before they reach the public.

Confirm closures from the field

Live Link adds operational confirmation. For planned closures and events, field workflows help make sure a closure is in place before it goes live, confirmed through field staff, police, operations teams or cameras when appropriate.

Share data beyond City systems

An outward-facing WZDx feed generated from one.network gives transportation and technology partners a reusable digital source, moving closure information beyond internal workflows.

The safety principle: if a road is closed, the systems people rely on to navigate Omaha should know about it, and that information should reflect what is actually happening in the field.

One operational view: Omaha’s downtown road network in Causeway one.network.

Major-event readiness

Why this matters for the College World Series.

Major events like the College World Series put extra pressure on Omaha’s transportation network. Thousands of visitors navigate downtown while construction, permits and streetcar work continue, and many are unfamiliar with local streets. one.network lets Omaha organize planned event closures alongside other road activity, with clear workflows for the teams who activate and maintain them.

Fans fill the ballpark in downtown Omaha for the Men’s College World Series.

Field view: closures on 13th Street, 12th Street and Mike Fahey Street for the 2025 Men’s College World Series, planned as one event record with the event name, dates and location clear to field teams.

Results and outlook

A broader culture of digital coordination.

Omaha’s journey began with Park Omaha, a team recognized for its forward-thinking approach to mobility. Its willingness to test new ways of sharing road information laid the foundation for broader use, and the City keeps bringing more teams and activity into the platform so digital road information becomes part of the normal workflow.

Operational impact: stronger cross-team coordination

• One operating picture for Park Omaha, Traffic, Construction, Streets, Police and more
• Field confirmation before closures go live
• A repeatable approach for major-event closures

Public-facing impact: more accurate traveler information

• A clearer view of streetcar work, permits and work zones downtown
• Structured road data shared beyond City systems
• Better support for digital navigation during busy construction seasons

“The biggest impact this product has had on our success is the efficiency gained from using one platform to coordinate activities across multiple divisions in the Public Works Department. This has increased the accuracy of publicly available routing information during a time when Omaha is very busy with roadway construction.”

– Hannah Adeponu, Parking & Mobility Manager, City of Omaha, Nebraska

Looking ahead

Next steps include expanding contractor workflows so the teams who build traffic control plans can help digitize and maintain them under City review, connecting more City data sources, exploring AI-assisted plan digitization, and evaluating camera or connected-vehicle data to validate conditions.