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Downtown sporting events cause heavy traffic

OPD and City Public Works created taffic flow plan
Posted at 11:39 PM, Jun 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-28 00:39:37-04

Tens of thousands of sports fans are gathering downtown for two major sporting events - the Olympic Swim Trials and the College World Series final championship games.

The two event schedules are overlapping Monday and Tuesday, and possibly Wednesday if a third game at the CWS is needed for a best of three series. 

The two events, which are being held across the street from each other, are causing heavy traffic during the evening when swim trial finals and baseball games are both behind held.

Some locals questioned whether the area could handle that much traffic, but OPD and the city said Omaha is capable of handling heavy traffic - both vehicular and on foot. 

Traffic engineers worked with OPD on a traffic timing program that allows them to efficiently program the light changes at traffic lights to avoid congestion in certain intersections - like 10th and Cumming and 13th and Cass.

OPD's traffic unit also has extra officers directing traffic and pedestrians to ensure both parties stay safe.

A spokesperson for Omaha Public Works says their team was ready and knew what type of traffic to expect since they experienced this four years ago when the same two events overlapped for a day.