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Crashes Snarl Morning Commute Save Email Print
Posted: 9:49 AM Nov 21, 2008
 Last Updated: 10:22 AM Nov 21, 2008
 Reporter: Jim Siedlecki
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com
28 comments
A | A | A

A series of crashes along westbound I-80 between 42nd and 60th Streets lead to a backup miles long. Commuters attempting to connect to I-80 from the JFK and southbound from I-480 were also stacked up for miles.

The original accident happened just after 7:00 a.m. and involved a trash truck. A fuel leak required police to close the outside three lanes during the peak of the morning commute. Westbound traffic was backed up well past the Missouri River with some reports indicating the log jam of cars reached Bass Pro Shops and the exit for the South Expressway.
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Posted by: Farmers cant drive on Nov 24, 2008 at 12:27 PM
I bet most of the cars involved had Iowa license plates.... I'm just speculating here......
Posted by: So Helen on Nov 24, 2008 at 09:36 AM
By your theory, should we be cutting teenagers slack since they are just learning? Because I highly doub that idea will go over. If the elderly cannot pass a vision test (and many can't and still get a license- good job DMV) or cannot handle driving in that volume of traffic- they shouldn't be driving. End of story. As everyone says to teenagers, driving is a priviledge, not a right. The elderly need to learn that this rule applies to them as well.
Posted by: to helen j on Nov 23, 2008 at 06:15 PM
If you are elderly and can't keep up with traffic on the freeway, then please, use surface streets. Don't poke along in the far left lane at 40 mph. That said, the speed limit on the interstate in and around Omaha is 60 mph...I venture to say NO one obeys that...I usually do 65 and I'm still being sped around and cut off by drivers doing at least 80.
Posted by: Donnie on Nov 22, 2008 at 07:45 PM
The left lane is a passing lane. Anyone who has any common sense knows this. You can stay the speed limit but if someone comes up behind you it is common courtesy to move over into the right lane as soon as safely possible. If they are speeding, so be it. Why does Omaha have all of these people who think they have to monitor the interstate speeds. That is not your job. All you are doing is irritating people to the point where they start driving like morons and that is when the accidents happen. What is the point in that? As some wise man once said," People who drive too fast get into accidents. People who drive too slow cause them".
Posted by: Hahahaha! on Nov 22, 2008 at 04:25 AM
Silly bad drivers causing silly bad accidents and slowing down their silly bad driving peers! Pretty funny to see the stressed looks on those stranded motorists faces. Nobody ever learns!
Posted by: Pharmer Helper on Nov 22, 2008 at 04:23 AM
I took the Madison Avenue exit and then the Kansas City one on my way home from work and traffic was backed up almost to that exit. Yeah, Night Worker here.
Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 22, 2008 at 12:45 AM
I don't know about anyone else, but if I'm going the speed limit or 5 over and there's someone right up on my bumper...you know what I do? DRIVE SLOWER! I love doing that in the middle of rush hour traffic and the person can't even get in the other lane!
Posted by: randall on Nov 21, 2008 at 04:16 PM
All accidents in Omaha are handled poorly. We should demand to know what the cause of most of the accidents are. Everyone seems to think it is because of speeding, I think we need common courtesy and more rigorous testing.
Posted by: chad on Nov 21, 2008 at 04:10 PM
Tanya, No one said anything about speeding. EVEN IF YOU ARE going the speed limit in the PASSING LANE, if someone wants to pass, please LET THEM. It is not your job to enforce speed limits.
Posted by: helen j on Nov 21, 2008 at 03:59 PM
people need to be more aware of elderly drivers and be considerate
Posted by: cindy on Nov 21, 2008 at 03:33 PM
steve, get a life. I didn't know I was being graded on my comment. I have a PhD, I know how to write....and DRIVE. I didn't say I was "speeding around and in and out of traffic". However, the moral majority who stay in the left lane due to control issues cause the speeders to act erratically....just get out of their way. CM if you are going slower than the speed limit get over. Left lanes are passing lanes. I am not the crazy driver.... slow, over-cautious, scared, texting drivers cause the problems. Police will agree. Oregon tickets people for driving in a passing lane.
Posted by: Tanya on Nov 21, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Oh my goodness!!! Cindy & Johnny--both of you have just reconfirmed the real reason so many accidents happen! YOU THINK THE FAR LEFT LANE GRANTS YOU PERMISSION TO SPEED! CM--I COMPLETELY agree with you; the far left lane is for drivers who go the speed limit. All others are for people who prefer a slower speed! If you're speeding around, honking at, flashing your headlights at, or tailgating people who are going the speed limit in the left lane, then you're a road bully, and YOU are the one who's violating traffic laws; point blank. There have been numerous occassions when I have gone 65 (5 mph over the limit) in the far left lane, and have still been tailgated or honked at. That is absolutely RIDICULOUS! You people need to learn how to better prioritize your time and leave earlier so you're not in such a hurry! AND LEARN TO BE PATIENT! And "speeding" w/the flow of traffic ALSO does not grant you permission to speed! If they were all driving off bridges does that mean you would too?!
Posted by: Diane on Nov 21, 2008 at 02:11 PM
There was also an accident drawing ambulances, firetrucks and multiple OPD units at the 680/Maple street interchange this morning around 7:45. It's a city, and each driver is responsible for their own actions. It's expected and I don't like it either. Traffic is the worst part of living in Omaha.
Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 21, 2008 at 01:56 PM
There is no such thing as a "fast lane" in Omaha. However there is a thing called a passing lane. If you are passing you are to be going the speed limit or below when passing other cars that are going under the speed limit. Lol I learned that in my defensive driving class AFTER getting pulled over for you guessed it.... speeding!
Posted by: Hey... on Nov 21, 2008 at 01:43 PM
I always thought the left lane was for passing only? I thought the only reason to be in the far left lane was to pass...Pass the person in front of you on the left, return to the right hand lane. My cousin once got a ticket on I-80 for travelling in the left hand lane too long when he wasn't passing. That's what the officer told him, the left lane is for PASSING only, not where you spend your entire travel time. Was this officer wrong? I can't wait to hear the "expert" panel's responses
Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I came upon this accident shortly after 7 am. There was a cop car behind me and he didn't even stop to see if help was needed. Never mind that myself and others drove right through diesel fuel and didn't even know it. I guess it's more important to drive 70 on the interstate than to stop and see if people need help.
Posted by: Driver on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Not enough room here to expound on the way people drive. All I can say is to be aware of everyone around you, what they are doing and drive defensively. Stay totally alert. Some are just so rude and obviously distractable by things in their environment. These other comments are valid.
Posted by: staci on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Well, clearly we have driving issue and spelling issues too (their? Should be They're). Maybe the bad drivers are learning to drive in the same school you're learning to spell? At any rate, far too many accidents, too much texting while driving, and nobody signals anymore. The other day I saw a couple with their small daughter sitting on the lap of the passenger with no seat belt on anyone! We need more patrolmen out there and more respect for the road. An automobile is a dangerous weapon when you don't know how to handle it. What doesn't help is that we're all in such a hurry all the time. We don't take into account that we can leave our homes a little earlier to arrive safely. We run and run and run and never slow down to enjoy the drive.
Posted by: CM on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Cindy, I've just got to respond. You sound like one of those drivers who comes down the entrance ramp from the Kennedy onto 80 and CAN NOT WAIT to go roaring around someone who is not going as fast as YOU want to. I'd like to see a police or highway engineer's perspective on "fast" lanes. My take is that the "fast" lane is for those who want to do the speed limit (Guess what? There IS a speed limit out there.) and the right lanes are for people who want to drive slower than the limit. You'll note that there is a minimum of 40 so one can go that slowly if they want to. So engineers and police, what say you? I cannot see how someone can condone doing 70 or 75 mph, in rush hour traffic, in a 60 mph zone.
Posted by: Paul on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Where was the high tech operation center that we read about when this happened. I thought this place was going to fix these kind of problems!!!!!!
Posted by: D on Nov 21, 2008 at 12:10 PM
I agree with Cindy. People at least need to keep up with traffic. While driving the speed limit is ideal, you have to keep up with traffic or you become a hazard. It is amazing how one car doing just the speed limit, can cause traffic to back up for blocks. People who slam on their breaks at a yellow light are also a major hazard. Seems like there are alot of rear end collisions at stop lights.
Posted by: Debbie on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Our interstate system is designed poorly! You have cars trying to merge on the interstate and also the exit ramp for the next exit. Most of the time NO ONE lets anyone in and will actually RACE to CUT YOU OFF!! Pacific Street is a perfect example of this for south bound I-680, and now the road crew has closed the I680 to I80 east bound from the Center Street exit. How are normal drivers suppose to cross four lanes of traffic to go east bound I80, when NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON HAS THE COURTESY TO LET YOU OVER???? Omaha needs to learn to slow down and RESPECT OTHER DRIVERS AND LET PEOPLE IN FROM THE RAMPS!! Maybe everyone should consider leaving earlier for work so they do not have to drive so RUDE!!! THAT IS WHAT CAUSES THE ACCIDENTS!!
Posted by: Steve on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Are you serious Cindy? The speed limit is the same in all five lanes of traffic. A cautious driver does not cause "people to speed around them and in and out of traffic". If the driver ahead of you is driving slower than you, slow down! Nice job editing your comment by the way.
Posted by: Johnny on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Folks, if you are driving the speed limit or less you need to stay out of the far left lane - that is the fast lane. If you drive there you cause traffic jams and then people try to pass and it causes problems. Please, for safety, say out of that lane and let the cops deal with them.
Posted by: Jenny on Nov 21, 2008 at 11:04 AM
The city should have done more to keep people from getting on the interstate like rerouting traffic and closing entrances until the road was cleared.
Posted by: Anonymous on Nov 21, 2008 at 10:37 AM
yet another reason why we need other ways to get around omaha, build light rail.
Posted by: dave on Nov 21, 2008 at 10:23 AM
not suprising, those trash trucks are always speeding and illegally changing lanes. Their not drivers but trash haulers, what do you expect.
Posted by: cindy on Nov 21, 2008 at 10:21 AM
there are TOO MANY accidents on clear, calm days like today. People need to learn how to drive. Most go TOO SLOW, do not know how the merge, and will not get out of the fast lane causing people to speed around them and in and out of traffic. I think its cell phones and it is way to easy for bad drivers to get a license. People blame accidents on speeding, well, its usually the opposite.
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