# Streetcar construction dampens Omaha restaurant sales as completion date looms  
**Published:** 2026-05-08T10:00:00.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/growth-hurts-restaurants-on-omaha-streetcar-route-fall-behind-during-construction-new-data-shows/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/streetcar-construction-dampens-omaha-restaurant-sales-as-completion-date-looms

OMAHA, Neb. — Restaurants and bars along Omaha's streetcar route are struggling financially even as city officials tout construction progress, with new data showing a stark contrast between the once-booming corridor and the rest of the city.

According to an analysis of city restaurant tax payments published by the [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/growth-hurts-restaurants-on-omaha-streetcar-route-fall-behind-during-construction-new-data-shows/), establishments along the construction route saw an average 3 percent decline in sales between 2023 and 2025, while the rest of Omaha's restaurants averaged a 22 percent increase over the same period. The disparity underscores the toll prolonged construction has taken on businesses in Midtown Crossing and the Blackstone District.

Dan Yaksich, owner of Smokin' Oak Wood-Fired Pizza in Midtown Crossing, told reporters he hasn't paid himself a salary since construction began dampening sales more than a year ago. "To say we're going to put you under constant construction for four years... it's de facto shutting you down," Yaksich said, referring to the extended timeline that has pushed the project's completion to 2028.

While city officials acknowledge construction's impact, they emphasize ongoing efforts to support affected businesses. The Greater Omaha Chamber distributed $1 million from an anonymous donor last year to businesses in Midtown Crossing and Blackstone, and the city has launched initiatives including discounted parking and a "This Way" campaign to guide customers to struggling establishments.

Construction milestones are becoming more visible. [The Omaha Streetcar Authority](https://www.omahastreetcar.org/) reported that [crews poured the first concrete over newly laid rails](https://www.wowt.com/2026/04/28/omaha-streetcar-construction-reaches-new-milestone-with-first-concrete-pour/) at the end of April, marking a transition from utility work to track installation. [Rail sections began arriving in March](https://www.omahastreetcar.org/construction-updates/) and are being positioned along the 3.2-mile route through 2027.

Despite these signs of progress, some business owners are exploring legal options. Clark Ross, owner of downtown's Mercury bar, launched the Streetcar Impact Alliance in March, saying his establishment suffered a 20 percent sales decline last year. Multiple other owners have expressed concerns about whether their businesses will survive long enough to benefit from the streetcar's expected 2028 opening.

Mayor John Ewing's spokeswoman Erin Grace said the city will "do everything it can" to help restaurants survive to see the streetcar boost their businesses once it opens. But [the project remains about two years behind its original 2026 completion schedule](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/the-omaha-streetcar-is-2-years-behind-schedule-businesses-doubt-they-will-survive-to-see-it-open/), extending the hardship for struggling owners.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/growth-hurts-restaurants-on-omaha-streetcar-route-fall-behind-during-construction-new-data-shows/)
- [Omaha Streetcar Authority official website with project updates and timeline](https://www.omahastreetcar.org/)
- [WOWT report on first concrete pour for streetcar rails](https://www.wowt.com/2026/04/28/omaha-streetcar-construction-reaches-new-milestone-with-first-concrete-pour/)
- [Flatwater Free Press report on streetcar project delays](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/the-omaha-streetcar-is-2-years-behind-schedule-businesses-doubt-they-will-survive-to-see-it-open/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/growth-hurts-restaurants-on-omaha-streetcar-route-fall-behind-during-construction-new-data-shows/.