Reimagining “O” Street and Beyond
At the center of this project is a redesigned “O” Street that improves walkability, supports local businesses, and makes downtown easier to navigate. The work also includes upgrades to 11th and 14th streets and new amenities in the 14th Street Music District. Together, these improvements aim to strengthen mobility, support local businesses, and bring new energy to the heart of the city – benefiting residents, workers, and visitors alike.
The “O” Street corridor is a key entry point for people traveling into and through downtown Lincoln. The City of Lincoln is making planned improvements along this stretch to create a more welcoming, walkable environment that supports local businesses and encourages street-level activity.
The City will update each block with pedestrian upgrades with distinctive design elements. Street trees grouped into groves will provide shade and a stronger sense of place. The City will also install upgraded sidewalks, comfortable seating, and large planting beds to make the area more inviting for walking, lingering, and dining. Rain gardens and green buffers will be added to help separate pedestrians from traffic and create more opportunities for outdoor use.
(, 0B) Old City Hall near 9th & “O” Streets looking east (, 0B) “O” Street between 12th and 13th Streets (, 0B) South side of “O” Street from 13th to 14th streets (, 0B) “O” Street from 14th Street to Centennial Mall
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(, 0B) “O” Street between 9th and 10th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 9th and 10th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 10th and 11th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 11th and 12th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 12th and 13th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 13th and 14th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 13th and 14th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 13th and 14th Streets (, 0B) “O” Street between 14th Street and Centennial Mall (, 0B) “O” Street between 14th Street and Centennial Mall
In addition to improving the streetscape and pedestrian experience, Project “O” Street includes essential underground work. The water main beneath “O” Street, from 9th to 16th Street, will be replaced to ensure reliable water service for decades to come.
As part of this work, private service lines will be connected to the new main. Any remaining lead service lines will be replaced to improve public health and safety.
For more information about Lincoln’s lead pipe replacement efforts, visit the Lead Safe Lincoln website.
Project “O” Street will also aim to improve the quality of the road surface from 9th to 16th Street. All intersection surfaces in the project area – except for the 13th Street and Centennial Mall intersections – will be fully replaced with new concrete pavement and crosswalks. The 13th Street intersection will be repaired so that the pavers can remain within the middle of the intersection, but all paver crosswalks will be replaced with concrete. The Centennial Mall intersection is in excellent shape and will remain as is. Between the intersections, full-depth pavement repairs will be made as needed, followed by diamond grinding of the entire roadway surface to maximize consistency and smoothness.
Combined with the curb, ramp and sidewalk replacements that are part of the streetscape work, these street improvements will benefit all user types by restoring smooth, accessible routes for vehicles, pedestrians, and bike and micromobility users.
The Downtown Corridors Master Plan suggested that on-street parking on “O” Street should be rethought as more “dynamic” pick-up/drop-off zones to better serve the adjacent businesses and their customers along the corridor. This new approach to on-street parking would result in a higher turnover within parking zones, creating a more functional and efficient parking environment on this important downtown corridor.
To that end, the City recently completed a pilot program to evaluate the potential impacts of such a change in parking strategy. The pilot program evaluated activity on a two-block stretch of “O” Street from 13th to Centennial Mall, then temporarily implemented changes and conducted a second evaluation period to analyze how the changes impacted user patterns in the area. With both evaluation periods now complete, the City is in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of the study and making a final determination of how a more permanent dynamic parking solution might be implemented on “O” Street.
The City of Lincoln is redesigning 11th Street from “K” to “Q” streets to create a more welcoming and connected corridor that links neighborhoods north and south of downtown. This effort was identified as a priority in the 2018 Downtown Master Plan.
The redesigned street will feature expanded space along the west side of 11th Street to include more greenery and public amenities. The City is adding space for outdoor dining, areas for walking and relaxation, features for dogs and children, and rain gardens that help manage stormwater.
A new bike path built into the sidewalk will separate bus or parallel parking from pedestrians, improving safety and comfort along this people-friendly corridor.
(, 0B) (, 0B) 11th Street Bikeway (, 0B) 11th Street between “O” and “P” streets
The City of Lincoln is enhancing the 14th Street Music District to create a more walkable, welcoming environment that supports the local businesses, musicians, artists, and grassroots organizations that have made this area a vibrant creative hub. The City’s improvements will allow for temporary street closures, enabling pedestrians to move comfortably and safely throughout the district during festivals and events.
The City has reconfigured on-street parking to include parallel spaces on both sides of the street, improving access to businesses throughout the corridor. Crews will install flexible furniture that can be used for seating or pop-up performances. Additional trees will be planted to provide shade and enhance the festival-friendly layout of the street.
In addition to street improvements, the City will upgrade three adjacent alleys that run perpendicular to 14th Street with new pavement, lighting, and cleanup of overhead utility lines. These upgrades will better support local businesses and create additional walking routes through the district.
The 14th Street Music District is also home to the newly opened Music Box (MBX), a public space provided by the City and operated by the Downtown Lincoln Association. The Music Box serves as a launchpad for Lincoln’s homegrown music talent, offering rehearsal and recording space, educational programming in audio production, and support for artists building careers in the music industry.
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Lincoln’s new Central Library will repurpose the existing building at 1111 “O” Street to be a dynamic, 21st-century space designed to support lifelong learning, creativity, and community connection. The design and timeline of the Central Library and Project “O” Street are being coordinated.
Learn more at: lincoln.ne.gov/CentralLibrary