By J1 Reporter Sophia Camp

Students traveling to Marian faced extra traffic and longer commute when road construction closed a nearby road on Aug. 26, 2026.

The closure affected Blair High Road near Crown Point Avenue and Military Avenue. Construction crews were replacing a culvert beneath the road, a structure that allows water to flow underneath. The project requires drivers to take an alternate route, including a detour toward Fort Street.

For Marian student Abigail Reinert, the road closure made her daily commute longer and more frustrating. Her usual drive to school takes about 20 minutes, but the detour increased her travel time to approximately 25 to 30 minutes. The extra traffic also affected her drive home, making the change noticeable both before and after school.

Reinert expressed mixed feelings on the necessity of the construction. She says that Omaha already had a significant amount of road construction happening, so the project seemed like something that could have been postponed for a little while. However, she also understand the benefit of completing the work before construction schedules become busier.

Although the detour caused inconvenience for students and other drivers, the culvert replacement was intended to improve the road’s infrastructure and allow water to pass beneath it. Projects like this can create temporary disruptions, but completing necessary repairs can help prevent larger problems in the future.

The closure also showed how construction projects can affect students’ every day schedules, even when the work is not directly connected to their school. An extra five minutes may seem minor, but additional traffic made it harder for students to plan their morning routine and arrive at school on time.

The road has since reopened, allowing drivers to return to their usual routes, but the route that students had to take to Fort Street between 120th and 126th has closed as of Oct. 12. For Marian students like Reinert, the reopening means a shorter commute and less time spent navigating detours.

While the construction creates temporary challenges, its completion means drivers can once again travel through the area without the same road closure.