I swear the road work here is going to get someone killed!

[Snaggletooth]

Omaha is back at the road repairs on I-80 since the CWS is over. They have been cutting the surface on I-80 between 24th St. and 13th St. on the east bound side for a few days now. I got caught in the left lane on Saturday and it was a rough one. The surface cuts were so deep and crooked it just took the bike for a ride I didn't want to be on. I was all over the place even dropping down to 40 mph. Sunday I had to go that way again and stayed in the right lane as it had not been cut yet.

 

I had to go back again today so I stayed in the right lane again. I saw cars hitting their brakes ahead of me and I caught a glance of new blacktop in the left lane ahead so I switched over. Whew......safe. My butt! The new surface ended in short order and dropped me right back into a snakepit of the worst cuts I've ever seen on a road. Had to drop speed and hang on but the cuts were so bad the bike just followed them to the left onto the breakdown lane. I got it pulled up about a foot from the retaining wall. Pucker factor.....about 8.

 

Ok. Cool. I got my business done on the other side of the river and headed home on west bound I-80. That has been clear and good running even with the bridge work. Not today. Just past 13th St. again and had just passed a couple in the right lane on a Victory. They fell in behind me as their lane was slowing down and then....BAM... drop off and the danged cuts in the left lane. The worst part is this is where the road work switches traffic onto the left shoulder for a ways than then back onto the regular surface. The problem there is the drop off between lanes is so sharp there is no safe way to jump the bike back across the lane again. The shoulder has been cut down so deep and so badly and you're stuck in it until you can find a smooth spot on a bridge to make the lane change. You're just stuck on the shoulder. No safe way off.

 

Puker factor west bound........I'm going with a 10 on this one.

 

I kept glancing back in the mirrors at the Victory and he was having a terrible time, looked like he was serving about a foot back and forth and losing speed fast. I finally hit a bridge section and got over to an uncut lane. I worked my way over to the outside lane and watched the traffic slowing down back where I had been. I pulled off at the first exit and waited to see if the Victory was coming up. I sat there for a smoke and the couple never came by. Now I'm worried. I hope they just stopped and waited for a safe chance to get back onto the road.

 

The Avons have always done me proud on the way they walked across the surface grinds and tar snakes. NEVER had a moment of concern with them. But the grooves are so bad in spots that you would think you lost a rear tire.

 

So if you happen to be coming into Omaha on I-80 in the next few days, be prepared. Or detour through on I-680 or I-480 or even better use the new Veterans Bridge into South Omaha. Maybe they will have this death trap fixed soon before somebody goes down.

 

I'm not one to whine about road condtions. It's part of traveling. But this is nuts.

 

 

Mike

[Flyinfool]

Sounds like you have a good crop of orange barrels growing toooo.

[bryan52577]

Mike,

Glad you made it through. I have to go back to Omaha to work next week again. If I get off at a decent hour I will give you a call and see if we can finally get a chance to meet?

 

Be careful out there.

Bryan

[Sylvester]

I was there three weeks ago (my home town) on my Venture. Came north on I-29 and onto I-85 West, and what a mess at the 13th St. exit and on to the 24th St. exit. Glad that I got passed it.

 

[txbearfly01]

I lived in Neb for 10 years and that was a mistake, and they don't know how th fix roads there. I'v been in a lot of states but Neb has the worse road I've been on.