Omaha doesn’t have an underground rail system, but it does have a subway. The Dodge Street Subway in Dundee—built in 1934 by the Public Works Administration—remains the city’s only pedestrian underpass and was the second tunnel constructed beneath what was once a bustling stretch of the Lincoln Highway.
In the early 20th century, Dodge Street west of downtown was unpaved, so crossing the country road wasn’t nearly as risky as it became once the city began expanding westward. As traffic increased along the highway, Dodge grew busier year after year, a trend that accelerated after the city completed its ambitious project to flatten the steep grade west of downtown in 1920.
Paving and regrading made Dodge less of an obstacle for travelers heading to or from downtown, helping it become the preferred route to the city’s western neighborhoods. Although the Lincoln Highway was eventually rerouted, traffic on Dodge continued to increase. To keep up with demand, the city planned to expand Dodge to five lanes as part of a federal highway project. The plan included two pedestrian subways designed to help children safely cross what had become a major thoroughfare…