A chorus of sounds can be heard along Omaha’s downtown and midtown streets. The rumble of heavy machinery, chatter of construction crews and clattering of broken concrete has for months mapped the progress of the city’s ambitious streetcar project.
There’s a lot riding on the $421 million initiative. City leaders are optimistic the streetcar will revitalize a stagnant urban core, bringing new development, jobs and housing to the heart of the metro. For small businesses along the route, the growing pains of progress make it difficult to see the light at the end of the tracks.
Unpredictable road work is among the biggest challenges for Colin and Jessica Duggan. The couple own and operate Kitchen Table, a downtown restaurant that opened in 2013. Many of their customers are regulars…