Traffic in Omaha

In 2024, Omaha's transportation landscape is dominated by car usage, with a significant 93.5% of commuters relying on this mode.

Despite the high car dependency, the city is making strides in addressing traffic inefficiencies and CO2 emissions.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time across all modes is approximately 19.11 minutes, with most of this time spent driving.

  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 25 minutes on the bus, with an additional 5 minutes walking and 3 minutes waiting.
  • Car - Car commuters experience an average driving time of 18.34 minutes, with minimal walking involved.
  • Walking - Those who walk as their primary mode of transport spend about 25 minutes commuting.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
94%
Walking
3%
Bus
3%

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 31 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
9.3 miles
Walking
1.0 mins
Waiting
0.1 mins
Driving Car
17.2 mins
Bus / Trolley
0.8 mins
Total:
19.1 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
12.0 miles
Walking
5.0 mins
Waiting
3.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
25.0 mins
Total:
33.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
9.4 miles
Walking
0.1 mins
Driving Car
18.3 mins
Total:
18.4 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
2.5 miles
Walking
25.0 mins
Total:
25.0 mins

More Information

Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the winter months due to adverse weather conditions affecting road safety.

Summer sees a slight decrease in congestion as residents take vacations.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transportation options make car travel almost a necessity, leading to congestion.

Parking availability and costs are common concerns for car commuters.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are ideal for avoiding peak traffic.

Midday travel between 10 AM and 3 PM is also less congested.

Event Impacts

Large public events, such as sports games and concerts, significantly increase traffic congestion, especially around downtown areas.

Residents are advised to use public transport or carpool during these events to minimize delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Omaha is investing in electric vehicle infrastructure to promote cleaner transportation.

The city is also exploring bike-sharing programs to reduce car dependency.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have provided a flexible alternative to car ownership, slightly reducing the number of vehicles on the road.

However, the impact on overall traffic congestion remains minimal due to the high car usage rate.

Worldwide
United States

Traffic Rankings

Omaha ranks 68th on the Traffic rankings in United States.
The Traffic Index for the United States combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in United States, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.
Worst to BestUpdated: Oct, 2025
Full Traffic Rankings