Emergency Water Main Repairs Force Closure of Southbound 40th Street

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LINCOLN, Neb. – (June 24, 2026) – Emergency maintenance on the city’s aging water infrastructure has forced the immediate closure of a major north-south artery in Lincoln.

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities announced Wednesday that southbound 40th Street is now closed to all traffic between “O” and Randolph streets. The closure was necessitated by a water main break that requires deep excavation for repair. City officials said they have not yet determined a completion date for the repairs.

“The safety of our crews and the integrity of the road surface are our primary concerns as we address this leak,” an LTU representative said in a statement released Wednesday.

The closure adds to a growing list of traffic disruptions in the city this week. LTU also reported that Saltillo Road, between 14th and 27th streets, closed Wednesday morning for significant railroad crossing repairs. That project is expected to keep the intersection closed until at least noon on Friday, June 26.

Motorists are being advised to find alternative routes and to expect delays on parallel streets such as 27th Street and 48th Street. In addition to the 40th Street and Saltillo Road projects, several other minor street segments throughout Lincoln were closed earlier in the week for a combination of planned and emergency railroad and water system repairs. LTU staff are monitoring the situations daily.