Rapid City is teaming up with the South Dakota Department of Transportation on a major traffic signal optimization study aimed at easing congestion along four busy corridors, including Omaha Street — one of the city’s main east‑west routes.
The city’s public works committee has approved advertising for proposals. The state will cover just under 82 percent of the project cost, with the remaining share coming from the city traffic engineer’s budget.
The study will focus on Omaha Street from Campbell to Deadwood Avenue, Mountain View Road from Omaha to Jackson Boulevard, La Crosse Street from Mall Drive to Omaha, and East North Street from Mall Drive to Omaha.
Omaha Street has long been identified as a trouble spot, with heavy traffic and multiple major intersections in close proximity.
Crews will collect traffic data and analyze signal timing to develop coordinated plans for morning, midday, evening, and off‑peak periods. The project will also include before‑and‑after evaluations to measure improvements.
The city’s Traffic Engineering and Operations Division will oversee the work, and one consultant will be selected to conduct the study.
