Omaha Cracks Down on Illegal Street Racing After New Ordinance

Midtown neighbors say more enforcement is still needed to curb the ongoing issue.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:53pm

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A year after the Omaha City Council passed an ordinance increasing penalties for illegal street racing, the Omaha Police Department has cited or arrested 42 people and impounded 12 vehicles directly related to street racing. However, some midtown residents say the problem persists and more continuous enforcement is needed across the city.

Why it matters

Street racing has been an ongoing issue for years in Omaha's midtown neighborhoods, with residents dealing with loud cars, reckless driving, and safety concerns. The new ordinance aimed to crack down on the problem, but some feel more work is still needed to fully address the situation.

The details

In the first year since the new ordinance was passed, the Omaha Police Department's traffic unit has cited or arrested 42 people directly involved in street racing and impounded 12 vehicles. The department partners with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol to enforce the laws. However, some midtown residents like Lori Bruck say the speed and noise issues continue, and the police cannot be everywhere at once to provide continuous enforcement.

  • The Omaha City Council voted to increase penalties for illegal street racing in April 2025.
  • In the first year since the ordinance was passed, the Omaha Police Department has cited or arrested 42 people and impounded 12 vehicles.
  • So far in 2026, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office has had 14 citations and/or arrests for willful reckless driving related to street racing behavior.

The players

Lori Bruck

A neighbor in Omaha's Fairacres neighborhood who has dealt with the ongoing issues of street racing and noise in her community.

Lt. Danny Flynn

An officer with the Omaha Police Department's traffic unit who discussed the department's enforcement efforts against street racing.

Pete Festersen

An Omaha City Councilman who acknowledged the ongoing concerns about car and motorcycle noise and speeding in the midtown area.

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What they’re saying

“If you're even a spectator, if you're involved and you're watching it, you're going to get arrested and we're going to tow your car and you're going to lose your vehicle for a couple days, who knows how long, and you'll have to pay those fines and every time you get caught with it, it's more of a severe penalty.”

— Lt. Danny Flynn, Omaha Police Department Traffic Unit

“Our neighborhoods are being burdened by this intrusive and invasive noise and it's happening in the evenings, it's happening well into the night.”

— Lori Bruck, Fairacres Neighbor

“The car and motorcycle noise and speeding concerns we experience from about 50th to 84th and Dodge Streets seems to get worse. With this in mind, we are engaged with the Omaha Police Department on special enforcement efforts.”

— Pete Festersen, Omaha City Councilman

What’s next

The Omaha Police Department plans to continue conducting focused operations in neighborhoods with unsafe street racing and motorcycle activity throughout the summer.

The takeaway

While the new ordinance and increased enforcement efforts by Omaha police have resulted in dozens of citations and arrests, the ongoing street racing problem in midtown neighborhoods shows that more continuous and widespread enforcement may be needed to fully address this escalating issue and ensure public safety.