After more than a year of construction headaches at 56th Street and Pioneers Boulevard, staff at the Lexington Assisted Living Center decided to celebrate a long-awaited reprieve with a bit of humor.
The facility’s entrance on 56th had been closed for months due to utility work and road projects, forcing residents, staff, and even emergency responders to rely on the Pioneers side entrance. When barricades finally came down last week, the team at Lexington marked the moment with a lighthearted display from the company “Card My Yard,” which read: “Look (Honk) You Can Turn Left!”
“It was a joyous moment in which we were just celebrating being able to have normalcy,” said Executive Director Stacey Whitney. “We thought it would be fun to say, ‘Hey, look, you can turn left’ and honk with joy this time instead of rage and frustration.”
The sign quickly drew attention from commuters and neighbors. Whitney said photos of the display spread on Facebook and TikTok, with some passersby even stopping/calling to ask about living or working at the facility.
“The response has been truly overwhelming,” Whitney said. “We’ve had people calling and asking for move-ins and others saying, hey, you guys look like a fun crew to work with.”
For Whitney, the display was about more than just traffic relief. “To help bridge that gap that divided us during COVID is exactly what that corner is for,” she said. “We’re very pleased to have had such a good reaction from people, to have that coming together, and just that share a laugh.”
Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) says, while the project is taking long, it will be worth it for motorists. The 56th Street improvement project is scheduled for completion in winter of 2025/26.
For more information on the 56th Street project, visit lincoln.ne.gov. LTU encourages residents to sign up for project updates through its pilot “TextLNK” service. Text “56VANDORN” to 91896 to opt in.