Whats with the lights downtown???

Post by **Brad** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:45 pm

Whats with the lights Downtown???

The Bank is not turning on until 9:30, the fountains at Heartland of America Park is not turning on for a few min after that.

However the lights on the riverfront are on way before it gets dark?

They need to get everything fixed up. What about visitors rolling in from the airport in the evening.... The city needs to put its best foot forward.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:21 am

I propose the DBLID: Downtown Business Lighting Improvement District.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:38 am

amen to that... let's start by replacing the Woodmen/FNC fixtures with lighting units which are mounted on the roof and illuminate the building from the top down.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:01 pm

Well it seems First National fixed their light really fast after this post, Thanks!

I just sent an email to the city about the fountain.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:47 pm

That was Quick:

Brad,

Thank you for the email regarding the fountain at Heartland of America Park. I think as it gets dark earlier, the timer should be adjusted. Thank you for pointing this out to us, we will take care of it.

Thanks so much.

Steve Scarpello

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:22 pm

Its that time of the year again... Its getting dark by 8 now and some companies need to fix their Lights!

OWH/Qwest Building
Central High School
Woodman Tower

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:54 pm

Brad wrote:Its that time of the year again... Its getting dark by 8 now and some companies need to fix their Lights!

OWH/Qwest Building
Central High School
Woodman Tower

After Tonight, I will add 4 more....
The fountains at Heartland of America Park - Turned on late and half burn out.
The OWH park at the site of the old OWH building.
The Blue Lights on the roof of the Qwest Center, they are not all blue anymore...
The LED panels at the top of the ped bridge piers.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:05 am

Sunset is before 8, OWH is still not coming on until after 9!

Ped bridge is really jacked up right now.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:14 am

I am really getting agitated with the ped bridge lights! They are still broken!

Post by **Brad** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:05 pm

GOOD NEWS!!!

Steve Scarpello via email wrote:Brad,

The replacement lights that took so long to get here have finally arrived. They have been tested and they work. All we are waiting on now is the weather. We need about three good days in a row to get up there and get this job done. The contractor is going to take a look at the weather forecast on Monday, then hopefully begin work next week.

Steve Scarpello

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:11 pm

Brad wrote:GOOD NEWS!!!

Steve Scarpello via email wrote:Brad,

The replacement lights that took so long to get here have finally arrived. They have been tested and they work. All we are waiting on now is the weather. We need about three good days in a row to get up there and get this job done. The contractor is going to take a look at the weather forecast on Monday, then hopefully begin work next week.

Steve Scarpello

Is there any indication these will last longer than the first batch?

RegisResident · Post by **RegisResident** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:15 pm

Seth wrote:
Brad wrote:GOOD NEWS!!!

Steve Scarpello via email wrote:Brad,

The replacement lights that took so long to get here have finally arrived. They have been tested and they work. All we are waiting on now is the weather. We need about three good days in a row to get up there and get this job done. The contractor is going to take a look at the weather forecast on Monday, then hopefully begin work next week.

Steve Scarpello
Is there any indication these will last longer than the first batch?

Nope, but they have a warranty

Post by **Brad** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:25 am

So what ever happened with the lights. Steve is gone and the new lights were never installed???

justnick · Post by **justnick** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:49 pm

Are they still planning on fixing the lights on this stupid bridge sometime this century?

omahahawk · Post by **omahahawk** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:40 pm

I was just thinking the same thing about the spire tops today. The one on the Iowa side is changing at warp speed and the one on the Nebraska side I don't even think changes at all if it even fully lights anymore. It'd be nice if it got fixed before all the CWS coverage.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:49 am

Its not just the ped bridge, there are lights out all over downtown... Those 4 towers on the corner of 10th and Cuming, They all had at least one burnt out bulb however several had multiple burnt out bulbs.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:15 pm

First National seems to be on an odd light schedule since the holidays. They've been turning off the big light as early as 9:30/10pm instead of 12 or 1 am.

Post by **Brad** » Fri May 20, 2011 8:48 am

CWS is rapidly approaching... Anyone heard anything about the bridge lights yet???

Post by **Brad** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:24 pm

City crews up on the "red things" at 10th and Abbott Drive working on the lights!!!

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:01 am

Brad wrote:City crews up on the "red things" at 10th and Abbott Drive working on the lights!!!

Went by last night and they were somewhat fixed, but still have a ways to go...

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:20 am

Two weeks ago I wrote the city parks director for the SECOND time and once again, I received absolutely ZERO response. Here is what I said:

brad wrote:Melinda,

I am writing you today to inquire about the lights on top of the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge (see attached photo). The lights worked great for the first year the bridge was open, but have since gone dark. Every once in a while you can see part of one of the lights working, but never like they did at the beginning. Is there any plan on getting them repaired? I was told at one time they ordered new parts and they were ready to be installed, but I never saw anything.

I hope you can get them repaired soon because 2012 will be a huge year for Omaha. March brings the NCAA basketball Tournament, May bring Berkshire, June brings the College World Series, and July brings the Olympic Swimming trials. It would be great to have a "perfect" looking bridge again before thousands of people head to Omaha this spring!

Thanks for your time,
Brad

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:31 pm

Brad wrote:Two weeks ago I wrote the city parks director for the SECOND time and once again, I received absolutely ZERO response. Here is what I said:

brad wrote:Melinda,

I am writing you today to inquire about the lights on top of the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge (see attached photo). The lights worked great for the first year the bridge was open, but have since gone dark. Every once in a while you can see part of one of the lights working, but never like they did at the beginning. Is there any plan on getting them repaired? I was told at one time they ordered new parts and they were ready to be installed, but I never saw anything.

I hope you can get them repaired soon because 2012 will be a huge year for Omaha. March brings the NCAA basketball Tournament, May bring Berkshire, June brings the College World Series, and July brings the Olympic Swimming trials. It would be great to have a "perfect" looking bridge again before thousands of people head to Omaha this spring!

Thanks for your time,
Brad

Not to beat the drum, but this seems common in government. Get the Federal government to pay for something, telling everyone "it is okay. we are not paying anything for this. The magical money man in DC is paying for this. If we don't spend it, someone else just will." Then, build it in a manner that requires constant maintenance and updating by the city, suddenly adding costs that were absent before.

I bet it costs a fair amount of money to maintain the bridge and keep things like the lights running and replaced. When you have a razor thin budget to begin with, something that may cost $10,000 a year are not real easy to add.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:34 pm

joeglow wrote:Then, build it in a manner that requires constant maintenance and updating by the city, suddenly adding costs that were absent before.

I bet it costs a fair amount of money to maintain the bridge and keep things like the lights running and replaced. When you have a razor thin budget to begin with, something that may cost $10,000 a year are not real easy to add.

I can't figure out why the lights were not under any type of Warranty. They only worked for one year...

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:42 pm

Brad wrote:
joeglow wrote:Then, build it in a manner that requires constant maintenance and updating by the city, suddenly adding costs that were absent before.

I bet it costs a fair amount of money to maintain the bridge and keep things like the lights running and replaced. When you have a razor thin budget to begin with, something that may cost $10,000 a year are not real easy to add.
I can't figure out why the lights were not under any type of Warranty. They only worked for one year...

I'll bet Melinda didn't respond to your e-mail because she is no longer the Omaha Parks Director....was in the news last week.

The lights probably only have a 1-year warranty.

Originally, Omaha & C.B. had a $100k/year budget from the original Federal allocation, specifically for future bridge maintenance....at least that was part of the deal back then.

But I agree....Omaha typically doesn't take care of it's stuff...very sad.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:46 pm

She resigned about a week after I sent that and the article says she is working through February.

However in case she has one foot out the door, I sent it to Suttle earlier today just before I posted that.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:48 pm

Weren't the lights fubar shortly after the bridge opened?

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:51 pm

Brad wrote:She resigned about a week after I sent that and the article says she is working through February.

However in case she has one foot out the door, I sent it to Suttle earlier today just before I posted that.

Oh, I didn't realize she was staying around until Feb.....sorry.

Sounds like you've got it covered....I hope they'll do something soon. It's not like the weather hasn't cooperated this year! No excuse!

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:59 pm

Lights were installed the first week of August 2008

Bridge Opened On September 28, 2008

On September 8, 2009 Brad wrote: Ped bridge is really jacked up right now.

On March 17, 2010 then parks director Steve Scarpello wrote:Brad,

The replacement lights that took so long to get here have finally arrived. They have been tested and they work. All we are waiting on now is the weather. We need about three good days in a row to get up there and get this job done. The contractor is going to take a look at the weather forecast on Monday, then hopefully begin work next week.

Steve Scarpello

Nothing since!

Post by **Brad** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:01 pm

The whole east half of the GLM was dark the other night...

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:53 pm

I haven't been around to see the ped bridge at night lately. How are the lights looking?

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:34 pm

They're not.

The bridge is illuminated but the led lights are still kaput. I think every so often you'll see a couple purple LEDs shining but...yeah. notsomuch.

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:49 pm

almighty_tuna wrote:They're not.

The bridge is illuminated but the led lights are still kaput. I think every so often you'll see a couple purple LEDs shining but...yeah. notsomuch.

I wonder if they'll be fixed by the time the Heartland of America park fountain is working again?

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:25 pm

Both are being worked on right now. The park should be up soon in time to be winterized and shut off ;) The lights are supposed to be close behind but thats a bigger mess so dont hold your breath.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:28 pm

cdub wrote:Both are being worked on right now. The park should be up soon in time to be winterized and shut off ;) The lights are supposed to be close behind but thats a bigger mess so dont hold your breath.

The ped bridge lights are a big mess?

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:52 pm

Well, im not sure that the replacements will be, but the original cost when compared to the longevity and how long they have been working on a fix = cluster

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:10 pm

310K to "renovate" the LED lights on the bridge in this week's agenda.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Sun Sep 30, 2012 7:48 pm

This sounds like a cluster phuck.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Mon Oct 01, 2012 8:45 pm

iamjacobm wrote:310K to "renovate" the LED lights on the bridge in this week's agenda.

Lol, how the heck is it 310k? Are we putting gold lights on the bridge with workers charging $2000 an hour?

Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:48 am

I couldn't decide last night to either shoot the Pedestrian Bridge or to try another shot at the Gene Leahy Mall... I have 2 different people waiting on a new ped bridge shot, but I keep stalling waiting for the lights to get fixed so once again I decided for another try at Gene Leahy Mall.

I don't think anything was working down there. Not a single light in the whole park turned! We had a great sunset, but without the lights, I just don't think the photo will be very good. I hope they figure out their issues soon and get them back on...

ShawJ · Post by **ShawJ** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:18 pm

Tonight I noticed the green lights that follow the Century Link's roof line on the front were an orangish/pink hue?