Omaha transportation's $7.4B future

[Cermak]

If they are adding lanes to 80 and 680, I wonder if any nearby homes will need to be bought out and removed, that could be interesting. Already some homes along 680 between Pacific and Center are pretty darn close to the interstate.

[ProgKingHughesker]

The most important expansion is between Fort and 133/Irvingtion/Blair High. Just add a 3rd lane and a 2 lane flyover N and much conjestion would be eliminiated

[ScrattyB]

The most important expansion is between Fort and 133/Irvingtion/Blair High. Just add a 3rd lane and a 2 lane flyover N and much conjestion would be eliminiated

I'll add...
680 at Center driving south, it goes 4 lanes, 3 lanes, 4 lanes within a couple hundred feet.

[ita]

Absolutely agree with everyone else.

And to top that off, if they construct the roads like many of the other roads around here, they will need to be resurfaced/replaced 5 years after they complete construction.

This is my biggest gripe about the money the state and City want to continue to spend on roads. I know some major arteries need widening in West Omaha, but one of the reasons why is because the City continues to depend on cars and roads for transportation. If the City and state were to dedicate and invest funds to building a comprehensive rail system, it would help quell the sprawl, keep development in within the existing metro. We would, hopefully, not have a need to continue to build roads that will, as you said, need resurfacing every 5 years. We are just not a good City for roads, so why keep building more and not consider alternatives? We are stuck in a cycle of bad roads that the City and many of its citizens either refuses to believe we are in or are too scared to make the jump to mass transit. We talk about a $1 billion rail system, and people grab there pitchforks and torches. What a $1 billion (and a couple more) are for roads, its crickets, except in this forum.

Anyway, I don't completely know how funding for the freeways and highways are allocated, but I imagine the state wants to utilize federal funds that are available in there plans to widen. I guess it will be nice to have wider freeways, but they are essentially subjecting the City to more suburban sprawl, higher homes prices, and more traffic, rather than less.

[Busguy2010]

We talk about a $1 billion rail system, and people grab there pitchforks and torches. What a $1 billion (and a couple more) are for roads, its crickets, except in this forum.

So frustrating. Trying to argue about it is pointless. There were people moaning when ORBT went from 28 to 35 million. These people will say "Why should I pay for something I'll never use?" when it comes to transit, and not say a word when it easily costs that much to widen mile stretch of road on the complete other side of town. Theres just no getting them to open their eyes. Problem is they somehow are the majority here. The city could easily spend a billion on roads without a word. Whisper something about spending anything on transit and people would be demanding a vote, and they would go out in droves to vote it down 99% on a preconceived notion.

[daveoma]

We talk about a $1 billion rail system, and people grab there pitchforks and torches. What a $1 billion (and a couple more) are for roads, its crickets, except in this forum.

So frustrating. Trying to argue about it is pointless. There were people moaning when ORBT went from 28 to 35 million. These people will say "Why should I pay for something I'll never use?" when it comes to transit, and not say a word when it easily costs that much to widen mile stretch of road on the complete other side of town. Theres just no getting them to open their eyes. Problem is they somehow are the majority here. The city could easily spend a billion on roads without a word. Whisper something about spending anything on transit and people would be demanding a vote, and they would go out in droves to vote it down 99% on a preconceived notion.

I agree there's an immense amount of cynicism and misinformation about car transport vs mass transit. An investment in mass transit is less damaging to health and the climate than automobiles, pure and simple. One huge shame in all of this is that unless I'm blind to it, the media in Omaha never does adequate and fair analysis of these issues, and not enough politicians don't advocate for it. If I recall accurately, there is a lot of demand for mass transit among the citizens of Omaha, but everybody is afraid of the big scary conservatives driving their Lexus with their $1 million nest egg who have fooled everyone into believing they control the city, county, and state. I suspect that if we pull back the curtain, we'll find that they have the money, but we have the votes.

[ita]

We talk about a $1 billion rail system, and people grab there pitchforks and torches. What a $1 billion (and a couple more) are for roads, its crickets, except in this forum.

So frustrating. Trying to argue about it is pointless. There were people moaning when ORBT went from 28 to 35 million. These people will say "Why should I pay for something I'll never use?" when it comes to transit, and not say a word when it easily costs that much to widen mile stretch of road on the complete other side of town. Theres just no getting them to open their eyes. Problem is they somehow are the majority here. The city could easily spend a billion on roads without a word. Whisper something about spending anything on transit and people would be demanding a vote, and they would go out in droves to vote it down 99% on a preconceived notion.

I agree there's an immense amount of cynicism and misinformation about car transport vs mass transit. An investment in mass transit is less damaging to health and the climate than automobiles, pure and simple. One huge shame in all of this is that unless I'm blind to it, the media in Omaha never does adequate and fair analysis of these issues, and not enough politicians don't advocate for it. If I recall accurately, there is a lot of demand for mass transit among the citizens of Omaha, but everybody is afraid of the big scary conservatives driving their Lexus with their $1 million nest egg who have fooled everyone into believing they control the city, county, and state. I suspect that if we pull back the curtain, we'll find that they have the money, but we have the votes.

I think its difficult for struggling media outlets to do a fair analysis of the issues, however, in the last year, I have seen both local politicians and the media bring up mass transit, even in stories or commentaries about other issues like affordable housing, tourism, and workforce development. Additionally, I think there is a shift occurring in the conversation and opinion of mass transit, particularly when West O'ers are experiencing longer traffic times as the City grow.

The other issue we have is weak local government. I think for any major mass transit project, we will have to have some form of P3 to finance it.

[ita]

I have been reading about how the pandemic has affected traffic congestion throughout the nation. It's apparent here with many still working from home. Side streets seem pretty active throughout the day, but I don't think we are seeing the type of congestion that we have been during rush hours. With that said, is there any possibility that the State reconsiders the possible widening project under this transportation plan of I-80 through the Omaha metro and other major corridor widenings? I never understood why we would continue to support sprawl by adding lanes to the freeway and will only end up saving commuters a couple minutes when you take into account population growth. Isn't that a major cost in this overall plan? While the pandemic will end at some point, the changes in how people work, travel, go to school, while not as widespread, may be more permanent.

[Louie]

I have been reading about how the pandemic has affected traffic congestion throughout the nation. It's apparent here with many still working from home. Side streets seem pretty active throughout the day, but I don't think we are seeing the type of congestion that we have been during rush hours. With that said, is there any possibility that the State reconsiders the possible widening project under this transportation plan of I-80 through the Omaha metro and other major corridor widenings? I never understood why we would continue to support sprawl by adding lanes to the freeway and will only end up saving commuters a couple minutes when you take into account population growth. Isn't that a major cost in this overall plan? While the pandemic will end at some point, the changes in how people work, travel, go to school, while not as widespread, may be more permanent.

I certainly hope its being taken into consideration.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Knowing how the state department of transportation tends to work, I feel they’ll still try to find a way to rationalize widening projects in order to keep themselves out of budget cuts. Everyone wants money they don’t need. I don’t see them forward thinking enough to start into innovative new transportation systems like passenger rail yet. Someone outside the department is going to have to be the rational person to stop them.

[BRoss]

Well the LRTP MAPA just released still has them. Granted it will probably be a while until we start seeing changes to the plans. But it is crazy that they plan on widening it to 14 lanes (if you include the auxiliary lanes).

[zippy]

widening it to 14 lanes

I wouldn't mind seeing Express lanes like they're doing in CB.

[Garrett]

Just sitting around thinking while doing readings for my urban planning grad classes, and I would really love to see the North Freeway north of Cuming converted into a boulevard with emphasis on multi modal transit, green space, new housing, and new businesses.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Just sitting around thinking while doing readings for my urban planning grad classes, and I would really love to see the North Freeway north of Cuming converted into a boulevard with emphasis on multi modal transit, green space, new housing, and new businesses.

I agree it would be a good candidate for that. It’s functionality as a freeway (if it ever had any) is pretty obsolete.

[ita]

Just sitting around thinking while doing readings for my urban planning grad classes, and I would really love to see the North Freeway north of Cuming converted into a boulevard with emphasis on multi modal transit, green space, new housing, and new businesses.

I agree it would be a good candidate for that. It’s functionality as a freeway (if it ever had any) is pretty obsolete.

That's a good idea. Unfortunately, it looks like they are burying $8 million into resurfacing a lot of it: https://mapacog.knack.com/2020-transpor ... b1f5397b7/

It would be wonderful to reclaim all of the land and connect North O again.

[Busguy2010]

Even better than reclaiming it would be extending it from Sorensen to I-680

Im sure it was built first for the benefit of North Omaha by taking US 75 off of 30th st. Of course it's had its unintended consequences, but it has fulfilled its original purpose or diverting traffic off of regular streets. We should want to extend it to get all the highway traffic off the northern section of 30th too.

[BRoss]

Even better than reclaiming it would be extending it from Sorensen to I-680

Im sure it was built first for the benefit of North Omaha by taking US 75 off of 30th st. Of course it's had its unintended consequences, but it has fulfilled its original purpose or diverting traffic off of regular streets. We should want to extend it to get all the highway traffic off the northern section of 30th too.

There was talks about running the freeway up Storz to 16th Street, then across the river to I-680. I haven't seen anything about that in a few years though.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Even better than reclaiming it would be extending it from Sorensen to I-680

Im sure it was built first for the benefit of North Omaha by taking US 75 off of 30th st. Of course it's had its unintended consequences, but it has fulfilled its original purpose or diverting traffic off of regular streets. We should want to extend it to get all the highway traffic off the northern section of 30th too.

I believe extending it to 680 was the plan at one point.

There are two main arguments against that. One, you create a barrier across neighborhoods and this one would be a doozy because it would cut Florence off (a neighborhood already struggling to maintain its relevance) from the rest of north Omaha. You also cut businesses off from customers. A lot of business can be generated from people simply viewing a business while out for a drive somewhere. Limited access highways make this difficult. In fact Highway 75 through Bellevue is often blamed for the demise of business along Fort Crook Rd.

I'll throw in a personal theory too: no one will use it. There are no traffic issues anywhere around that area, there won't be anytime soon, and if you want to head north to, say, Sioux City and are coming from Benson or Dundee or something, I-480 to I-29 does the job well. No need to invest limited dollars for a duplicate route, especially since maintaining I-29 is all on Iowa's tab.

[Busguy2010]

Yes I was alluding to the portion that was talked about before. From the current terminus along Storz up 16th and across the river. There is a lot of truck traffic that 30th could benefit from not having.

[Garrett]

Even better than reclaiming it would be extending it from Sorensen to I-680

Im sure it was built first for the benefit of North Omaha by taking US 75 off of 30th st. Of course it's had its unintended consequences, but it has fulfilled its original purpose or diverting traffic off of regular streets. We should want to extend it to get all the highway traffic off the northern section of 30th too.

Couldn’t truck traffic just be rerouted to the bridges to the south pretty easily? That could then free space up to bring say, a BRT line up the reclaimed 75 to Florence, while also freeing up a substantial amount of land for development in North Omaha, which in turn would strengthen downtown’s viability as a CBD.

[ita]

Even better than reclaiming it would be extending it from Sorensen to I-680

Im sure it was built first for the benefit of North Omaha by taking US 75 off of 30th st. Of course it's had its unintended consequences, but it has fulfilled its original purpose or diverting traffic off of regular streets. We should want to extend it to get all the highway traffic off the northern section of 30th too.

Couldn’t truck traffic just be rerouted to the bridges to the south pretty easily? That could then free space up to bring say, a BRT line up the reclaimed 75 to Florence, while also freeing up a substantial amount of land for development in North Omaha, which in turn would strengthen downtown’s viability as a CBD.

I posted this elsewhere, but here's an example of why North Omaha will have a difficult time reclaiming 30th street North through Florence from the truckers.

Don’t feel alone when advocating on city streets: CIP Edition!

If change is to happen in this part of town, I think we would need to garner strong public support to be vocal and publicize their position.

[ita]

Also, somewhat related to the current discussion, MAPA has a planned study for the area that is north of Carter Lake and is primarily small single family neighborhoods and industrial complexes.

Highway 75 Corridor & Redevelopment Strategy

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze transportation alternatives in the area of Omaha bounded by Florence Boulevard on the west, Missouri River on the north and east, and Levi Carter Park on the south. This will include connections between Highway 75 and I-680 in Iowa and improvements to currently designated routes from I-680 to Eppley Airfield. An analysis of economic development potential based on the identified alternatives will be included.

[Garrett]

Back on the topic of highway removal, looks like there could be quite a lot of money available for it. City should definitely look into it for the North Freeway.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2021/01/11 ... pg-wubRtpM

Shortly before the holiday recess, then-Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and a coalition of 25 Democratic senators introduced a $435 billion economic justice bill called S5065 that included a $10-billion pilot program aimed at helping communities tear down urban highways, and rebuild the surrounding neighborhoods with the needs of underserved communities in mind. The Restoring Neighborhoods and Strengthening Communities Program — known among advocates as the “Highways to Boulevards” initiative — would only be available for projects located in regions with a high concentration of low income residents or residents of color.

[Busguy2010]

Back on the topic of highway removal, looks like there could be quite a lot of money available for it. City should definitely look into it for the North Freeway.

The North Freeway isn't gridlock type of busy, but it definitely serves its purpose... Its always busy when I'm on it, and it takes HWY 75 traffic off of 30th street. Not that I agree with what happened to make way for the North Freeway (or any freeway for that matter - demolishing houses, eliminating walkable connections, deteriorating neighborhood fabric, etc.), but I think I can accept that we are better off with it than without it. In fact, I want them to build that bridge over the river to connect to I-680 to get all truck traffic off 30th street. Anyway if they were to eliminate the North Freeway and restore the grid, it would only attract new development and drive current residents out through other demolishment, pricing out, and taxing out...

[Garrett]

Back on the topic of highway removal, looks like there could be quite a lot of money available for it. City should definitely look into it for the North Freeway.

The North Freeway isn't gridlock type of busy, but it definitely serves its purpose... Its always busy when I'm on it, and it takes HWY 75 traffic off of 30th street. Not that I agree with what happened to make way for the North Freeway (or any freeway for that matter - demolishing houses, eliminating walkable connections, deteriorating neighborhood fabric, etc.), but I think I can accept that we are better off with it than without it. In fact, I want them to build that bridge over the river to connect to I-680 to get all truck traffic off 30th street. Anyway if they were to eliminate the North Freeway and restore the grid, it would only attract new development and drive current residents out through other demolishment, pricing out, and taxing out...

The article discusses how funding is also focused on preventing gentrification. Give it a read. It really is good.

[Busguy2010]

The article discusses how funding is also focused on preventing gentrification. Give it a read. It really is good.

I'm afraid I may be a little too sleepy to read it in full and might not find the time to read it myself... If you care to summarize it, I will be appreciative.

[iamjacobm]

Back on the topic of highway removal, looks like there could be quite a lot of money available for it. City should definitely look into it for the North Freeway.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2021/01/11 ... pg-wubRtpM

Shortly before the holiday recess, then-Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and a coalition of 25 Democratic senators introduced a $435 billion economic justice bill called S5065 that included a $10-billion pilot program aimed at helping communities tear down urban highways, and rebuild the surrounding neighborhoods with the needs of underserved communities in mind. The Restoring Neighborhoods and Strengthening Communities Program — known among advocates as the “Highways to Boulevards” initiative — would only be available for projects located in regions with a high concentration of low income residents or residents of color.

Basically, every city has an example so it isn't unique, but there are few that would fit the bill more than north 75. It checks every box on top of being way overbuilt infrastructure. The main disruption will be truck traffic which could be figured out, industrial areas are in much more complex and dense areas than we have and they make it work.

Pull it to grade, dedicated BRT lanes in the center with a well-landscaped boulevard design. Colorado has done set-asides with their LIHTC funds for targeted projects with federal funds in urban areas that could be replicated here, also Ohio uses LIHTC funds to create ownership options better than anyone else in the country that could be considered here(I doubt there is the political will or resources at NIFA to get that unique though sadly). It could be such an asset for the North Omaha community as long as we work to provide further financial support past the infrastructure.

As a general comment, I don't think the UNMC project announcement is a coincidence. The federal govt is gunna go brrr with money for investment in healthcare and alternative transit projects. It is smart for UNMC to have something lined up for a quick application for federal funds and hopefully, the city can put together preliminary plans for a reworking of 75 and be ready for an early application round.

[Garrett]

The article discusses how funding is also focused on preventing gentrification. Give it a read. It really is good.

I'm afraid I may be a little too sleepy to read it in full and might not find the time to read it myself... If you care to summarize it, I will be appreciative.

Here's what I think the main component is:

Unlike the Federal Highway Act of 1956, which essentially handed communities 90 percent of the money they needed to build freeways wherever they wanted — even when (or perhaps because) they destroyed Black neighborhoods with that money — the new program will strive to ensure that Highways to Boulevards projects are undertaken at a community’s discretion. Funds from the pilot can be used for bike lanes, sidewalks, transit improvements, and basically any transportation project that “doesn’t increase net capacity for vehicular travel.”

Critically, it can also be used to establish community land trusts, which can generate money for anti-displacement measures that ensure long-term residents can remain and reap the economic benefits of having their neighborhoods transformed into human-centered places. (Other advocacy groups, like Transportation for America, have heralded community land trusts as an essential companion to tear-down grants.)

And just because the highway is torn down doesn't mean there still can't be a good high capacity road there. Consider Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. It has an inner road for faster traffic that has the capacity for 6 lanes, with large sidewalks flanked by trees separating it from slower running roads with parking on both sides. It is 190 feet to cross it. In comparison, at its narrowest point the North Freeway separates Binney Street by about 300 feet, to as high as Ames Avenue at 700 feet. That is a lot of room to make an innovative, 21st century boulevard that can carry that

In local comparisons, in 2019 data, the busiest intersection of the North Freeway was at the transfer to Sorensen Parkway, which saw 46,750 cars in a 24 hour period. 72nd and Dodge, in comparison, saw 81,668 with a road width of about 120 ft. All of the the ramps onto and off the north freeway saw about 27,000 cars at their respective streets, about the same as 10th/Cuming/Abbott, which does it in 90 ft of roadway. Even in the area, 30th and Ames sees 32,000 cars per day. And each of the 3 feeder streets at Hamilton, Lake and Ames wouldn't need as much capacity because there would be more intersections along the new boulevard. The North Freeway is underused, and can very easily be reimagined into something better.

Traffic counts data:Omaha Traffic Counts and Average Daily Volume

[ita]

Back on the topic of highway removal, looks like there could be quite a lot of money available for it. City should definitely look into it for the North Freeway.

The North Freeway isn't gridlock type of busy, but it definitely serves its purpose... Its always busy when I'm on it, and it takes HWY 75 traffic off of 30th street. Not that I agree with what happened to make way for the North Freeway (or any freeway for that matter - demolishing houses, eliminating walkable connections, deteriorating neighborhood fabric, etc.), but I think I can accept that we are better off with it than without it. In fact, I want them to build that bridge over the river to connect to I-680 to get all truck traffic off 30th street. Anyway if they were to eliminate the North Freeway and restore the grid, it would only attract new development and drive current residents out through other demolishment, pricing out, and taxing out...

The article discusses how funding is also focused on preventing gentrification. Give it a read. It really is good.

I just read this article as well and thought of your previous comments about taking down the highway 75 spur in North Omaha. It's exactly the type of highway this article is talking about. This could be the time to get a plan together, but I doubt the current city administration has the vision or political will to pursue something like this, and I do not think the State would be very supportive aside from certain contingents in the legislature. I agree with your proposal though that a high capacity boulevard could serve the same purpose as what's currently there but allow for massive development and community building opportunities in North Omaha. This would also go a long way in recompensing some of Omaha's sinister history regarding race and systemic racism (not to get to political).

[bones]

Not sure if it would qualify given the parameters of the funding, but I would not mind seeing I480 removed from downtown Omaha

[riceweb]

Besides the federal money, there might be considerable interest from developers in the corridor. I think we should seriously explore it rather than committing to perpetual highway maintenance for a road that's massively overbuilt.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Ive said it before but I agree that I-480 on the north side of downtown is a good candidate for a program like this. It could easily be replaced with something like Eastern Pkwy that Garrett referenced with inner through lanes and outer parking lanes. That method is common in most European cities instead of placing highways through the city center.

[Garrett]

So I emailed council member Gray about it and he said he loves the idea and wants to talk to me about it

[ita]

So I emailed council member Gray about it and he said he loves the idea and wants to talk to me about it

That's amazing! We need this to take traction. Who else should we reach out to?

Also, are you going to talk about both both downtown spurs, 75 and 480, because both should go. I would like to think the demo of i-480 makes more sense from an economic standpoint, creating valuable downtown property for development, but 75 would be the more equitable project.

[Garrett]

So I emailed council member Gray about it and he said he loves the idea and wants to talk to me about it

That's amazing! We need this to take traction. Who else should we reach out to?

Also, are you going to talk about both both downtown spurs, 75 and 480, because both should go. I would like to think the demo of i-480 makes more sense from an economic standpoint, creating valuable downtown property for development, but 75 would be the more equitable project.

I'll probably mention it but I see 480 as a more difficult/expensive task given the bridge across Iowa. I also sent an email to the new senator for the area, Terrell McKinney.

[Bomaha]

Because I haven't added my map in awhile. Here is a vision map for 2050 that I have tweaked a bit:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing

[Busguy2010]

Because I haven't added my map in awhile. Here is a vision map for 2050 that I have tweaked a bit:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0536894 ... WVU8X6K8gV

I need permission to view.

[Bomaha]

Because I haven't added my map in awhile. Here is a vision map for 2050 that I have tweaked a bit:

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0536894 ... WVU8X6K8gV

I need permission to view.

Updated the link.

[ita]

Omaha transportation leaders look to streetcar era for inspiration

Marjie Ducey
Looking back 100 years, Mode Shift Chair Liz Veazey can appreciate the job that streetcars once did for Omaha.

“In terms of transportation, streetcars were a lower cost for everyone and provided better mobility for more people than what we have now, which almost requires people to have a car to get around Omaha,” she said.

It's not what you think; streetcars are not at issue. This article is about the general state of Omaha public transportation and what, generally, is being done to improve it. In addition to Ms. Veazey, Stephen Osberg whose heading the Chamber's ConnectGo initiative was also interviewed. There is some long range planning being done, according to him. He did mention four projects he is excited about that brings more multi-modal connections in urban Omaha:

Osberg is also excited about four other projects: the development of the North Omaha Trail, a protected bike lane connecting downtown to midtown, an extension of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that will improve access to north downtown Omaha and efforts to reimagine the First Avenue corridor in Council Bluffs.

I am glad the North Omaha Trail and Baby Bob got some free publicity, but I was excited by the prospect of a protected bike lane. Does anyone have information about that?

[Dundeemaha]

I think this is the 10 years delayed Harney St Cycleway. The most recent mention of it that I heard was https://omaha.com/news/local/stothert-a ... 22ddb.html.

But I remember it seemed very likely to happen when Suttle was mayor and then kind of disappeared.