North Beltline Trail

[ita]

I have posted this NRD project to convert the old North Omaha Beltline into a multimodal trail. Here are some initial agreements and plans:

https://www.papionrd.org/wp-content/upl ... Bank-2.pdf

This project has been slowly moving forward and there is some coordination with the North Omaha Trail Project headed by Spark CDI (here is the thread on that project viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19875&p=311308&hil ... ne#p311308).

The first public meeting for the North Beltline Trail will be held next week, May 25th, at the Highlander between 4-7 PM. Here is the link with information.

I think this is an exciting project, especially with OMetro's recent master planning showing possible BRT line on this Beltline Trail. Anyway, I am glad there is some new progress on this project.

Mods, if there is an existing thread about this one, please feel free to merge. Thanks!

[ita]

There is another public meeting with updates and progress on this project planned for July 28th from 4-7 PM at North Omaha Design Lab. Here is the Facebook post for the information.

https://www.facebook.com/events/8506976 ... f=newsfeed

[Busguy2010]

Just hard for me to get excited about this one. It would go through the absolute heart of the roughest area of North Omaha, so it is hard not to imagine people getting mugged, shot, raped etc on this thing on the regular. I get the idealism of it, such as "build it and they will come", "mobility will improve North Omaha" etc. I'm just not buying it. Nobody from outside NO will have the balls to use it, and the good people of NO probably won't use it because of danger. Another pet project, IMO.

[ita]

Just hard for me to get excited about this one. It would go through the absolute heart of the roughest area of North Omaha, so it is hard not to imagine people getting mugged, shot, raped etc on this thing on the regular. I get the idealism of it, such as "build it and they will come", "mobility will improve North Omaha" etc. I'm just not buying it. Nobody from outside NO will have the balls to use it, and the good people of NO probably won't use it because of danger. Another pet project, IMO.

What are your thoughts on the North Omaha Trail headed by Spark CDI?

[buildomaha]

Just hard for me to get excited about this one. It would go through the absolute heart of the roughest area of North Omaha, so it is hard not to imagine people getting mugged, shot, raped etc on this thing on the regular. I get the idealism of it, such as "build it and they will come", "mobility will improve North Omaha" etc. I'm just not buying it. Nobody from outside NO will have the balls to use it, and the good people of NO probably won't use it because of danger. Another pet project, IMO.

“Let them eat cake”

[Busguy2010]

What are your thoughts on the North Omaha Trail headed by Spark CDI?

Is that the one that goes from 30th & Ames, over the North Freeway, then down 24th? If so, I pretty much feel the same. I'm all for fiscal and infrastructure investment for North Omaha, I just highly doubt the real world practicality of the investments. I love North Omaha, I took the bus to visit my great grandma up by 30th and Martin countless times alone as a kid, I went to Fort Omaha Campus, and I currently live just outside what would be North Omaha. I just know North Omaha, and as much as you want to have faith in it, there are a lot of bad apples there. So you drive them out with gentrification, along with the hard working good people that also live there and have to deal with them.

Like I said, I'm not opposed to investing in North Omaha, I just think it will likely either be ineffective, or lead to gentrification. Neither of which I'd like to see.

[ita]

Construction on new North Omaha Beltline trail to begin this spring

Mario Lundak
It’s a project that’s been on the books for years, and now it’s finally coming to fruition: a trail along the old railroad corridor through North Omaha.

“The idea is to reuse the former rail corridor for recreation, active transportation and access to natural resources,” says Eric Williams, planner at the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, who had a hand in the planning and design of the new trail. ”That part of the community has been disinvested for a number of decades and specifically the former industrial corridor near the railroad has seen dumping from heavy construction, and other types of lower value property uses over the years.”

The Omaha Beltline Trail will connect the intersection of Hamilton St. and Military Ave to the North Omaha Transit Center, roughly following the former railroad tracks, and going through and around Adams Park.

The Papio NRD is spearheading the project with the City of Omaha. Williams says it’s been a project that many have been waiting to start.
...
But the trail’s main goal is interconnectivity, and offering several modes of transportation for hundreds of Omahans.

“Omaha has traditionally been designed around automobile transportation system only, and I think were starting to realize there are people who choose to use different form of transportation whether that’s walking, riding a bike or like to use transit, and also those who don’t have the ability to choose but use transit and other forms of transportation out of necessity.”

Construction will begin this spring on the first segment from the North Omaha Transit Center to the intersection of 31st and Sprague, near Druid Hill Elementary School. That intersection will also connect travelers to the North Omaha trail, which is in its beginning stages, too.

While this first phase is pretty small section, I am glad construction is starting soon. There is still some property acquisition for more southern portions of the trail. As outlined in the Master Plan (https://www.papionrd.org/wp-content/upl ... Plan-1.pdf), the design is pretty fluid. I like that the Plan already contemplates possible development along the trail. Additionally, the recently announced Hamilton Village senior residential project is near the trail, so it should be a nice amenity for that project.

[Taco]

Thanks for including the link to the master plan - nice to see the many details they have thought of in this plan, though I didn't realize there were still issues with land acquisition in the middle. I hope they are able to start the portions in Adams Park and at Hamilton street soon since those follow a typical trail morphology, rather than the area they are starting with which is a glorified sidewalk. It's good to see investment in North Omaha, but I wonder if there would be a more comprehensive/traffic-separated design if this were in a wealthier neighborhood.

[ita]

Thanks for including the link to the master plan - nice to see the many details they have thought of in this plan, though I didn't realize there were still issues with land acquisition in the middle. I hope they are able to start the portions in Adams Park and at Hamilton street soon since those follow a typical trail morphology, rather than the area they are starting with which is a glorified sidewalk. It's good to see investment in North Omaha, but I wonder if there would be a more comprehensive/traffic-separated design if this were in a wealthier neighborhood.

Yeah, my understanding from this plan and the public meetings is that going along the original beltline is super difficult because of the fractured private ownership. However they resolve the Grant to Maple connection, this will be a huge amenity to North Omaha. The possible south extension to UNMC has totally abandoned possibly running parallel with Saddle Creek and just cutting to 40th via Hamilton. I wonder if they could get bike lanes on 40th to UNMC. In any case, really excited to see this get off the ground. I hope there is some residential development throughout to take advantage of the trail and enhance safety.

[ita]

https://mapacog.org/wp-content/uploads/ ... nStudy.pdf
This may be the first time there will be TIP funds dedicated to this project headed by the Papio NRD. I know from attending meetings, there are a couple different alignment options, so I am glad they are going to more fully vet their next steps for this trail.

[ita]

Expansion of trail system through North Omaha making headway

It’s not just the North Omaha Trail that’s making progress, however.

The Beltline Trail, which travels from north to south also just completed its first phase—a short section from the North Omaha Transit Center to Druid Hill Elementary School.

“It’s relatively short but that was just to make sure we’re demonstrating that this is a project that is moving to construction, it’s not just a plan, not just a concept, this is improvement in the community,” says Eric Williams, a planner with the Papio NRD, who is spearheading the Beltline Trail project.

The two trails intersect at Sprague St. and 31st Ave., just south of the transit center. It’s for good reason, too.
...
The two trails also meet where an existing third trail, the Paxton Boulevard Trail, has been around for more than 40 years. That connection allows community members to connect to Fontenelle Park.

Phase two of the Beltline Trail will begin this winter and will construct a trail through the west side of Adams Park. Eventually, the trailhead will be at Hamilton St. and Military Ave.

[ita]

Per the MAPA spring newsletter, Phase Two through Adams Park is currently under construction.

[Busguy2010]

Just a midnight thought... This felt like the appropriate thread given the question that's on my mind. Does anybody know where Saddle Creek started? Like the actual creek. It had to be somewhere along this area.

I was just thinking the other day after a bike ride, "Saddle Creek" is I guess technically still there, and after all my years, I realized the confluence is just south of Baxter arena, except now its more of a sewer than a creek. Anybody know of any history around Saddle Creek, why and who thought it was a good idea to build a road over it? Where exactly the creek would run today if it were still a creek? I've got guesses, but wanted to know others thoughts and spark a conversation about Saddle Creek.

[GenX]

Just a midnight thought... This felt like the appropriate thread given the question that's on my mind. Does anybody know where Saddle Creek started? Like the actual creek. It had to be somewhere along this area.

I was just thinking the other day after a bike ride, "Saddle Creek" is I guess technically still there, and after all my years, I realized the confluence is just south of Baxter arena, except now its more of a sewer than a creek. Anybody know of any history around Saddle Creek, why and who thought it was a good idea to build a road over it? Where exactly the creek would run today if it were still a creek? I've got guesses, but wanted to know others thoughts and spark a conversation about Saddle Creek.

https://northomahahistory.com/2022/07/0 ... nt-page-1/

[Busguy2010]

Just a midnight thought... This felt like the appropriate thread given the question that's on my mind. Does anybody know where Saddle Creek started? Like the actual creek. It had to be somewhere along this area.

I was just thinking the other day after a bike ride, "Saddle Creek" is I guess technically still there, and after all my years, I realized the confluence is just south of Baxter arena, except now its more of a sewer than a creek. Anybody know of any history around Saddle Creek, why and who thought it was a good idea to build a road over it? Where exactly the creek would run today if it were still a creek? I've got guesses, but wanted to know others thoughts and spark a conversation about Saddle Creek.

https://northomahahistory.com/2022/07/0 ... nt-page-1/

Wow, that was a great read! As a summary, it sounds like everybody in the affluent country club and surrounding "west omaha" neighborhoods really hated the creek. It was dirty and dangerous. Most the time it was barely a trickle, a place for mosquitos and disease, and nobody really knew where it came from (though I'll still go through topographic maps to get an idea) and at times it could be a roaring river, so they built a brick sewer and road on top of it. It sounds like right at Dodge is the worst part of it today, because they needed to dig it out to go under Dodge street. They wanted the intersection grade separated, because Dodge street served greater purpose as part of the Lincoln highway. And finally, I never knew that building on the NE corner of Dodge and Saddle Creek was an old mill that used the creek to spin. It was built in 1875 and is the oldest structure along the historic Lincoln highway. Who knew, all this time I'd been driving by it with not a thought.

And after reading that, and looking at a map, I think its fair to say that the winding Counry club avenue is laid over the old creek, and it may have begun around d 54th and NW Radial HWY.

[F0R_L1F3]

https://omaha.com/news/local/business/d ... 4ae4b.html

Omaha World Herald reporting about it opening up soon. Looks pretty nice, can't wait. Photos per them also.

[Jason4225]

Here are a few photos from the opening of the trailhead. It’s currently only 1/3 of a mile but it helps connect to Adams Park and the North Omaha trail. There are future plans for another section to the north.

[F0R_L1F3]

There's a lot to go but when you consider the future of North Omaha, these trails are really going to help out. The trailhead already is going to spark development and with other trails like the North Omaha Trail, it's sparked development there as well. Hopefully when projects like 24th and Lake start getting off the ground and especially the new Great Plains Black History Museum, it'll only continue the momentum. Very excited.