Omaha Streetcar Discussion

[Coyote]

Renewed effort to stop the Omaha Streetcar on the heels of the next meeting

There is now renewed pushback against the idea of a streetcar coming to Omaha ahead of the Streetcar Authority's next meeting scheduled for next week. A post titled *Stop the Omaha Streetcar in its Tracks* was recently put up on the website iPetitions. More than 1,600 people have already lent their signatures and it has generated close to 1,000 comments. The next streetcar meeting is scheduled for this upcoming Monday. The start time is usually 1:30 P.M. in Omaha's Legislative Chambers, but that is subject to change. The next meeting after March 20th is scheduled for April 24th.

[Athomsfere]

There are some gems of comments on that petition. I mean, the usual "The busses are empty" and "fix the pot holes", but also:

Stop the street car project. Wastful spending. Set up a trolley instead,

Not interested in a sexcapades shoot up train in Omaha.

[TransitOriented]

Somebody added the streetcar info to our SSC thread : https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/ ... t.1980844/

[Athomsfere]

Somebody added the streetcar info to our SSC thread : https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/ ... t.1980844/

Welp, now I'm a member there to support it

[Bob from Omaha]

Wow. The tin hat crowd is out in force.

I won't use it so I don't want to pay for it.
The politicians and their friends will get kickbacks
And on and on

Pretty much what we hear every time anything is proposed If it was up to this crowd Omaha would end at about 24th street and the streets would still be dirt.

Gotta love America

[bricknose]

Wow. The tin hat crowd is out in force.

I won't use it so I don't want to pay for it.

This is at least an understandable complaint, if a very self-centered one. But what makes it frustrating is that it’s not even true. From what I’ve read the streetcar is completely funded by taxes on the properties values along the streetcar’s corridor. Those NIMBYs in La Vista and Elkhorn shouldn’t be paying anything toward it, and it’s not coming out of a shared road repair budget or anything.

Although more public transportation means fewer vehicles on the road, and that contributes to fewer potholes, right? So if anything it reduces potholes.

Can those of us along the streetcar route start a petition to stop paying taxes for West Omaha road repairs since we don’t use them?

[Louie]

Wow. The tin hat crowd is out in force.

I won't use it so I don't want to pay for it.

This is at least an understandable complaint, if a very self-centered one. But what makes it frustrating is that it’s not even true. From what I’ve read the streetcar is completely funded by taxes on the properties values along the streetcar’s corridor. Those NIMBYs in La Vista and Elkhorn shouldn’t be paying anything toward it, and it’s not coming out of a shared road repair budget or anything.

Although more public transportation means fewer vehicles on the road, and that contributes to fewer potholes, right? So if anything it reduces potholes.

Can those of us along the streetcar route start a petition to stop paying taxes for West Omaha road repairs since we don’t use them?

We should be able to complain just as loud (if not louder, since the facts back it) about how the denser neighborhoods are subsidizing all those shitty suburban developments' infrastructures.

[ita]

Wow. The tin hat crowd is out in force.

I won't use it so I don't want to pay for it.

This is at least an understandable complaint, if a very self-centered one. But what makes it frustrating is that it’s not even true. From what I’ve read the streetcar is completely funded by taxes on the properties values along the streetcar’s corridor. Those NIMBYs in La Vista and Elkhorn shouldn’t be paying anything toward it, and it’s not coming out of a shared road repair budget or anything.

Although more public transportation means fewer vehicles on the road, and that contributes to fewer potholes, right? So if anything it reduces potholes.

Can those of us along the streetcar route start a petition to stop paying taxes for West Omaha road repairs since we don’t use them?

Correct, on all accounts. The City uses money all the time that sometimes specifically benefits a particular group of citizens. I know the Streetcar is much more money than say, a neighborhood park, but I haven't seen the same ruckus about people having to pay for buses, community colleges, or even public schools (though we're getting there) that they don't use.

Additionally, the streetcar project is funded primarily using part of TIF on new developments. People signing the petition base their argument that their tax dollars are being used to pay for the streetcar. They are already on flimsy footing. It's a misunderstanding on their part or refusal to believe what's being told them by the City, proponents, and the streetcar authority. That's their prerogative. Unfortunately, it grabs headlines when there's a handful of them.

[ita]

Here's the March 20 agenda: https://www.cityofomaha.org/images/omah ... hments.pdf

A couple notes while going through the material:
- In February, it was decided to go with Kiewit on the construction side. They will start negotiations.
- Technical spec sheet has been updated. One relevant point, is the ability of the manufacturer to deliver vehicles that qualify under the Buy America regulations for future orders. Jay brought up the point that future extensions will use federal funds. I am thinking, at a minimum, that's the CB extension.
- Speaking of manufacturers, apparently interviews were schedule for February for the following manufacturers: Skoda, Alstom, Stadler, CAF, and Brookville.

Edit: I just did a quick google search about the manufacturers I hadn't heard about (all but Brookville). From I can tell, the others are all international manufacturers, so it will be interesting who we end up with. Gustafson emphasize that the OSA should prioritize getting the best deal. From what I can tell, Alstom is a volume producer. They've had 8000 orders on their light rail vehicles, which looks to be the type we would get. Anyway, they could be a top candidate, assuming that as a volume producer they offering the best price.

[almighty_tuna]

Laying the framework for future expansion from the get-go. Love it.

[TransitOriented]

ita, don't we just get whatever Portland orders?

[ita]

ita, don't we just get whatever Portland orders?

We have a MOU with Portland. It's been explained that if the needs from both cities diverge regarding the vehicles, than the agreement is null. It could be Portland needs vehicles that qualify under Buy America, but Omaha wants to go with a cheaper, not Buy America qualified vehicle. Or Omaha wants off wire, but Portland doesn't. It's not a strict agreement or contract, from my understanding.

[OmahaFan]

Reading that petition that’s circulating on the web to try and stop the Omaha streetcar project is quite laughable and reading comments people are making on it just makes me shake my head. The majority of the people I see that are opposed to the project would be a majority in West Omaha who believe this is a novelty that will eventually have citizens of Omaha paying for a project that doesn’t bring in profit to the city but rather makes Omaha spend more therefore will include tax increases. I firmly believe that the city of Omaha will never cancel this project because if they do Mutual of Omaha tower will not go forward. I also believe it’s in the city’s best interest to expand the streetcar system to Eppley airfield during the first phase of construction to help sell the project. The second phase can then consist of expanding into Council Bluffs Iowa and South Omaha. The third phase will need to include central Omaha up to 72nd street where the new library will be built and then the 4th phase will eventually be to West Omaha. They need to have plans to include West Omaha that’s where the majority of these nay sayers live and I think if we include that geographic area in the plan it would silent those voices and could help increase ridership.

[NEDodger]

Streetcar to the airport is nonsensical.

1. The development aspect of this is nil - you can’t put dense (or, well, any) development on the airport property and on the opposite side of the street is Carter Lake’s jurisdiction.

2. If this is for out-of-towners, most of your downtown hotels offer shuttle vans anyways.

If someone were to suggest ORBT….sure. But a 200-300 million dollar extension to Eppley doesn’t make sense.

[skinzfan23]

Agree extension to airport shouldn’t happen, ORBT would be a good option though

[OmahaFan]

The route proposed by the state Senator from Omaha wouldn’t have the streetcar going through the usual way you’d get to the airport it’s would be going through north omaha which would help build density.

[NEDodger]

The route proposed by the state Senator from Omaha wouldn’t have the streetcar going through the usual way you’d get to the airport it’s would be going through north omaha which would help build density.

Through North Omaha, fine. East of 16th Street, nonsensical. You still have airport property and Carter Lake. It’s not as if you’re going to displace Airlite Plastics or anything.

[OmahaFan]

I firmly believe the route proposed by the North Omaha Senator will make the project much more relevant in my mind plus there would be much needed infusion of State dollars into this project which would help with the cost of installing the line. The big question though is what kind of terminal would be at Eppley? Would it have a dedicated area that would have direct access to the terminals/ Check in stations?

[damonhynes]

Educated guess, but the only way a route to the airport will fly (groan) is if there's provision for a nonstop Eppley-to-Marriott/Hilton 'express' service. No businesspeople want to suffer an all-stop taking in all the sights of North Omaha nor the brewpubs of Capitol/Blackstone.

But a hotel/CWS/Berkshire/CHI nonstop service, now that could gain some traction (groan again). The problem is, it would become less of a streetcar and more of a rapid-transit paradigm. Not sure how that'd go over.

[Athomsfere]

Educated guess, but the only way a route to the airport will fly (groan) is if there's provision for a nonstop Eppley-to-Marriott/Hilton 'express' service. No businesspeople want to suffer an all-stop taking in all the sights of North Omaha nor the brewpubs of Capitol/Blackstone.

But a hotel/CWS/Berkshire/CHI nonstop service, now that could gain some traction (groan again). The problem is, it would become less of a streetcar and more of a rapid-transit paradigm. Not sure how that'd go over.

I'd take it. Still less of a bother than checking out and returning a rental. Especially with the variability those can take. Is it a 5 minutes line, or 45?

[nebport5]

If the Oma/Lincoln commuter rail ever gains steam it should be the answer to the airport.

[Athomsfere]

If the Oma/Lincoln commuter rail ever gains steam it should be the answer to the airport.

That seems like a whole slew of new problems. Like, a commuter rail generally won't stop often enough for it to make sense to the average Omahan. So that would benefit Lincoln and the exburbs perhaps more than Omaha.

It might also bring new fuel to move Epply out to somewhere like Ashland, and that's a loss IMO.

[Louie]

If the Oma/Lincoln commuter rail ever gains steam it should be the answer to the airport.

That seems like a whole slew of new problems. Like, a commuter rail generally won't stop often enough for it to make sense to the average Omahan. So that would benefit Lincoln and the exburbs perhaps more than Omaha.

It might also bring new fuel to move Epply out to somewhere like Ashland, and that's a loss IMO.

That would be a huge loss. There are so many cities that would love to have a downtown airport like we do.

[nebport5]

If the Oma/Lincoln commuter rail ever gains steam it should be the answer to the airport.

That seems like a whole slew of new problems. Like, a commuter rail generally won't stop often enough for it to make sense to the average Omahan. So that would benefit Lincoln and the exburbs perhaps more than Omaha.

It might also bring new fuel to move Epply out to somewhere like Ashland, and that's a loss IMO.

What I was imagining largely wouldn't serve Omaha directly, but more Sarpy.

Something like:
Airport-->Downtown-->Bellevue/Offutt-->Papillion/La Vista-->370/I-80-->Gretna-->Lincoln

A separate line should serve the city proper. I highly doubt it would be a threat to Eppley's location. In fact, it might be nice to take a train from Lincoln to Eppley.

[Coyote]

Omaha Streetcar Authority approves $28M budget for 2023



The streetcar’s total cost is estimated at $306 million and officials expect the project will attract new business to the area along its route. According to the Omaha Streetcar Authority, exit polling from a public meeting earlier this month shows an increase in positive comments after those who attended the meeting learned more about the project. Officials say before the meeting about, 66% were positive, and after the meeting, the positive comment rate increased to 80%. Several business owners along the route area also support the streetcar, but there are always some concerns.

Rebecca Boylan owns the Frame Service, her business is on the proposed streetcar route in the Blackstone area. Rebecca owns her building and has been here for close to 30 years. She’s seen a lot of growth in the area and she says she’s paying for those improvements. “I’m on the border of the Blackstone district so I pay part of the TIF financing extra property tax for being in this area as it was developed, and now the street car is going to add to that.” Monday afternoon the Omaha Streetcar Authority approved a budget of more than $28 million for this year to pay for project expenses as they move forward. The total cost of the streetcar project is estimated to be around $306 million.

[Coyote]

Omaha officials talk winter testing streetcar system
Officials ensure the streetcar system will open in time for 2026.



City and streetcar officials are talking about how to use both wires and batteries to power the streetcar system — which can save money — and is more aesthetically pleasing, according to some members of the Omaha Streetcar Authority. Officials are also talking about how winter tests may need to be conducted ahead of the streetcar's 2026 debut. "Certainly, there's a learning curve with the streetcar and operating in winter conditions," OSA interim president Rick Gustafson said.

Not every day is ideal in Omaha. So the streetcar authority is planning for bad weather, as the interim president says he's learned other cities ran into issues like rusted rails after snowfall. The concern comes after the mayor's meeting with the rotary club when a member of her office said the system needs winter testing. "It's winter, we're thinking we may want to push it back and test it through the winter. But right now, we're scheduled to be open at the end of 2026," Steve Jensen said.

Schedules can slip, but the authority also says the project is still on track for 2026.

[Coyote]

Omaha Streetcar Authority approves 2023 budget



The Omaha Streetcar Authority approved its $28 million budget Monday.

[Coyote]

Officials: Portions of Omaha’s streetcar could be wireless



At the monthly Omaha Streetcar Authority meeting, officials discussed how the Omaha streetcar will be powered. Typically, streetcars are powered by electricity, using wires that are built above the streetcar tracks. However, modern streetcars are starting to move toward battery-powered cars, and the consideration is being made in Omaha, too. “There’s going to be ultimately the right mix of areas that are on wire, and areas that are off-wire, and when they’re off wire it’s battery-powered,” says OSA president Jay Noddle. A study done on Omaha’s streetcar route indicates that about 45% of the route could function off-wire.

“I would have no question, nor would any of the manufacturers have any question, that you could run that car 18 hours a day, the same car, and it recharges while on the wire, and it has enough capacity to stay within the proper range for the batteries in the off wire section,” says Rick Gustafson, the Interim Director of the OSA during Monday’s meeting. Potential off-wire sections include Farnam street over I-480, as well as the stretch through Blackstone. A preliminary map also indicates that Harney Street from around 42nd to Turner Boulevard could also remain wireless. In some areas, having no wires is purely for aesthetics.

[Coyote]

Safety, streetcar, central library and more in Mayor Stothert's State of the City Address



Mayor Jean Stothert addressed members of city council, as well as other leaders of the community and the public in her 10th State of the City Address on Tuesday. The safety of the city, the streetcar, the new central library and much more were all talked on throughout her speech. "Omaha is a safe city," Stothert said as she spoke on violent crime being down in almost every category including homicide and rape in 2022. She is proud in Omaha's police, but she is concerned with the trend across the country of lack of recruitment for the police force. This trend is unfortunately affecting Omaha.

To help combat this, she is set to sit down with the leaders of the Omaha Police Department to discuss an increase in the salaries of the city's police force. Omaha's urban core will continue to grow especially as the streetcar is constructed. "It will bring development," Stothert said as she insisted, we move "aggressively forward" with the streetcar plans. Taxes will not be increased, and no new taxes will be implemented, she assured by saying only those who benefit from the streetcar will pay for its construction. This development will go hand in hand with other developments around the city such as the redevelopment of the current Mutual of Omaha building in Midtown and the redevelopment of the Civic Auditorium site in downtown Omaha. The design for the Civic Auditorium site is set to be released in May.

[ita]

In the March OMetro meeting, the board should have approved the following resolution:

Resolution #432
...
Staff requests approval of Resolution #432 which approves the Statement of Intent to Cooperate with the City of Council Bluffs, City of Omaha and Omaha Streetcar Authority. The Statement of Intent to Cooperate is intended to encourage collaboration and the exchange of information in determining the future feasibility and development of a multimodal bridge over the Missouri River and an interconnected modern streetcar system to serve the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. The Statement of Intent does not obligate funding on behalf of Metro. The proposed feasibility analysis will be led by the City of Council Bluffs.

By virtue of this Statement of Intent, Metro will collaborate and share information with the City of Council Bluffs and the other parties to this agreement. This resolution is conditioned upon the approval and execution of the Statement of Intent by the City of Council Bluffs, City of Omaha and Omaha Streetcar Authority. This resolution authorizes the CEO/Executive Director to execute the agreement on behalf of Metro. A copy of Resolution #432 and the Statement of Intent to Cooperate are included in the Board packet.

Recommend Approval

While it's nothing groundbreaking, it's neat to see that there continues to be steps taken towards the multimodal bridge and CB streetcar extension. Just more evidence that CB is really doing everything they can to get this done. For OMetro, it's a possible new route across the River that will go through the 1st Avenue trail system.

[TransitOriented]

ita, don't we just get whatever Portland orders?

We have a MOU with Portland. It's been explained that if the needs from both cities diverge regarding the vehicles, than the agreement is null. It could be Portland needs vehicles that qualify under Buy America, but Omaha wants to go with a cheaper, not Buy America qualified vehicle. Or Omaha wants off wire, but Portland doesn't. It's not a strict agreement or contract, from my understanding.

Portland just took delivery a few Brookville LRVs.

[Duggers_Dad]

Could the streetcar actually be killed at this point ? I thought the Mutual of Omaha move, to downtown, was contingent on a guarantee the streetcar be built ?

[Dundeemaha]

The only thing that could have killed the streetcar is the legislature and it's too obsessed with regulating medical decisions for trans kids and their families to do anything. Not that it would have stopped it if it wasn't so dysfunctional.

[Athomsfere]

Could the streetcar actually be killed at this point ? I thought the Mutual of Omaha move, to downtown, was contingent on a guarantee the streetcar be built ?

Luckily, probably not at this point.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Could the streetcar actually be killed at this point ? I thought the Mutual of Omaha move, to downtown, was contingent on a guarantee the streetcar be built ?

Luckily, probably not at this point.

Where this sentiment is coming from today, I have no idea..

The streetcar for Omaha is all systems go.. If it was to be “killed” it likely would have happened 12 plus months ago..

Not going to happen now…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Duggers_Dad]

Articles like this …

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01 ... aide-says/

[Athomsfere]

Articles like this …

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01 ... aide-says/

That feels old and half dead at this point. Technically still alive, but I think a lot has happened since then too.

Even Linehan tried to introduce a follow up bill: https://legiscan.com/NE/bill/LB691/2023 (failed)

I'm not a Nebraska legal expert, by any stretch. But I still think the odds of this impacting the project are slim. And that's a god thing. The state is doing far too much damage already this session.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Articles like this …

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/01 ... aide-says/

That feels old and half dead at this point. Technically still alive, but I think a lot has happened since then too.

Even Linehan tried to introduce a follow up bill: https://legiscan.com/NE/bill/LB691/2023 (failed)

I'm not a Nebraska legal expert, by any stretch. But I still think the odds of this impacting the project are slim. And that's a god thing. The state is doing far too much damage already this session.

Thankfully, That LB was put to bed before the end of February after Linehan met with Noddle and the Omaha Streetcar Authority/city officials regarding the TIF funding etc..

The odds of that LB affecting the progress of the streetcar were very slim even if it advanced. But now, it’s a dead bill and yesterday’s news..

The streetcar will be moving forward as planned…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Duggers_Dad]

^ Thanks, it annoys me when media blares the ominous and omits to resolution part.

[damonhynes]

^ Thanks, it annoys me when media blares the ominous and omits to resolution part.

"Journalism".