Blueprint Nebraska Report - 7/30/2019

[ita]

https://www.ketv.com/article/newly-co-e ... e/28563494

Blueprint Nebraska, a group of private sector and civic leaders with the common goal to promote and grow the State, released a report of where Nebraska stands in several different areas including economics, population, diversity, and education, among other things. They also identify where the State should be by 2030 and how to reach those goals. The ultimate vision for 2030 is the following:

• Create the best odds in the country of landing a good job and enjoying a good life
in Nebraska.
• Give Nebraska the best, mid-sized metro area transit; the most arts, cultural, and recreational
opportunities per capita; and the most vibrant rural main streets in the country.
• Make Nebraska the easiest place to live, work, raise a family and start or grow a business,
thanks to the most efficient state government in the country.
• Build the agricultural technology hub of the world, and make Nebraska the best place in the
country to bring automation and other tech innovation to diverse industries.

In concrete terms, the report explains as follows:

...these initiatives will create 25,000 jobs and add $15,000 to the annual income of every Nebraskan. The initiatives will make Nebraska a top 3 state in which to live and bring 43,000 new 18-34-year-old residents to the state. The initiatives will secure additional annual investment in R&D of $200 million.

I wanted to start this thread to give space for any conversation regarding the report. There is a lot of good initiatives proposed to help grow the state, including proposed initiatives concerning increasing inclusion and diversity in the workforce for women, minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community.

[ita]

One section that I do want to talk about with you all is Blueprint's plan for improving transportation within the state, starts on Page 28 of the report. One of the exciting aspects of this section is an initiative to develop an industrial mega-site (1000+ acres) into a national inland logistical hub, incorporating both rail and highway cargo facilities. I know someone has commented on developing something like this and trying to get distribution type facilities for the area.

The report addresses the need for greater international airline service and service to US cities with national tech and innovation hubs:

As a major tech and innovation hub, Nebraska will require daily nonstop service to places like Austin and Boston, which are not now available. As a major global agriculture, manufacturing, and finance hub, Nebraska will require international service to places like the U.K., Brazil, and China. As a welcoming place for immigrants, Nebraska will require service to places like Mexico.

I am not really sold on greater interstate airline service and whether that is needed, but greater connectivity between Eastern and Western Nebraska could only benefit the State.

As stated above, one of the soft goals is to have the "best, mid-size area transit." They also referred to a MAPA's 2017 report stating that Omaha's cost to improve highway and transit would be about $23 billion between now and 2040. That report specifically outlines the need for better mass transit, the expansion of BRT, and construction of a streetcar. With recent conversations on the Board about mass transportation, I was kind of excited to see what the movers and shakers in the State are envisioning for Omaha-Lincoln, in terms of transit.

Here's a detailed account of my thought process as I read the paragraph about Blueprint's plan for improving metro transit by 2030:

Make Lincoln and Omaha national models for next-generation public transit for mid-sized cities.

That's sounds good. Sounds like they have something good up their sleeve.

The Lincoln and Omaha business, civic, and government leaders will create a roadmap for efficient, low-cost,

Efficient is good, low cost...this is turning not so good..

...innovative transit that taps the best new technologies for electric,autonomous, and connected vehicles.

What!? No!

These metro areas (and others) will pilot all-electric, bus-based rapid transit with dedicated lanes; driverless shuttles;

OK, not terrible.

shared electric car fleets; and other innovations now in testing, but not yet implemented at large scale, in other cities.

Gah!! Are you serious?!

I am sorry this post is already so long. But I just need to rant about this "transit" plan our state leaders are considering for Omaha and Lincoln. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, but if they think that investing in a low-cost autonomous fleet of vehicles will help retain and recruit talent to our region, they are talking to the wrong people. I appreciate the fact that they are considering expanded ORBT routes and utilizing autonomous tech for those vehicles, but investing in a fleet of autonomous cars and vans? I do not see how that helps up reach any of the lofty goals they or the Chamber has set for retaining, recruiting talent and securing greater investment. Do they honestly think throwing more cars on the road, that carry 5-7 passengers, in some kind of rideshare scenario is going to attract talent, relieve our only growing traffic issues, and connect the region? They mention our rail density, and decide, "let's not utilize what's already there. Let's be cutting edge and use [yet unproven, inefficient, in terms of moving around the masses] technology to move people around in our Metros." With the OptIn program and growing interest in promoting Omaha and Lincoln as a singular economic and technology powerhouse, I was optimistic about what the State's civic and private sector leaders were envisioning for future transit within and between our Metros. And then we get this...it's so frustrating.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Definitely agree about the autonomous vehicles. I don’t see them as the transportation saviors some make them out to be. What exists now for the technology is just too gimmicky and not a viable, efficient, mode of transportation. It is especially too gimmicky to attract young, educated workers and businesses.

[buildomaha]

This state will never learn!!!
But overall a good first step to catch up to other the competition to attract talent and business. Because this plan definitely won’t be enough to push us to the front of the pack by any means.
Again, how close will elected leaders and the movers and shakers stick to this plan anyway? Time will tell
Overall impressed with this.

[nativeomahan]

Apparently they want to attract George Jetson.

[ita]

Definitely agree about the autonomous vehicles. I don’t see them as the transportation saviors some make them out to be. What exists now for the technology is just too gimmicky and not a viable, efficient, mode of transportation. It is especially too gimmicky to attract young, educated workers and businesses.

I remembered your comment when I read this article about the Boring Company's plans for its tunnel in Las Vegas:

https://jalopnik.com/elon-musks-las-veg ... 1836890921

Autonomous technology in street driven vehicles has made tremendous strides, but we are not there yet, at least for a few years, before they can be used in our non-tech infrastructure and human-driven streets as mass transit or for personal use. If they really want to incorporate autonomous tech in our Metro's transit system, what about autonomously run rail systems? They have them in airports for decades and on a larger scale in public transportation in Asia. I suppose it doesn't fit their "low cost" requirement, but they really need to look at the future benefits and investments vs looking purely at the cost of a mode of transit.

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HOW BLUEPRINT NEBRASKA WILL GROW THE ECONOMY

Jim Vokal
Now, as a Nebraska native, I was born here and raised a family here. All throughout the years, I’ve never felt like I had to leave to find a sense of belonging or experience my own version of the Good Life.

But for all of Nebraska’s many strengths, we all know we can still unlock more of our potential, create more opportunity for people from different walks of life, and provide more reasons to choose Nebraska as a place to raise a family, start a career or business, invest, or retire.

These are the problems Blueprint Nebraska aims to solve.

Blueprint Nebraska is an economic growth campaign managed in partnership between the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Aksarben Foundation, and the Platte Institute.

In fact, we’ve brought Blueprint Nebraska President and former Nebraska state Senator Jim Smith onto our team here at the Platte Institute. You’ll want to stay tuned because we’ll be sharing more episodes where Jim Smith will introduce you to the people engaged in the many Blueprint Nebraska initiatives.

Of course, while the state Chamber, the Aksarben Foundation, and the Platte Institute are each responsible for promoting and implementing Blueprint Nebraska, the input for the Blueprint vision came from Nebraskans like you, and its success continues to depend on collaboration from all communities.
...
You can find a listing of each of the 16 industry councils at PlatteInstitute.org/Blueprint, each who provided ideas on everything from agriculture to the workforce. But today we’re going to focus on the four main growth themes that every Blueprint initiative is based on.

1. Powering our economy with people.
2. Reimagining and connecting places.
3. Building a simpler, more efficient, and effective government.
4. Growing our most promising industry sectors.

This is a good update on Blueprint and what they are trying to accomplish.