Commuter service between Lincoln and Omaha considered

w8ing · Post by **w8ing** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:07 pm

From the Lincoln Journal-Star article:

excerpts:
It must be reasonably priced, accessible, convenient and comfortable, but there’s probably a market for commuter service between Lincoln and Omaha.

If those conditions are met, several Lincoln-Omaha commuters told the Nebraska Public Service Commission Monday night, people will let someone else take the wheel to get them to their destinations.

The public service commission hosted the second of two workshops designed to gather the public’s views on whether the service is necessary and/or desired.
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Commissioner Anne Boyle said the population size of the Omaha-Lincoln area isn’t large enough that state or federal dollars would go to a transportation project linking the cities, which would seem to rule out an intercity rail line for now. Buses, she said, would seem to be the most logical option at this point.

However, said Dan Lutz of ProRail Nebraska, a train system would be more operable in some foul-weather conditions.

“Our organization is not opposed to commuter bus service,” Lutz said. “(But) let’s not let the commuter rail idea vanish completely.”

I hope they don't rule out a rail idea. I definitely think it falls under the realm of "if you build it they will come". Not only commuters but growth in Ashland, Gretna and all along the way. It would open up the job pool for both major cities as well. Both employers and employees would find their base opened up.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:13 pm

I also heard a local rail is important. It was said that people are more apt to ride if they have away to get around when they get there.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:18 pm

You're absolutely right w8ing... in fact, if the chamber wants so badly for Omaha and Lincoln to reach that commute point at which the US census department is looking for before it joins them in a single CSA... they should consider actively pursuing a commuter rail line themselves.

Zephyr · Post by **Zephyr** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:47 pm

I think if "they" - the state or whatever - start off with offering bus service, commuters will get the idea to start a train service after I-80 gets more congested and ridership increases. Now I thought the perfect time to start commuter rail would have been to offer it as an alternative to the highway construction, ala Tri-Rail in Miami. That system was just supposed to be temporary but stuck around because so many commuters grew to depend on it.

Will · Post by **Will** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:21 pm

When looking for a job, I never considered Lincoln due to the drive and the rising cost of Gas. If I could catch a bus (or hopefuly a train) to and from Lincoln I would deffently expand my search to Lincoln.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:19 pm

I know I used to be real gung-ho for rail between Omaha and Lincoln. Now I'm not so sure. Since the rail would likely bring new development between Omaha and Lincoln all that would do is encourage sprawl. Also it would mean less development for Omaha. It's still decades away but I would rather money be spent on getting rail in Omaha since that's what we would need for any inter-city rail to get started.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:51 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I know I used to be real gung-ho for rail between Omaha and Lincoln. Now I'm not so sure. Since the rail would likely bring new development between Omaha and Lincoln all that would do is encourage sprawl. Also it would mean less development for Omaha. It's still decades away but I would rather money be spent on getting rail in Omaha since that's what we would need for any inter-city rail to get started.

A (better) rail connection between Omaha and Lincoln wouldn't necessarily cause development. It's not a streetcar, it wouldn't be making frequent stops. An Oma-Linc would probably only make three or four stops between here and Lincoln (Gretna, Ashland, Greenwood and Waverly).

I think this line would pay for it self during Husker football home games. Plus it'd be an easy way to get the average person to consider riding public transit.

Plus the advertising practcally writes it self:

"Avoid the traffic on 1-80, take the HUSKER TRAIN" and then you have a red train chugging along in the commercial, but istead of going "I think I can, I think I can..." it's going "husker power, husker power."

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 4:57 pm

As long as they didn't just plunk down the rail and say "Here you go", an OMA/LNK (ooh, I think I just named it "OmaLink"! I call trademark!) would help drive good development between the two areas.

With good design and zoning standards, you could have very densely populated areas around the rail stops (especially near Lake Ashland;)). TIFs, etc, could help drive well-conceived and regulated development, with future tax revenues from those areas going back to help fund the construction and maintenance.

And the Husker game day plan is a no brainer. It could even help push the line further west to GI, etc (pipe dream?). The REALLY important thing would be to make sure there are legitimate transit options at the detinations of Omaha and Lincoln, especially the downtowns.

And finally, the faster you can connect the two cities the sooner it becomes the Omaha/Lincoln metro and in the top 50 nationally.

-Big E

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:11 pm

I agree, Big E.

And, Swift...were you TRYING to make me vomit just now, or was it an accident?

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:43 pm

Swift wrote:
I think this line would pay for it self during Husker football home games. Plus it'd be an easy way to get the average person to consider riding public transit.

Plus the advertising practcally writes it self:

"Avoid the traffic on 1-80, take the HUSKER TRAIN" and then you have a red train chugging along in the commercial, but istead of going "I think I can, I think I can..." it's going "husker power, husker power."

Where's a suicide emoticon when you need one. Sadly that would probably work the best.

I guess I'm a bit more Omaha centric than others but I still would like to see us have the future monopoly on rail.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:46 pm

"husker train"? that is absolutely disgusting!

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:33 pm

In my book "Railroads of Omaha and CouncilBlufs" by William Kratville, there is a picture of the "Nebraska Football Special" which the Chicago, Burlington and Quincey ran from Omaha to Lincoln.

w8ing · Post by **w8ing** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:57 pm

No matter how much anyone would love it, all development is not going to be limited to east of 72nd. Not everyone wants to live in apartments or condos or even buy existing smaller homes in those areas. It would be great if they did from an ecological standpoint and it's great to promote it. I don't see how promoting urban renewal is in competition with the notion of public transit between Omaha and Lincoln that would increase development in existing smaller towns.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:06 pm

We're never going to get an adequate Oma-Linc light rail option with out courting the Husker crowd! Come on you guys, be more politically and big-picture minded!

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:43 pm

Of course I'm all for Omaha getting urban rail transit, but I think it's also VERY important to have comprehensive options for connections, and commuter lines feeding the center city from outlying areas, INCLUDING LINCOLN (most importantly), are invaluable.

And, as much as I detest the Husker culture, I think the use of the commuter service for gameday is a no brainer.