The Underwood and Overhill Expressway

Today, like not a few days, I had the opportunity to pedal from midtown Omaha to the Missouri River and back to midtown. Along the way, my mind wandered to a car trip I need to make tomorrow--from midtown way out to far, far southwest Omaha. I may even drive on the West Dodge Expressway.

Which got me thinking. The purpose of the WDE is to reduce congestion at Omaha's busiest intersection (114th & Dodge) and generally ease the commute from Central to West Omaha and beyond. Maybe I'm still suffering the aftershocks of watching "Beyond the Motor City" the other night, but building stronger, faster, higher automobile-only expressways to the suburbs seems so 20th century to me. Shouldn't we be more focused on multi-modal transportation options that interweave Omahans together, rather than car-exclusive chutes that fling us further apart?

And, I don't know what the final cost of the WDE was, but a quick Google search shows it was budgeted for $100 million. Compare that to the cost to complete the initial 20 miles of bike lanes now underway: $600,000. And that wasn't even paid for by the City (i.e., by us)--all the funding came from grants and donations.

Which brings me to the Underwood and Overhill Expressway. One of the major objections I hear from folks reluctant to start bicycling more in Omaha is that the city is so hilly! Riding around it nearly every day, I can't argue with that one. For instance, coming west out of downtown north of Dodge, once you ascend to the top of the hill on 40th, you're plunged back down into the valley of Saddle Creek. Then up again to the summit at 50th, then down again to Happy Hollow. Then up a third time to Fairacres/64th-ish. We might as well name all the storied peaks, like in Le Tour--but instead of Tourmalet, Alpe d'Huez, and Galibier, how about (all with proper French accent, please) Cathedral, Dundee, and Vieux Riche (Old Money)?

But I digress--back to the Underwood and Overhill Expressway. Imagine a connecting bike/ped pathway near California/Underwood streets that erased the dips between these HC peaks and made the trip from 40th to 50th to 64th a coast-able level grade! Perhaps something ala the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge over the Missouri--a graceful, suspended, elevated ribbon of commuting and recreational cyclists and pedestrians. Suddenly, one of the major impediments to cycling in Omaha is greatly diminished, all the while encouraging development in the heart of the city.

How much would it cost? Well, the best figure I found for the Bob Kerrey bridge is $22 million. Triple that to make 3 sections, and you get $66 million--still only 2/3 the cost of the WDE--leaving $34 million left over for other multi-modal transportation projects (assuming you were trying to match the cost of the WDE, of course). A bargain!

Now, I'm not going to the City Council with my Underwood and Overhill Expressway idea yet (it could use some fleshing out and the cost estimates are a bit, um, back of the envelope, let's say), but the Omaha metropolitan area has clearly found funding for transportation and infrastructure projects it deems worthy in the past, and chances are that trend will continue. Omaha has made significant strides in encouraging bicycle and pedestrian traffic with its trails system, the 20-mile bike lane plan, and some great new plans currently in development. Now's the time to come together to think big and creatively on what we want Omaha to be and how transportation and infrastructure help make that possible. Now's our chance to make Omaha a more livable community.

A few links:
http://passthepotatoes.com/
http://rallyomaha.ning.com/

And a link to a previous OmahaBikes blog entry with a longer link list:
http://bikeomaha.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-omaha-bikes-reading.html

Register now for the Urban Omaha – The Ultimate Adventure Race on June 5^th!!

Click here to register today!!!

Thank you to all the people who attended the Governor’s Proclamation Signing for Bike Month and Bike to Work Week. There were 15 individuals representing Omaha, Lincoln and several local and state advocacy groups promoting biking in Nebraska. It was a tremendous turnout and we hope to continue to build momentum for multi-modal transportation in the state. To view who attended please click here.

Here is the proclamation that was signed:

Bike Month Proclamation

Nebraska Bicycle Month, May 2010

WHEREAS, for more than a century, the bicycle has been an important part of the lives of many Americans, and today residents of all ages throughout Nebraska engage in bicycling for transportation, recreation, physical activity, environmental preservation, and fun; and

WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote health and wellness in Nebraska and is an important part of encouraging all citizens to develop habits of physical activity to become or stay fit, avoid overweight and obesity, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and conditions; and

WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote the development of livable communities and foster policy changes at all levels to incorporate Complete Streets that provide the opportunity for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers to share the road; and

WHEREAS, the education of cyclists and motorists about the proper and safe operation of bicycles is important to ensure the safety and comfort of all users; and

WHEREAS, bicycling offers a unique perspective from which residents and visitors may discover Nebraska’s natural beauty, history, and culture; and

WHEREAS, Nebraska’s vast network of scenic rural roads, multi-use and rail corridor trail systems, and pleasant weather conditions make the Cornhusker state a favorite destination for bicycling enthusiasts; and

WHEREAS, May is Bike Month and Bike to Work Week is May 17 through the 21 and provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the many benefits of bicycling, to promote bicycle safety, and to encourage bike riding through organized events such as Bike-to-Work events, club rides, family rides, and bike rodeos for children;

Thanks again for your efforts, passion, and energy!

Brian Coyle, Michelle Stryker, and Tim Montgomery

CyclingEcon: President's Day Edition

This little nugget is courtesty of Newsweek from their article "How Public Policy Can Prevent Heart Disease:"

Require that sidewalks and bike lanes be part of every federally funded road project. The government already spends 1 percent of transportation dollars on such projects. It should increase the level to 2 to 3 percent. When sidewalks are built in neighborhoods and downtowns, people start walking. "The big win for city government is that anything built to a walkable scale leases out for three to five times more money, with more tax revenue on less infrastructure," says Dan Burden, executive director of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. He recommends a "road diet" in which towns eliminate a lane or two of downtown traffic and substitute sidewalks. "When roads slim down, so do people," he says."

Cycling Economics, Part II

Today's cycling economics lesson is courtesty of today's Omaha World Herald. This article, talks about a study from the University of Northern Iowa and starts by saying:

"(Bicycle)riders and their friends and family who drive cars across Iowa don't just spend money. They spend lots of it, and at every stop."

It goes on to say:

"The average RAGBRAI group, which consisted of approximately two people, spent $1,900 in Iowa during the weeklong bicycle tour. The estimated impact: Every dollar spent created about 49 cents in local spending."

Build it and they will come .... and they will spend!

Cycling's Economic Impact

From the Wisconsin Bike Federation: Bicycling Contributes nearly $1.5 billion to Wisconsin's Economy every year. http://www.bfw.org/education/index.php?category_id=4746

Granted, the headquarters of Trek and other cycling-related companies are located in Wisconsin, but some of these other statistics are too impressive to ignore:

"Combined with previous estimates of the state’s bicycle manufacturing, sales, and services industry, this means bicycling generates more than $1.5 billion a year in total economic impact."

"By incorporating physical activity into the lives of sedentary Wisconsin residents, bicycling to work could save approximately $319 million a year from reduced morbidity and healthcare costs," they explain. "In addition, fewer cars on the road would result in a decrease in air pollution by fine particulate matter and ozone. This would not only reduce health problems such as asthma and chronic bronchitis but would further reduce health care costs by almost $90 million annually in Milwaukee and Madison alone."

One of our "unofficial manefestos," Pedaling Revolution by Jeff Mapes, also discusses the impact of cycling on the economy of Portland.

This is exactly the kind of information that we need to keep in our back pockets when we get push-back from people about being a bunch of "Lance Armstrong wanna-be's," or when we engage businesses in the conversation about becoming bike friendly merchants!

Discuss.