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

OmahaBIKES Monthly Meeting This Tuesday!

It's that time again! The next OmahaBikes monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, July 13 at 11am. We'll be gathering at the Courtyard by Marriott on S. 67th in Aksarben Village. (It is #3 on the map here.)

Bikes can be locked to the patio fence on the east (back) side of the building, or out front. The 15/55 MAT bus can get you to 67th & Center, just a short distance from the location.

OmahaBIKES meetings are open to the public.  So if you have an interest in the future of transportation cycling in Omaha we would love to have you there.

Support the Cause: Texting while driving law

We are preaching to the choir here when we talk about the dangers of distracted driving. I hope you will all consider attending the press conference detailed below. Please also note that AAA has a BOCC team (albeit a small one!) and our friend and OmahaBikes member, Chris Seitzer, is a part of it. Having a contingent of cyclists visible at this press conference is a strong message!

**

You are invited to attend a press conference announcing the details of Nebraska's new text messaging while driving law which beings next Thursday.

The press event will be held:
Tuesday, July 13, at 10 am
AAA Nebraska, 910 North 96 Street, Omaha, NE

If you plan to attend, please contact Rose White at RWhite(at)aaane(dot)com.

AAA will utilize its new driving simulator to demonstrate how texting severely compromises a driver's ability to scan the roadway, make quick decisions and safely interact in traffic.

Federal Safe Routes Program Under Attack	Take Action!
Urge Your Representative to Support Safe Routes To Schools
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) has targeted the federal Safe Routes to School program established under the 2005 Federal Surface Transportation Bill (SAFETEA-LU) as wasteful government spending in his weekly "YouCut program". Each week representative Cantor asks people to vote for which of five options they would cut from the federal budget. Republicans then hold a floor vote in the House of Representatives to try to eliminate the program that gets the most votes. This week, the federal Safe Routes to School program is one of Rep. Cantor's targets. He argues that SRTS duplicates other bicycling and walking programs, and that bicycling and walking infrastructure is a local government responsibility. We need your help making sure that Members of Congress understand the value of Safe Routes to School and support it. Please take a few minutes to send a message to your Member of Congress to ask them to vote against any effort to cut Safe Routes to School. Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

OmahaBIKES Monthly Meeting This Tuesday!

It's that time again! The next OmahaBikes monthly meeting will be on Tuesday, June 8 at 11am. We'll be gathering at the Courtyard by Marriott on S. 67th in Aksarben Village. (It is #3 on the map here.) Note: no call in available for this meeting; once we get the lay of the land at the new location, we will figure out how best to provide this for the future.

Bikes can be locked to the patio fence on the east (back) side of the building, or out front. The 15/55 MAT bus can get you to 67th & Center, just a short distance from the location.

OmahaBIKES meetings are open to the public.  So if you have an interest in the future of transportation cycling in Omaha we would love to have you there.

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

Department of Roads Survey

As you may be aware, NDOR is conducting a survey for the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

Here's a link to the survey. Stop complaining and take action! Speak up!

Stolen Bike

Our good friend Dale just reported that his bike has been stolen.  If you see this bike around town, please contact Dale (964.1080) to let him know where you saw it.

While we are on the subject; feel free to let us know if your bike has been swiped (OmahaBIKES AT gmail DOT com).  Send us a picture if possible, and we will try to get it posted on the blog.

With so many people starting to ride bikes in Omaha, it is likely that stolen bikes cases will be on the rise.

Update: This reminds me of another Stolen Bike story that had a happy ending.

Who wants to be famous?

Omaha Bikes will be recording some video footage of the "Bike Omaha" bike lane network this Saturday.  We would love to have as many people along as possible so we can film other people riding along these sections of road.  Once the city paints the lanes, sharrows, and adds the "Bike Omaha" network signage, we will repeate this process so we can get a good BEFORE/AFTER view of the "Bike Omaha" network from a riders perspective.

We will be riding SLOW and stopping often to check the video, smell the roses, drink a few beverages, etc so all experience levels are welcome, but you should be comfortable riding in traffic.  Just wear what you usually commute/ride in and bring a few bucks for refreshments along the way.

If you have bike or helmet mountable video hardware, we could also use your help getting as much raw video as possible.

If you are interested, you can leave a comment here or contact us directly at OmahaBikes AT gmail DOT com and give us enough information for us to contact you to let you know where an when to meet up with us.  We will also update this post with time and location details tomorrow afternoon.

UPDATE: Meet at Benson Grind (6107 Maple Street) at 11:00am.  See you there.

Dear Member of the Omaha Metro Active Transportation Community

Many of you have noticed that almost no new trails have been opened on the Nebraska side of the metro area for a long time. Many major trail projects are designed and fully funded, including the West Douglas County Trail from Waterloo to Valley, a major part of the Riverfront Trail, the western end of the East-West Trail that will connect the Keystone and Field Club Trails, and Papillion’s 72nd Street Trail. These are very important projects for our active transportation community and would also create millions of dollars of new construction activity. Yet nothing seems to be happening. Why?

We have discovered several reasons that are causing these key projects to grind to a halt:
1. The state Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) office has found that the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR), who administers these funds, was in noncompliance with various regulations and procedures on some (non-trail) projects. Therefore, every project in the pipeline is being forced to go back to square one in the process.

2. At the state division of the FHWA, projects are encountering reviews and processing delays that seem unnecessary. Traffic signal installations and minor resurfacing projects must study their effect on endangered species, for example, and trails are treated like major highway projects. Short documents that should be reviewed and approved quickly are taking months because of drafts, reviews, and redrafts.

3. Stimulus projects are moving to the front of the line ahead of trails and other projects that have been funded for years and are ready to go, causing more delays.

4. Government agencies don’t seem to be communicating well. Rules and standards seem to change and procedural issues do not seem to be getting fixed.

What’s the result? Projects that we have been working on and anticipating for years now seem to be facing delays of up to FIVE YEARS! We know that people think they’re doing their jobs. But most of us would like to see these projects built before we’re too old to use them. Also, moving paper and having meetings does not stimulate the economy, create jobs, improve health, or promote sustainable transportation. We as a community must take some action. Therefore, we ask you to email, write, and/or phone any or all of the following people to express your opinion about these issues:

• President Barack Obama  www.whitehouse.gov/contact
• Senator Ben Nelson   www.bennelson.senate.gov
• Senator Mike Johanns   http://johanns.senate.gov/public/?p=EmailSenatorJohanns
• Representative Lee Terry   www.leeterry.house.gov
• Governor Dave Heinemann   www.governor.nebraska.gov/mail/govmail.html
• Nebraska Department of Roads Director Monty Frederickson monty.fredrickson@nebraska.gov
• Joseph Werning, Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administrator, Nebraska Division   Joseph.Werning@dot.gov
• Mayor Jim Suttle    www.cityofomaha.org/mayor/mayors-office-home 

Sample Letter

Dear (President Obama, Senator Nelson, Senator Johanns, Representative Terry, Governor Heinemann, Mr. Frederickson, Mr. Werning, Mayor Suttle)

I am a member of the Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan community who is vitally interested in trail development, sustainable transportation, and the physical health and vitality of our metropolitan area and its citizens. In our area, we have millions of dollars of trails projects that are funded, designed, and ready to build, yet are not moving forward. These projects will improve our area’s facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists, improve community wellness, and put hundreds of people to work during their construction. Yet, they are being delayed for an indeterminate time because the Federal Highway Administration found the Nebraska Department of Roads to be in noncompliance with various regulations and procedures. This is causing worthy, ready-to-build projects to go back to the beginning of the review process and is blocking efforts to build a healthier, more sustainable community.

I am not an expert on these issues and certainly do not want to cast blame on anyone. I simply would like to see federal and state agencies work together to resolve their issues so these important transportation projects can move forward. I do ask that you do everything in your power to help these agencies resolve their issues and work as partners to expedite these vital trail projects. The health and quality of our metropolitan area depends on it.

Sincerely yours,

(Your Name)

Making changes from the top

Just about any advocate can tell you, that one of the most difficult things about trying to change a system, is that the people that can make that change are often not listening to you. That doesn't mean they wont listen, but until the "squeaky wheel" get's loud enough to become annoying, it can be hard to get their attention.

Last week was the National Bike Summit. You can see that Omaha Bikes was pretty busy posting last week as a result. The general feeling I get from the coverage of the summit, is that the "squeaky wheel" is starting to get some attention. In fact, even the people at the top are starting to take notice and listen to the army of advocates in the US that have been pushing for a more balanced transportation system for so many years.

Looks like somebody is listening and there may an “end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized” in sight.  Now it's your turn to make some noise.

ALL HANDS ON DECK!

The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) is reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) every 4 years.  Part of this review process involves a public meeting where the community can voice it's concerns about MAPA.  The public meeting is next Monday March 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the MAPA offices, 2222 Cuming Street.  This is a good chance for YOU to give feedback to MAPA.


While your at it, take a look at the MAPA Beltway Study and give them your feedback on that proposed project as well.


Here is the official notice.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will be in Omaha March 15 and 16 for a federal certification review of the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA), which is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Omaha-Council Bluffs region.  The review will cover MAPA’s transportation planning process and the effectiveness of that process.

A public input meeting has been scheduled for Monday evening, March 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the MAPA offices, 2222 Cuming Street in Omaha.

Major elements to be discussed include organization and management of the planning process, planning agreements and the cooperative process, planning factors, public involvement, project selection, and financial constraint. Products of the planning process – The Long Range Plan, TIP, and Unified Work program – will also be discussed.

If you are unable to attend this meeting and would like to comment, please send written comments to Paul Mullen, MAPA Executive Director at:

  

Metropolitan Area Planning Agency

2222 Cuming Street

Omaha, Nebraska 68102-4328

or

 e-mail paul_mullen@mapacog.org

March OmahaBikes meeting

Just a quick reminder that our next OmahaBikes meeting is tomorrow (Tues) at 11am. We are meeting at the First Data Building, 68th & Pacific. Be sure to bring your photo ID – Joe and/or Mark will have to sign you in.

On the agenda: Reviewing route maps from Marty Shukert that show potential changes to the Benson and Aksarben routes from the 20 mile "Bike Omaha" loop and collecting feedback, discussing the latest on the Urban Bike Festival, and doing before/after videos of the "Bike Omaha" loop.

Several members of the OmahaBikes team will not be at the meeting, as they will be in Washington DC at the National Bike Summit! Look at the previous blog entry for more details on that. They will try to call in and say hi during the meeting, schedules permitting.

Congrats to our friends at Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, PayPal, Bike Masters, and Union Pacific that all received a designation from the League of American Bicyclists as a Bike Friendly Business! Activate Omaha also received a designation. Hopefully more applications can be submitted this spring, too!

If you are interested in attending the OmahaBikes meeting, you are invited to join us. OmahaBikes meetings are always open to the Omaha cycling public. If you need details or directions, leave a comment to this post and we will get back to you.

Handlebar Happy Hour, TONIGHT!

OmahaBIKES is having a “Handlebar Happy Hour” tonight at the Slowdown, starting around 5:30ish, and we’d love to have you there!

We are particularly interested in getting the midtown/downtown commuting crowd around the table, as we will have some new maps from Marty Shukert showing potential changes/tweaks to the Bike Omaha 20 mile loop routes, and we would like to get your input.  Specifically, we’re looking at the “red” route that will take you from downtown to the Benson area, and the “blue” route that will take you from downtown to Aksarben via Leavenworth.

We will also take your thoughts on bike parking and potential locations for bike racks.  (You can “ooh and ahh” at the new rack that was just installed in front of the Slowdown last week, too!)

Hope to see you there.

Call To Action! 108th/Crown Point

(The Douglas...can you cross post on the GTC blog?)

Folks - we have an elementary school that needs some help. One group with some shovels should be able to provide relief in a very short amount of time.

The NE corner at 108th & Crown Point (Just north of the HyVee at 108th/Fort) has been and continues to be a dangerous situation for kids trying to walk to Prairie Wind Elementary School. The Prinicpal is asking for help in clearing the sidewalk on that corner so that kids can have a safe place to stand while waiting to cross 108th Street. Today's snow is just going to add to the problem. This is a great school with a fantastic principal that wants to do whatever she can to help get more kids walking and biking to school. Let's support those who support our mission!

We could spend a lot of time talking about who shoulda/coulda/woulda already done this, but the bottom line is that these kids need to be safe, sooner rather than later.

Would anyone be available/willing to help out sometime this weekend? I can help coordinate.

Wanted: Bike Trainer

You may have heard about the bike blender?  Have I mentioned that before?  At any rate, you are probably (painfully) aware by now that we have the awesome homemade bike blender on the vintage tandem bike that we created at the Community Bike Shop.  The mini-grant we received from the National Center for Safe Routes to School has money in the budget for a commercially made bike blender...so now we will have two!  We already have the blenders booked for some school events coming up! 

The issue:  We need a trainer to set up the bike blender bikes.  I have used our personal one so far, but it would make things much easier if we had a dedicated one that can be stored/transported with the bikes.  It obviously does not need to be in spectacular working condition; but it does need to be able to support elementary school kids who want to see how fast they can pedal.  :) 

If we could get an old trainer donated to us, I would jump for joy!!  The other thought I had was to do some sort of bike trainer fundraiser night, with the proceeds going towards purchasing one....but we'll try the donation route first.

You can contact me at jharris (at) activateomaha (dot) org if you have one and want to make a deal! 

Environment Omaha Meeting

This might be a good place for our group to give some input, specifically on the urban environment. http://www.environmentomaha.com/ I'm going to try to make it, but since I'm terrible at making it to our meetings it might be good to have others there also.
-Brian

Guerrilla Trail Crew takes action

We have mentioned the Guerrilla Trail Crew before on Omaha Bikes.  This weekend the Guerrilla Trail Crew took matters into their own hands and made a difference.  If you use Omaha trails, and want to make a big difference on keeping them available year round for everyone that uses them for transportation and recreation, then stop by the Guerrilla Trail Crew blog and see how you can help out.

These guys are awesome.  Now were did I put my extra snow shovel.

Public Meeting - Resource Conservation

Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
6:30 to 8:00pm
Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St.
- Free and open to the public -
Meeting will be webcast live on
www.environmentomaha.com

What can Omaha do to better conserve the resources it relies on for daily life in the metro? Come share your thoughts and bring a neighbor! The evening will include:
• A presentation by Amy Malick, Midwest regional director for ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability
• A series of information stations pertaining to water, air and climate, energy, materials and human resources will be set up; city staff and members of the Resource Conservation Advisory Committee will be available at each station to answer questions and record comments

QUESTIONS?
Contact Omaha by Design
402.554.4010
info@omahabydesign.org

IMBA TO VISIT THE HEARTLAND

THOR, Trails Have Our Respect, the local chapter of the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), is hosting a session with a IMBA's Regional Director, Ryan Schutz on Saturday, January 16. THOR, established in 1997, is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to developing and maintaining sustainable off-road recreational trails in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa.

Starting this month, IMBA is visiting local chapters across the country to engage them and to provide tools on how to be a better club. Since they have been working with THOR on some recent projects, they chose to come back for another visit.

The FREE session will cover ways to help the club sustain itself through new channels of engagement, outreach, fund raising, marketing and more. THOR is opening up this session to anyone interested in giving back to its community by way of creating and maintaining off-road recreational trails for all non-motorized users. The session will be five hours with lunch being provided. Anyone, cyclists or otherwise, are encouraged to attend.


To RSVP, please send an email to roxzanne.abbot [AT] gmail [DOT] com by January 10. Attendance will determine location, so please reply by this date.

THOR/IMBA Leadership Meeting
January 16, 2010
11am - 5pm (lunch provided)
Location: TBD, depending number attending

For more information about THOR, visit trailshaveourrespect.org. For more information about the International Mountain Biking Association, visit imba.com.