Vote in Omaha’s General Election Next Week!

8 May

Inform yourself before you vote on Tuesday, May 14th and please support candidates who support transportation options in Omaha!

Below is our analysis of candidates’ answers to questionnaires and their track records.

You can read Mayor and City Council candidate responses to the questionnaire we sent to candidates (in collaboration with Omaha Bikes). And other groups that have asked transportation-related questions:

Mode Shift Omaha supports expanding transportation options for everyone in Omaha, to improve quality of life and better serve Omaha residents, but also to improve health and enhance environmental and fiscal sustainability.

To this end, both of the Mayoral candidates say they support in one way or another expanding transportation options in Omaha and generally agreed on most areas addressed in our questions.

Stothert writes that she sees the value in providing more transportation options and its importance to serving citizens and addressing safety and congestion, but for the most part seemed see these as an addition, if “reasonable and affordable,” to the existing (car-centric) system. It should also be noted that she voted against the Transportation Master Plan update. Suttle, while acknowledging cars will remain the dominant mode of choice for most people, takes what seems to be a more system-wide perspective in that he articulated a “complete streets” or “balanced network” approach to address pressing transportation needs, including congestion, safety and street improvements as well as to make Omaha more attractive to new talent and meeting the mobility needs and desires of citizens. This is in line with the goals of the Transportation and Environmental Element of the City’s Master Plan.

For City Council candidates in District 1, both Pete Festersen and Ed Truemper express support for inner city multi-modal transportation and improved connectivity. However, Festersen supports the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position while Truemper does not. Truemper also does not support high speed intercity passenger rail or the City Parking Manager. Overall, Festersen seems to have a more nuanced perspective on the need to shift to a more holistic transportation system and what it will take to get there. He also has a track record of supporting multimodal transportation issues, including voting for the Transportation and Environmental Elements of the city’s Master Plan and championing the Dundee Streetscape redesign, which maintains a pedestrian and bike-friendly focus (albeit with more parking).

In District 2, there is no information available in any of the questionnaires for candidate Tariq Al-Amin. In his response to the League of Women Voters, Ben Gray is clearly supportive of multimodal transportation, including bike lanes and rail. He voted for the Transportation Master Plan update.

In District 3, both JR Jasso and Chris Jerram, express support for a mode shift in Omaha in their response to the League of Women Voters. Jerram also voted for the Transportation Master Plan update, initiated a “Ride the Bus to Work” day in 2012, and has generally been supportive of multimodal transportation issues. He is a regular attendee at Mode Shift’s monthly transportation coffee chats. One thing to note is his support for a change in the Capital Improvement Plan that shifted funding away from a project to improve the S. 24th St corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians in favor of 16th Street improvements.

In District 4, Garry Gernandt voted for the Transportation Master Plan update. He was also vocal in opposing the proposed ordinance banning pedicabs during the College World Series. Jacob Perasso told the League of Women Voters he favors a larger Public Works department to build and maintain infrastructure. His list of priority projects do not include active transportation or public transit.

In District 5, Jeff Moore responded to the League of Women Voters that while he does not support a trolley system, he favors bus rapid transit to improve transit.  Moore also indicates he is a novice cyclist and would support connected bike lanes and bike trails. Rich Pawl’s response to the League of Women Voters indicates transportation options need to be available to all citizens and that all proposals must be closely scrutinized to assure fiscal responsibility and maximum impact.

In District 6, Phil Klein did not respond to our questionnaire, but indicates in his League of Women Voters response he appreciates the need to plan for all forms of transportation. Franklin Thompson provided responses to our questionnaire suggesting he is supportive of improving public transit, with the goal of improving traffic flow. However, he voted against the Transportation Master Plan update and indicates that more analysis and input from west Omaha residents is needed. He also suggests he is not fully committed to maintaining the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position.

In District 7, Tim Lonergan provided responses to our questionnaire, writing he believes the city should promote the use of active transportation and would support the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position. He responded to the League of Women Voters stating he would follow the approved Transportation Master Plan update but also take citizen input on changes that need to be made. His response to the Green Omaha Coalition questionnaire indicates his top transportation priorities are smooth roads and pothole repair. Aimee Melton indicated support for improved bike, pedestrian and transit options in her response to the League of Women Voters, specifically stating that Metro Transit needs to be expanded so that all citizens have access.

Small Steps: Transfer Stops

22 Apr

By: Willie Uehling

When Omaha’s transportation system changed from Metro Area Transit (MAT as we all knew it) to Metro, it was said that they were a changed company looking forward to a bright future and “a new direction.” In the nearly three years since then, we’ve seen many positive changes such as new buses, redesigned maps and schedules, and a renewed commitment to the community as evidenced by such programs as Stuff the Bus and Books by the Busload.

Original style transfer sign installed in 2011.

Original style transfer sign installed in 2011.

Perhaps the change most unnoticed by the non-bus riding crowd—lost amid the publicity of the new buses and speculation of whether Metro was really headed in a new direction—is the addition of transfer stops. These stops were a new way for transferring riders to easily identify where to get on their next bus. Distinguished from regular bu stops by a white section that reads “Transfer” and the routes that serve them, these signs are a humble, yet important piece of the bus transportation puzzle. In the past, the MAT stops were one of four styles of white squares that dated as far back as the 1970s, or blue stops much like the ones we see today. None of the old signs gave any indication of a good place to transfer, and although MAT’s bus maps showed transfer points, there wasn’t a way to find them while out on the streets. For the past two years, the transfer stops have solved this problem.

Although they were a step in the right direction, there was a notable lack of uniformity in the transfer stops; some of them looked as if the edges were shaped by simply free-handing with tin snips and calling it good. The stops were seemingly over-simplified, as if the designers thought any more words would confuse riders.  These are a couple of what some might consider trivial problems, but as a bus rider I was left feeling unimportant and played for dumb…Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but in all reality, something was missing.

New transfer sign installed in 2012.

New transfer sign installed in 2012.

As far back as a year ago, a couple of new transfer stops could be seen at 84th & West Center, and 90th & West Dodge. Since I am always looking for the newest improvements at Metro, I immediately noticed a big difference compared to the old transfer stops. These new stops appeared to be uniformly made of stamped metal, replacing the old cut look. They are made of two pieces rather than three, eliminating the thought that they might be made of small pieces of scrap metal. They say “Transfer To Route(s)” making for a slightly more intelligible sign. And now the white strips that bookend the old transfer stops are consolidated into one continuous white transfer field. And to top it all off, the sign is outlined with a nice finished looking pinstripe. The best news is that now over the past few weeks, these new signs have been popping up, replacing the old ones all over town. Before too long, there won’t be a single old transfer sign left.

In the end, what we’re talking about here is still just a bus sign; something that will still go widely unnoticed by the general population. Sure, we’re still waiting for the specialized transfer stops that include all the amenities like paved walkways, trash receptacles, bus maps, benches, shelters, and real-time arrival information. But to be honest, that’s still a long way off. So for now this bus rider is happy, because even though this is a subtle change to the least exciting aspect of the bus system, this is a step in “a new direction.”

UPDATE: Metro informed us that the new signs were purchased thanks to Activate Omaha.

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Transportation Key Issue in City Elections

1 Apr

April 2 is the City’s primary elections (the general election is May 14).

Please vote!

Before you do, read Mayor and City Council candidate responses to the questionnaire we sent to candidates (in collaboration with Omaha Bikes) and our analysis of the mayoral candidate responses.

The League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha also posed transportation-related questions to Mayor and City Council candidates, listed here.

And the Green Omaha Coalition also asked a few transportation-related questions, responses here.

Finally read news reports of the last two mayor forums, both of which highlighted issues related to transportation:

Find your polling place here.

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