The City of Omaha scheduled the pedestrian activated crossing signals at six intersections to be removed within 90 days of notification. The residents of Dundee fought the removal of two of those signals that serve walking routes to Dundee elementary, and yesterday, the Mayor indicated that the signals at 51st and Farnam and at 52nd and Chicago warranted further study because of their proximity to a school.
There are four other signals scheduled for removal as a part of the city’s multi-year, $35 million traffic signal upgrade being majority funded by the Federal Department of Transportation. According to statements made by Public Works, these signals do not meet federal standards as laid out in the Manual for Universal Traffic Control Devices, and so their replacement would be ineligible for federal funding. Public works has not yet responded to requests for copies of the full traffic study or a description of the study methodology.
The traffic signals still scheduled for removal are the following:
120th and Arbor
108th and Oak
84th and Spring (see our video analysis of this intersection here)
73rd and Mercy
If you use these signals, or know someone for whom these signals are important for pedestrian access to work, commerce, services and community amenities, please contact Public Works at 402-444-5160 and/or email Mr. Murthy Koti at murthy.koti@cityofomaha.org and Mayor Stothert at mayorstothert@cityofomaha.org.
What are they thinking? I looked at these intersections using google maps, “walked” around & about the intersections in the street view, and they are *busy*. What happened to Omaha learning to encourage multi-modes of transport, and making the streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and the like? This is nuts.
120th and Arbor – Traffic light not located at this intersection. It’s 1/2-block south at the east entrance to the Bel Air Shopping Center and a driveway east to several businesses. No marked crosswalks. Primarily governs auto traffic.
108th and Oak – This is a 4-way intersection just south of Rockbrook Shopping Center. Does have marked crosswalks on all four sides. Signal controls vehicle traffic on all 4 approaches as well as pedestrians.
84th and Spring – This is like the signal at 120th St. It controls traffic from driveway west into Frederick Square shopping Center and driveway east into another shopping area. No crosswalks marked.
73rd and Mercy – This intersections is located one block west of the very busy 72nd & Mercy intersection and serves several office buildings as well as Bergen Mercy Hospital which recently completed a big expansion. The #18 and #15 buses that I ride regularly pass through this intersection using 73rd St to get to the Bergen Mercy Transfer Center. Intersection has marked crosswalks. In addition to transit buses, intersection handles a lot of traffic to local employers, especially during shift-change times.
Clyde
73rd and Mercy – This intersection is used by staff at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center – Bergan Mercy to get back and forth from the hospital to the 73rd St. Transfer Center. Staff that work just at the 73rd St. Transfer Center also park in the parking lot across the street from the Transfer Center and cross this street on a regular basis. It would be dangerous for the pedestrians that use this intersection to remove this traffic light.
Thanks all for these comments! If you haven’t already, please do contact Public Works and the Mayor as well.
I am not in favor of any of the street lights being removed. Not safe for pedestrians if these lights are removed.