The Mode Shift Omaha Transparency project focuses on gathering the information and data needed to identify how transportation policy decisions that affect the Omaha area are made and by whom, and where funding for transportation projects come from and where it is spent. Essentially, it is trying to open up the “black box” of transportation decision-making and implementation in Omaha so we can better plan for, respond to, and ultimately help change these so the public have a greater say in the process.
So far, we’ve focused on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) process, which determines the City’s transportation (and other) projects for the next 6 years. See our 2018 blog series examining 2018 Street Bond Issue or our website summary of the CIP process and features.
We’ve also done some mapping of CIP projects. See this data and map showing types of projects and areas of the City where they are happening from a couple of years ago. We hope to do a lot more of this type of mapping in the near future. We are in the planning stage of a project to deliver a “Map Machine” (see our artist’s concept diagram for details).
This map machine will require resources beyond Mode Shift’s current budget. Grants may be available to support such a project, but we will need funds to plan the project and submit the grant applications. Please give here to support this project. Or if you’d like to volunteer to help with data collection and mapping, please contact us at info@modeshiftomaha.org.