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05-01-2008, 3:09 PM UCD Joined on 05-02-2008 Posts 6 Streetcar folley The goal for Omaha should be to encourage mass transit through a first-step downtown project. The $55 million streetcar route is not the solution.  The solution is a hybrid bus circulator like the one on the 16th Street Mall in Denver at a minimal cost. Citizen's overall goal should be to encourage mass transit and a hybrid circulator should be the first step in upgrading the underused and underfunded MAT bus system. This can be done at a fraction of the streetcar cost. While I agree that the streetcar idea is "sexy" and would attract some visitors, it does not address the fundemental problem that Omaha has a horrible mass transit system that could be solved cheaper and faster and more expansively than a small streetcar line to the Med Center in 7 years.    Report

05-01-2008, 9:08 PM the1wags Joined on 07-06-2006 DT Omaha Posts 3 Re: Streetcar folley While a bus route can be done for cheaper than a streetcar system, it won't bring the development dollars that a streetcar system will. Bus routes can change, steel rail in the ground is a green light for developers because they know that it's not going anywhere. I agree that a comprehensive transit plan needs to be developed, and it should include expanded bus service along with streetcars, light rail, and commuter rail in my opinion. This first $55 phase of the streetcar system is a great start and will lead to investment dollars and expansion of the system itself in the future.    Report

05-02-2008, 10:35 AM UCD Joined on 05-02-2008 Posts 6 Re: Streetcar folley When you look at "progressive" cities", as Mayor Fahey mentioned, a streetcar system is placed on in addition to the bus system/light rail already in place. People point to Portland's Pearl district as a great example but the underlying fact is that cities like Portland, San Francisco and even Denver already have excellant bus systems in place before adding additional transit. $55 million is enough to completely revamp the MAT system and not just put in an aesthetic novelty that will not alleviate any commuter needs. I wish that the progressive energy that people on this forum have would be redirected to improving the MAT system before pushing for the streetcar.    Report

05-05-2008, 8:15 PM Gerald W. Kopiasz Joined on 05-01-2006 Posts 535 Re: Streetcar folley It should be noted that we are not arguing for streetcars in spite of buses. Certainly buses are an important part of the overall transit equation, and each mode has its place in Omaha. That said, now is the time to invest in streetcars. Downtown is ripe for it, there's a growing need for it, and we can certainly benefit from the economic aspects of streetcars. What other reasons do we need streetcars? We need them to take downtown to the next level. Without an automobile alternative, we will need to continue to devote land that would otherwise serve more productive uses for parking. Also, in these times of high fuel prices and environmental concerns, we need alternatives that are attractive to non traditional transit users. Furthermore, other cities are implementing streetcars and light rail, so it is imperative that we join the ranks now to prevent having to play catch up. Also, cities want rail over bus rapid transit (BRT). Certainly BRT has taken root in some areas, but it hasn't been as widely accepted as rail. In some cases BRT is only an interim solution until rail can be implemented. So let's build streetcars and let's look at ways to improve our bus system.    Report

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