Paging Leavenworth Commuters...

If you find yourself searching for the proverbial white courtesy phone after reading the headline, then we have an opportunity for you! This opportunity comes in the form of an upcoming community meeting regarding proposed bicycle infrastrucure improvements along Leavenworth between I-480 and 24th Street.

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 1:00 PM-2:30 PM
Where: Greek Orthodox church - 602 Park Avenue

The meeting is primarily for business owners along that corridor, but we'd like to make sure that the cyclist views are also represented. This is a great opportunity to educate business and homeowners about the benefits of bicycle infrastructure.

We'll continue to keep everyone posted about the project, so stay tuned!

Bike to the Ballpark!

It's hard to believe, but it is time to start planning for the College World Series Bike to the Ballpark 2012!

Our first year was a rousing success by all accounts:  700+ bikes parked and $600+ in donations raised that we can use to upgrade our operation for this year!  Anyone who spent time volunteering at the bike corral last summer knows that awareness was raised significantly, which we know will translate into more people arriving on bikes this year.

We need to get a committee going to coordinate our efforts.  Items on the to-do list include: building new bike racks; contacting host hotels to discuss bike friendly measures that can be taken; upgrading the signage, valet cards and other material; and developing a media/communication plan.

If you would like to be involved, please contact Julie -- jharris (at) activateomaha (dot) org -- by Wednesday, January 25.  We'll get a distro list going and figure out the most convenient time to schedule our first meeting.

Volunteers Needed!!

We are working with the I Ride campaign to help the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts earn their cycling badges ... training the next generation of cyclists, if you will.  We need volunteers!!  Duties would include: directing kiddos on the bike obstacle course, helping with basic maintenance demos, leading short bike rides on the trail, and helping make bike blender smoothies! :)  Even if you only have an hour or two to give, we'll take it!!  Email Julie at jharris (at) activateomaha.org if you have questions or would like to help out!!

Boy Scout Bike Jam
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Durham Scout Center
12401 West Maple Road
1 – 3 p.m. Clinic
3 – 4 p.m. Bike ride

Girl Power Bike Festival
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
Aksarben Village
Stinson Park at 67th & Center.
1:30 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.

A Tale of Two Friends

Remember when you were a 6th grader?  You were finally old enough to start navigating the world more independently.  In fact, you were probably a seasoned pro at navigating around your world by now: riding to school, riding to ball practice, riding to your friend's house.  You were jumping curbs, exploring allies, creating shortcuts. (You're smiling just thinking about it, aren't you?!)

Last night, my 6th grader and her buddy hung out at our house after school to work on some math homework.  Her mom dropped her off with her bike, knowing that my kids like to ride.  They got their homework done and rode up to the elementary school to ride home with my 4th grader.  When it was time to take her friend home, it only made sense to use bikes...after all, her house is only about 2 miles away by car, and I wasn't going to drive her and her bike home on such a nice evening.

In an ideal world, with a fully connected trail around Standing Bear Lake  (OR- on street bike facilities along 144th, north of Fort) and grid streets rather than cul-de-sacs, our easy peasy 2ish miles route would have been:  

   In fact, this almost the same route that we rode...except that there is no shoulder at all along this section of 144th Street, and I'm not familiar enough with her friend's cycling ability to be comfortable riding on the street with her, so we took our chance riding the bumpy, weedy goat path worn along the east edge of the street.  My daughter's friend ended up pushing her bike in this area, and had my daughter not just finished a summer of mountain bike riding, she likely would not have had the ability to ride this section, either.  There was just enough traffic along 144th to add to this nerve-racking experience.  We also had to detour about a half mile out of the way to get into her cul-de-sac, even though we could see her house plain as day from the intersection of 144th/Fort.

I guess I could have let the girls ride by themselves...I mean, there is a lake with a perfectly wonderful trail that goes (mostly) around it... 

Um, I'm sorry...did you say 7 MILES??  Yep, the 2 mile route turns into 7 miles if you want to take the trail and the safe street crossing on Fort Street at the pedestrian signal.  (And this also assumes that my comfort zone is OK with them crossing 144th Street without a signal ...less busy here, to be fair... to get to the Standing Bear Lake trailhead.)  There has to be a better way, right?  

Well, sort of.  It is shorter (3ish miles), but the girls are left to fend for themselves trying to cross 40mph Fort Street with no signal.  Not so much. 

This is just one of many, many examples that we could point to that all of us have encountered.  In the words of my former boss, Paula: "Well, what are you gonna do about it?" 

Attend the Transportation Master Plan Update meeting on September 15.

Attend the Heartland Active Transportation Summit.

Advocate for Safe Routes to School.

Continue to ride my bike whenever and wherever I can and politley answer the bizzare questions people ask me about why and how I just did what I did.

And personally:  I'm going to continue to annoy my friends with seemingly meaningless Facebook and Twitter posts every time I ride the bus to show them that people in West Omaha can and DO ride the bus.  :)

What are YOU gonna do about it?

Discover Omaha Bike Tour

Join your friends at I Ride on Wednesday for this fun event!  This fully supported walk/bike ride will give you the opportunity to learn more about the rich history of South O. 

Wednesday, July 27, 6:00 - 8:30pm.  Meet at 25th & N Street. 

If you would like to be a "bike ambassador" for this (help lead/"shepard" the group), please contact Kristine at info@iridedouglascounty.org  It will be a short ride (3-4 miles) with frequent stops to learn about the history of the area.  Great family outing!!

Keystone Connector Meeting: Need to Organize!!

Folks, we need to get organized!  We've received word that there is some strong resistance towards the proposed Keystone Connector Trail route, specifically the portion that would run along D Street.  We need to get as many proponents as we can to the public meeting on Thursday to make sure that our side of the issue is represented! 

You can find all of the details of the meeting on the previous blog post, but the main info is: Thursday, July 21, 6:30-7:30, Kroc Center in South O.  Yes, this may require you to delay your trip to Mineola for tacos, but this is important!! 

If you are available and interested in attending, please respond in the comments section and we'll organize from there. 

Mayors' Bike Ride!!

We'd love to have the largest group of riders ever in 2011! Join mayors from Bellevue, Council Bluffs, and Omaha!

Spread the word!!

Grab your bike!!

Join us!!

Volunteer Opportunities - Plug In!!



Spring has sprung, and so has the events calendar!!  Help us get more kids on bikes, get more people bike commuting, get more people aware of cyclists on the road ... and have a good time hanging with like minded people in the process!  Contact Julie at jharris@activateomaha if you can help with any of these events.

EDITED TO ADD:  Our friends at the Community Bike Project of Omaha also have ways to get involved!  Check out that info HERE!

Thursday, April 21

4-6pm
Harrison Elementary Bike Rodeo (54th/Hamilton)
Need: Assist with bike obstacle course/bike skills

Saturday, April 23
Varied (10:30a-2p, 1:45 – 4:00, 3:45 - 6)
Earth Day! (Elmwood Park)
Need: Help distribute bike info, answer questions, help with bike valet parking

Saturday, April 30
11 – 2
Westbrook Elementary Bike Rodeo (80th/Western – just off Keystone Trail)
Need: Assist with bike obstacle course/bike skills, basic bike tune ups

Saturday/Sunday, April 30/May1
Varied (10-5 Saturday; 10-4 Sunday)
Omaha Health Expo (Civic Auditorium)
Need: Help distribute bike info, answer questions

Saturday, May 7
Time TBD; probably 11-2 or so
Dust Off Your Bike/Bike Drive
Location TBD – near 78th/Cass or Dodge
Need: Assist in bike collection/donation process, distribute info, basic bike tune ups

Saturday, June 4
Varied (6:30am-3p)
Urban Omaha (Activate Omaha’s urban adventure race)
Need: Assist with race: team challenges, start/finish line, etc.

Saturday, June 19-29
Varied (afternoons/evenings)
Bike to the Ballpark – College World Series
Need: Assist and monitor valet bike parking

Advocacy Alert!!!

Below are the links to two state bills that were mentioned in a meeting late last week as being ones local cyclists should be aware of because they would restrict funding for recreational facilities constructed by Natural Resources Districts. Both bills seem to be currently in the Natural Resources Committee (http://news.legislature.ne.gov/nat/), which includes several members from the Omaha metro: Chairperson Sen. Chris Langemeier (District 23), Sen. Beau McCoy (District 39) and Sen. Jim Smith (District 14). Attached is a map of the legislative districts to be helpful.

Consider voicing your opinion!!

LB 656

LB 487'

Get Ready for DEVO!

No, not that kind of Devo.

Devo, as in, developmental mountain bike program!

A great group of folks have been working hard over the winter to create this program that will launch this spring:  Experienced riders/coaches will be teaching kids the basics of mountain biking during weekly practices at Tranquility Park (NW Omaha) and Swanson Park (Bellevue).  Boys and girls of all ages and abilities are welcome.

Kids will be broken into groups according to age and interest: those wanting to learn the beginning skills so that they can ride for fun on their own, and those interested in taking their skills to the next level in a more competitve way via more specialize coaching and ability to participate in short kids races that will be set up at local adult mountain bike races. 

Follow Omaha Devo on Facebook or check their blog for all the details, whether you have a child that might be interested or if you would like to get involved via volunteering.  Registration for the spring session begins soon!

Kudos to the mountain biking community for coming together to form this program!

Transportation Master Plan Update

Last minute info, but come out tonight if you can!
Meeting reminder:


The conversation for the future of Omaha's transportation will move to the next level on Tuesday! We will talk about where we have been, where we are today, and where we want to go in the future!
Help us to create our Transportation Vision!

Status Quo or ? (You Decide)
Tuesday January 18th, 6:30pm, Livestock Exchange Building, 4920 South 30th Street

Iowa Bike Summit, Anyone?

Happy New Year!  Are you ready for 2011?  Kurt G. keeps sayng that "2011 is going to be the Year of the Bike for Omaha," and I believe it!  Make a resolution to plug in and help us on our quest to make Omaha the bicycle friendly city we know it can be.

First up on the list of opportunities:  The Iowa Bike Summit.  It's being held in Des Moines on January 28-29 (Fri/Sat).  There are a couple of us that have expressed an interest in leaving at 0'dark thirty on the 29th and going for Saturday's session ... the more, the merrier!  It will be a great chance to learn about what our friends in Iowa have going on, to see how their state bike coalition operates, and to network with other advocates.

We'll make sure to have this on the agenda at the Omaha Bikes meeting on January 11.  In the mean time, check out the website and save the date on your calendar if you are interested in going.

On a side note: the Omaha contingent is shaping up for the League of American Bicyclist's National Bike Summit.  We'll be out in Washington in March attending the conference and meeting with our Congressional representatives.  If anyone has interest in joining us, please contact Julie.  jharris (at) activateomaha (dot) org.

Bike Friendly Business Lunch & Learn

We know that you are all doing a lot at your place of employment to encourage people to bike to work. Many of you are also lucky enough to work places that also go above and beyond to encourage bicycling. Here is an opportunity to get your business nationally recognized for your efforts while also helping Omaha’s vision of becoming an officially designated Bike Friendly Community!

Several Omaha businesses and organizations have already applied for and received League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Friendly Business designation … and we know that there are many more out there that easily fit the requirements. During a presentation at last year’s National Bike Summit, Omaha received special recognition for the number of BFB awards that were given out, and we’re hoping to blow them away again this year!

Check out the League of American Bicyclists’ website and then attend a lunch & learn to find out more about the application process and how Activate Omaha can help!

Thursday, December 2
12:00 – 1:00
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture (Bronze level BFB!)
1516 Cuming Street (next to Barley’s Bar & Grill)
Bike parking available in front; Metro line 14/44

Tuesday, December 7
12:00 – 1:00
Activate Omaha (Silver level BFB!)
12565 West Center Road, Ste 220
(SW corner of 125th/Center, across from IHOP)
Bike parking available on north side; Metro line 15/55

Feel free to bring your lunch to either location.

Please RSVP to Julie Harris jharris activateomaha org; likewise, if you are interested but unable to attend, contact Julie and we’ll make sure you get all of the information.

Update: Omaha Transportation Master Plan Meetings

There has been a second meeting added to the agenda next week regarding the updating of Omaha's Transportation Master Plan.  Many of you have seen the information going around about the public kick off meeting on Tuesday, November 16.  A cycling-specific meeting has been added with the consultants for Monday, November 15 at 6pm at the Courtyard Marriott in Aksarben Village (1625 S. 67th St). 

If you cannot attend on Tuesday, or would like a chance to discuss cycling specific topics among a smaller group with the consultants, please consider attending on Monday night. 

We will be adding an event on the Omaha Bikes Facebook page; please RSVP there so we know about how many people to expect. 

Important to note:  The Courtyard Marriott is very supportive of cycling in Omaha, as they are the monthly hosts of the Omaha Bikes meetings!  Please support those that support us!!! 

Bike Boulevards & Greenways

Streetfilms posted this video today. Bicycle Boulavards and Greenways would fit nicely into a well rounded Omaha transportation network.

Can you think of other ways Omaha could change to be a more healthy city and support all modes of transportation more effectively?

Don't forget the Transportation Master Plan Public Meeting is only 8 days away. If you are interested on how the Omaha transportation network will function in the years to come, please plan to attend.

Volunteers Needed This Sunday!

Bike-friendly non-profit Emerging Terrain is hosting a fall harvest dinner this Sunday, October 3, and could use your help. If you haven't heard about it, here's a description from their website:

Stored Potential

Repurposing the Mid-Century Grain Elevator

As Midwest metropolitan landscapes undergo change — from agrarian to suburban — the systems of earlier settlement become obsolete; farmsteads, rail, grain silos, etc. Many of these are demolished to make way for the new, with the exception of the mid-century concrete grain elevators and their assembled silos. Thick, heavily engineered construction renders them too expensive for demolition. These structures, with their economic condition and cultural narrative, are opportunity for compelling regional land use discourse.
Emerging Terrain is spearheading a collaborative endeavor to re-purpose a derelict, yet iconic, historic landscape structure as contemporary cultural awareness. Designers, artists, etc. will submit ideas for 20’ x 80’ images to hang on the exterior of a vacant grain elevator near downtown Omaha. Concurrent with fall harvest, a dinner table at the base of the elevator will host an epic dinner to celebrate the exhibition.

How You Can Help

The fall harvest dinner is this Sunday, October 3 at the grain silos at 3407 Vinton Street (at the end of the Field Club Trail). Emerging Terrain is encouraging guests to bike or walk to the dinner, and will be providing bike parking for guests, so that they can ride right to the site, park their bikes where the bikes will be monitored, and go enjoy the dinner. They need volunteers to help out at bike parking. (GreenStreet Cycles will also be providing a pedicab from the parking lot along the trail where those who need to drive will park.)

Bike parking will be available between 12:30pm and 5pm and volunteers are needed then. If you have some time and can help out, please contact Matt Martin (matthewsmartin@gmail.com or 402-305-1111) and let him know when you can be there. If you haven't seen the banners up on the silos yet, it's pretty amazing--and you'll be helping out a great public art project.

Thanks!

Traffic Skills 101 - Deadline TOMORROW!!!

Would you like to take a bicycle traffic skills class?

Consider registering for this Wednesday evening series offered by Steve Draper. I understand he will need to cancel the class if it does not fill and (surprise!) the deadline is tomorrow.

OmahaBikes will also be organizing several more classes in the spring.

MAPA Transportation Improvement Program - Your input needed!

Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Seeking Public Comments and Input on Transportation Improvement Program

OMAHA – Nearly $640 million in federally funded roadway, trail, transit and aviation have been programmed in the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the metropolitan area in the next four years. MAPA is requesting public comment and participation for the proposed TIP document.

MAPA, per federal transportation legislation, must create and maintain a fiscally-constrained TIP that lists all federally-funded and “regionally significant” transportation projects programmed for at least the next four fiscal years. MAPA updates the TIP on an annual basis.

An important part of the transportation planning process is public engagement and involvement. As a draft of the TIP is now available, MAPA is asking for public review and input on the document.  Comments regarding particular projects, project timelines, or any other areas of interest are welcome.

A 30-day public review period of the draft TIP begins Friday, August 27.  Citizens may view the TIP and provide feedback at MAPA’s website, www.mapacog.org or by contacting the MAPA offices (below).

MAPA’s TIP process prioritizes federal transportation investments for the metro area. Some significant projects identified for the next four year period include:

·         Widening 144^th Street from two to four lanes between W. Dodge Road to Eagle Run Drive

·         Construction of the Missouri River Bridge at US-34 south of Bellevue

·         Widening Washington (84^th) Street from Hwy 370 to Capehart Road in Papillion

·         Realigning Saddle Creek Road from Leavenworth Street to Dodge Street with funding through UNMC and a federal earmark

·         Reconstruction of 24^th Street from 25^th Avenue to 27^th Avenue in Council Bluffs from a four-lane to a 5-lane roadway

·         Reconstruction of I-80/I-29 in Council Bluffs

·         Investments in traffic operations and signal coordination technology though a traffic control center in Omaha

·         Development of a one-call center for specialized transit services 

The TIP is developed in conjunction with local and state jurisdictions as well as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The TIP is approved by the MAPA Board of Directors, which is made up of elected officials from the five-county MAPA region.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) is a voluntary association of local governments in the greater Omaha region chartered in 1967. MAPA performs planning and development work, especially to address problems that are regional in scope and cross jurisdictional boundaries.  

To place comments please:

• Email: mapa@mapacog.org
• Call: (402) 444-6866
• Mail: 2222 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68102

Help Support Omaha Bikes

Some of you may have noticed, among other changes, the nifty new "Donate" button on the left side of the blog.  Please consider partnering with us in our work to make Omaha a better place for transportation, utility, and recreational bicycling by donating to Omaha Bikes. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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