Catching Air on the Keystone

Earlier this week I was able to catch some big air while riding on the Keystone Trail just north of Blondo. It reminded me of the good old days building bike ramps when I was young. Of course I also wanted to be Evel Knievel when I was a kid. Boy those were good times, until I face planted on the street... making it less good.

Now I realize not everyone wants to catch big air while commuting to work on a bike, especially while pulling a youngster behind them in a trailer or hauling a load of groceries (including eggs). So for those folks we have prepared the information below.

Over the weekend, a section of the Keystone trail buckled and created a one foot heave in the cement (forming a perfect ramp that is a blast if you hit it at speed...). This is a fairly drastic buckle and it's steeper on the South side of the heave. If you use the Keystone and travel North of Blondo, please use caution. Also note that the North side of this buckle has a large hole on the West side that did not buckle upwards with the rest of the cement.

Here is a picture that doesn't do the height of this buckle justice:

Status of repair:

The City of Omaha's Park & Recreation Department (they handle trail repairs/maintenance) has been contacted. The buckle should be marked and blocked off today. Cement repairs should be made next week.

You may need to use the surface street East of the trail if it is not possible to get around the barricade. If you're going north, you can exit the trail just South of Blondo, take the sidewalk to Keystone Drive and follow Keystone Drive North to Maple Street where you can get back on the trail via the trail access just South of Maple. Reverse those instructions if you are heading south.

For future reference, you can report other Omaha trail issues to Denis Bryers at 402-444-3798 or email him at "DBryers {AT} ci.omaha.ne.us". Please provide the exact location of the trail issue and provide a picture if you can. Denis is a great guy and he will do the best job he can with the resources he has available. You can also find some other trail projects on the Parks & Recreation Trails page. They update this page from time to time with upcoming or current trail repairs.

UPDATE: This has still NOT been repaired.  It has been marked with a barricade but not repaired.  Denis is checking with the crew assigned to fix it to see when they will complete the task they are currently on and make this repair.

Advocacy Alert! Keystone Connector (now South Omaha) Trail

There is an item on the City Council agenda for the January 24 meeting:

Ord. declaring the necessity of acquiring, for use by the City of Omaha, the necessary private property for linear trail corridor purposes, specifically for the South Omaha Trail Phase 2 (formally known as the Keystone Trail East Connector Phase 2) from South 45th and Dayton Streets to the southern terminus of the Field Club Trail; providing that the City negotiate with the property owners for land acquisition, permanent easements and temporary construction easements; providing that as to each specified parcel which cannot be obtained by negotiation, condemnation proceedings be undertaken and completed;

Everything we've heard thus far indicates that the trail is on track for completion as early as end of 2012; we certainly don't want opposition causing any glitches at this stage in the game!

Also note that the official name of this trail is going to be the South Omaha Trail.

Please note: the meeting begins at 2pm in the Legislative Chambers at City Hall (1819 Farnam).

Agenda and Link to Agenda Items
Available at http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us

new entrance to big papio off blondo

There are many "gaps" in Omaha's biking system - a short stretch with no biking infrastructure on a trail or between trails, lanes, etc. I'm happy to see that one simple gap is being remedied!

Connecting the Big Papio Trail to Blondo St. sidepath.

The Big Papio Trail exit to the sidewalk on the south side of Blondo is still available, but now bikers don't have to ride illegally on a sidewalk to a stoplight to cross Blondo, or ride across the grassy bank, to the sidepath.

Even though all the cement is in place between Blondo and Dodge Sts, the trail is still closed for landscaping. Want to thank Carlos and the city for filling in this connection between two well traveled bike routes. Look forward to using this when it opens!

Ground Broken - Concrete Pouring at Karen Park

Progress on the plan to connect Field Club 'East-West' to the Keystone at Kaen Park. Hip Hip Hooray.

This photo is taken looking north from the east side of the Karen Park bridge.  The route will loop around the ball field and connect to Buckingham Avenue and continue east toward 60th street, where it will cross over utilizing the defunct railroad bridge.

Keystone Connector Update

Approximately 40 people were in attendance at the Kroc Center for last night's public meeting on the status of the Keystone connector trail.  City officials on hand included Parks & Rec Director Melinda Pearson, Parks Planner Dennis Beyers and City Council member Gary Gernandt.  State Senator Heath Mello and officials from the NRD were also on hand, as were consultants from the Big Muddy Workshop.  Several cyclists were spotted in the audience, however the majority of the crowd seemed to be from the neighborhood around D Street where the trail will be located.

Phase 1 of the trail, Karen Park to 45th/Dayton was put out to bid, and a bid (below budget!) has been accepted by the city.  Work will begin on this portion soon.

The consultant spent a great deal of time discussing all of the options that were explored in determining the exact plan for Phase 2 of the trail. 

The trail from 45th & Dayton will proceed under 42nd Street via land that will be purchased from Union Pacific.  It will continue east from there along a section that will be built along the hillside, several feet above the railroad tracks, eventually winding around and crossing onto D Street at about 39th or so.  The trail (more of a sidepath in this area) will continue along the south side of D Street until 36th Street, where it will utilize the existing 36th Street bridge (west side), cross at grade to the east side, and then proceed back down just south of the interstate until it winds under I-80 (near the silos) and eventually connects to the Field Club Trail. 

In order to stay within the city's right of way and avoid taking property away from homeowners adjacent to D Street, the city will narrow the street from 35 feet to 30 feet, and then narrow the sidepath from 10 feet to 8 feet in this section. All of these changes are within appropriate guidelines.

And now for the FAQ section:
Q: Why can't the trail continue to 36th along the UP tracks, north of the businesses that are on the north side of D Street?
A:  Union Pacific is unwilling to sell the land needed to site the trail there.  The owners of the businesses on the north side of D are unwilling to sell land, as they would like to retain the option to have rail access to their property.  Also, there is a very large cell tower behind the businesses that literally blocks where the trail could be sited, even if land was available. 

Q:  Why can't the trail continue along the north side of D Street (business side) instead of the south side of D Street (homeowner side)?
A:  Several large utility poles (distribution lines, complicated) and telephone connection boxes would have to be relocated if the trail was sited on the north side.  Even if this was done (very expensive and disruptive), there is not enough right of way to make the plan work on the north side, even with narrowing the street and the sidepath. 

Q:  What is going to happen to all of those mature trees on the south side of D Street if the trail is located there?
A:  Nothing.  There is plenty of room for the trail without disturbing the trees.  There are a couple of utility poles on the south side to be relocated, but they are only guide wire support poles that will take only a couple of hours to be moved.

Q:  Will the trail/sidepath be crossing at grade along the intersections on the D Street portion? 
A:  Yes, there will be 3 or 4 at-grade street crossings along this section.  All of the north bound streets have stop signs where they intersect D.  This will be similar to other sidepaths in the city that cross streets at grade.

Q:  Are the homeowners along D Street still upset about this?
A:  Yes and no.  The homeowners stated several times that they are not against the trail, not against cyclists or pedestrians.  The concern was the potential for having property taken away from them, the concern about the proximity of the trail to the windows in their homes.  Mostly the concern was about their perceived lack of notice/information about this project.  As with so many of the meetings we attend, the concern is about the process, not about the project, per sey. 

Q:  So, is this really going to happen?  If so, when?
A:  Yes.  The funding is in place, and work can now begin to get the formal plans completed so that the project can be put out to bid.  Construction could* begin in spring/summer 2012.
(* and we all know how these things go....hopefully all goes according to plan!)

Bottom line:  the desperately needed east-west connection is coming, albeit slowly.  We will continue to monitor the progress and certainly throw a giant East/West Celebration Party when it is finally done!!!

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. 

Keystone Connector Update Meeting

The trail connector linking the Keystone Trail to the Field Club Trail is a high priority for east-west bike commuters.  See below about a public meeting that will update us on the progress! 

A public meeting and presentation on the proposed alignment of the New Keystone Trail East Connector Trail –Phase 2 will be held at:


Location: Kroc Center – Salvation Army, 2825 “Y” Street, Omaha, NE 68107

Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011

Time: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

The purpose of the meeting and presentation is to discuss the proposed alignment with adjacent landowners, neighborhood residents and interested citizens; to answer questions and receive comments from the public.

The proposed alignment of this section of the trail begins at South 45th and Dayton Streets and will extend east to the southern terminus of the Field Club Trail at South 35th and Vinton Streets. The trail will extend east along the former Chicago Northwestern Railroad right-of-way, underneath South 42nd Street, cross over to “D” Street just east of South 42nd Street, continue east to South 36th Street, use the existing South 36th Street bridge to cross the existing railroad tracks before going underneath Interstate 80 near the old grain elevators to meet up with the Field Club Trail.

Riverside trails status

One of our local cyclists (Scott Redd) took some time this weekend to document the flooding along the Missouri River.  Head on over to his blog to see all the pictures and details.  Thanks Scott.

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge Closed Monday 5/2

The Omaha World Herald reports that the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge will be closed for an annual inspection on Monday, May 2.  Plan accordingly! 

Trail Construction

We've had some reports today of trail issues that we thought we should pass along.

Big Papio Trail:  The portion of the trail just south of Blondo (parallel to Miracle Hills Golf Course) has been affected by construction going on in that area.  Check out Papillion Parkway as a potential alternative.

West Papio Trail:  There is construction near the 144th Street and FNB Parkway/Eldorado Drive intersection, just north of West Dodge Road, and also around 144th Street and Norton Drive (just south of West Dodge Road, entrance to BoysTown).  The 144th Street Trail runs through that area; please be cautious as you ride through there.

Please report any other trail issues you encounter so that we can pass the information along to others! 

Will A Bike Ride a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

Researcher Says Portland’s Bike Paths Will Cut Its Health Costs

Swiss epidemiologist Thomas Gotschi, who, incidentally, has never visited Portland, decided to put together the first-ever cost/benefit analysis on biking in a U.S. city. He chose Portland to analyze because of its highest-in-the-nation bike commuter status among big cities. On the cost side, Gotschi added up the city’s past and planned expenditures on biking. On the benefits side, he looked at health care cost savings – how many fewer health care dollars will be spent on Portland’s citizens as a result of their getting more regular exercise from biking, and thus incurring fewer chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Big Papio Trail Closure

From tonight's Omaha World Herald:

"Sewer line work will close the Big Papio Trail for about a month, the City of Omaha's Public Works Department announced.


The trail will close for the installation of a new interceptor sewer on the east side of the Big Papio Creek from just north of West Dodge Road to just north of Blondo Street, beginning Monday.


A detour will be posted about four weeks after the construction begins, the city said."

We'll see if we can get more information at this month's Bike/Ped Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday.  Stay tuned!

BYOKTMTB?

What exaclty is BYOKTMTB you might ask. It stands for Bring Your Own Kid Mountain Biking Day.

To honor IMBA's national holiday, THOR is celebrating Bring Your Own Kid Mountain Biking Day.

This is a chance to bring the whole family out for a fun, guided ride, followed by some awesome food and drinks. It's the best way to introduce your kids to the most fun they'll have on two wheels!

Manawa has been off limits all year because of flooding but we are finally able to ride the short loop, and we want to celebrate. The short loop is perfect for the kiddos and first time riders. It's flat and fun! After the ride, head across the street for some grub and good times on the Dream Land playground, which was designed by children! It's huge!

We hope to see you and your family. Bring 'em all. The more the merrier.

If the trails are too wet to ride, we'll ride the paved trail instead. Keep an eye here and Face Book for details.

Click here for the flyer.

We could use volunteers. Please contact Dave Packard at 402-926-9696 or David.A.Packard@usace.army.mil.

Keystone Connector Update

There was a full meeting room last night at the public meeting about the latest proposal for the Keystone to Field Club trail connector. Several members of the NRD board were in attendance, as were several members of the City of Omaha Parks & Rec department, Councilman Gary Gernandt, and State Senator Heath Mello. The majority of the citizens in attendance are residents of the neighborhood along the proposed D Street portion of the proposed trail.

The speaker spent a great deal of time discussing the history of Omaha's trail network, Bob Kerry's "Back to the River" vision that spurred the initial trail master plan, different types of bike/ped infrastructure, and finally the history of how they arrived at the proposed route for the connector trail that would run along D Street.

The long and short of it is this: The neighbors along D Street feel like they have been left out of the planning process, and they voiced concerns about safety along D Street, specifically the number of industrial trucks that come in and out on that street.

Several of the citizens spoke up with concerns about being required to give up a portion of their property for the trail to be built, specifically that they had no idea that this particular route option was being considered and that they should have been in the loop sooner. One man expressed that his business was "targeted for demolition" and that he had never been notified.

Of course, the NRD provided their side as well, explaining that this meeting was part of the process to explore options for the location of the trail, that no plans have been cast in stone, and that they want public input.

Many of the concerned citizens that spoke up last night prefaced their remarks with "I am pro-trail." In fact, when the crowd was asked point blank, "Is anyone here just plain opposed to the trail in the first place?" no hands went up. Several neighborhood association reps voiced support for the trail itself, described their neighborhood watch efforts and how they would gladly extend those efforts to the portions of the trail in their neighborhood; they also realize that the trail would bring more "eyes on the street" and that any illicit activity, graffiti, etc., would likely be driven away by the trail.

The comments worth their weight in gold last night came at the end of the meeting where a man stood up and told the crowd that he was part of the neighborhood association in the Karen Park area when the NRD routed a trail in their neighborhood. He said that his neighbors were concerned about the proposed route and the process, but that the NRD were very open to their concerns and in the end worked with them to craft the best solution. He said that it took time, but that today the neighborhood is pleased with the result.

I came away feeling very hopeful that the leaders of the neighborhood associations, the NRD and the City will be able to work together to find a creative solution that will benefit everyone. More public meetings will be held, more input will be gathered. Thanks to Matt, Andrew, Ananath and Randy who showed up to represent OmahaBikes.

Advocacy Alert: Public Meeting for Keystone Connector Trail

One of the most frequently asked questions we get at Activate Omaha about the trail system: "When will the connector linking the Keystone to the Field Club Trail be done?"

Check out this article in Sunday's OWH to see the latest update regarding neighbor's concerns about the re-route of the connector that has been proposed. Also note that there will be a public meeting that will address these issues. Please plan to attend!

6:30 p.m. July 29 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 2825 Y St

In the mean time, check out this article from AmericanTrails.org about studies done related to safety concerns and property values and public trails. A snipit on about the findings:

"Homeowners nationwide express the same concerns and fears about proposed trails in their neighborhoods. But studies in various parts of the United States seem to show that concerns about trails lowering property values and increasing crime are unfounded. In fact, trails have consistently been shown to increase (or have no effect on) property values, to have no measurable effect on public safety, and to have an overwhelming positive influence on the quality of life for trail neighbors as well as the larger community."

UPDATE: You can find more details and comments at this KETV online article (consider leaving comment if your so inclined). This overhead Google map may also help show you the area in question. I counted 7 high risk traffic crossings in the 1/2 mile section from 42nd to 36th if the proposed trail follows the sidewalk on the South side of D Street.

Adams Park Trail Day Party!!!!

Join us for a family event!!!!

Saturday, June 26th at 12noon
Adams Park
(3230 John A Creighton Blvd)

Celebrate with us the opening of a new hiking/biking trail!!! Bring your kids, bikes and helmets or try our demos!!! Snacks and drinks will be provided!!

This is an organized event sponsored by Activate Omaha, THOR, YMCA, City of Omaha, National Parks Service, and the North Omaha Development Project.

Register now for the Urban Omaha – The Ultimate Adventure Race on June 5^th!!

Click here to register today!!!

Adams Park Update

It was a great day at Adams Park. The IMBA Trail Care Crew of Steve and Morgan did a great clinic for us this morning on how to build sustainable trails, and we got to put our skills to work in the afternoon working on a beginner single track. This project was especially sweet for the Activate Omaha crew, as we often don't get to see the fruits of our labor in such an immediate fashion!! It was amazing how much work got done in 2-3 hours.

The cycling community in Omaha is just awesome. We are so thankful for our growing family of friends/advocates that are collaborating to make Omaha more bike friendly every day.

Lewis and Clark Trail Survey

Please take this survey concerning a possible trail through the Loess Hills from Hamburg to Sioux City. A bike trail or signed and designed multi-user route would be great.

THOR Event

An invitation from our friends at THOR:

You're invited to attend the annual members meeting Sat., February 6.

Our goal is to fill dirt and non-dirt moving positions that are necessary

to keep this club sustainable and help it grow. We need you and your friends, significant

others, or family to attend as well. With fitness being top of mind and community programs in

desperate measures, we, if we do it right, can help make a difference.

So, please come with ideas, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and

discuss ways in which we can meet our goals in 2010.

DATE: SATURDAY FEB 6

TIME: 10AM - NOONish
PLACE: National Park Service, 601 Riverfront Dr., (just south of the new pedestrian bridge on the
river front)

DIRECTIONS:
From CB, take the Old Market exit off of the 480 bridge. Take right on 10th and then an immediate right on Capitol Ave and then a left on Riverfront Dr, behind the Qwest Center.

From Omaha proper, take Dodge all the way downtown to 10th street and go under the interstate ramp and follow the above directions.

You can also check out the group's website to learn more!