Car-Free Omaha

Metropolitan Community College Green Living Workshop Series

Car-Free Omaha

OverviewThink of the cities you like to visit – Minneapolis, Denver, Portland,

San Francisco, Chicago

Car-Free Omaha

Planning ConcernsTransportation planning in the

U.S. has focused on moving cars rather than moving people

COMPONENTS OF AN URBAN STREETSCAPE

Vehicle Zone

Multiple Modes and Local Access

Land Use Context and Zoning

Place-making and Pedestrian Facilities

“Vehicle Mobility Priority”

Access vs. Mobility

Car-Free Omaha

Planning Concerns27% of all trips taken by

automobile in the U.S. are less than one mile in distance

Sparse Hierarchy System

Dense Grid Network

Network Design

4-lane arterial @ 45mph = 2400 vphTwo 2-lane streets @ 30mph = 3600 vph

Network Capacity

Sparse Hierarchy System Dense Grid Network

High Connectivity Travel Lanes Required

Moderate Connectivity

Low Connectivity

Manage Capacity Through Continual

Widening of Arterials

Sparse Hierarchy System

Dense Grid Network

Manage Capacity by Providing Multiple Routes

and Modes

Network Capacity

Induced traffic and perpetual widening

Safety vs. Livability

E. Dumbaugh, The Design of Safe Urban Roadsides: An Empirical Analysis, 2007

E. Dumbaugh, The Design of Safe Urban Roadsides: An Empirical Analysis, 2007

Car-Free Omaha

Health ConcernsThe National Morbidity,

Mortality, and Air Pollution Study estimates as many as 52,000

deaths are caused by air pollution each year – Omaha’s share would be 353 deaths per

year

Car-Free Omaha

Health Concerns More people in the U.S. die each year from air pollution than from

firearms, STDs, and illegal drug use combined

Health Concerns Per capita vehicle miles traveled

(VMT) in the U.S. is almost 10 times larger than in 1950

Car-Free Omaha

Vehicular Mobility Priority

Car-Free Omaha

Health Concerns Living in car-dependent

neighborhoods reduces life expectancy by 4 years

Car-Free Omaha

Health Concerns Each hour spent driving each day

corresponds to a 6% increased risk for obesity

Car-Free Omaha

Health Concerns Statistically speaking, the most dangerous activity a parent can do with their child is drive them

someplace

Car-Free Omaha

Social Concerns The disabled, poor, and elderly have difficulty participating in

society because of the requirement to drive, and preference given to drivers

Vehicular Mobility Priority

Car-Free Omaha

Financial ConcernsCar-dependent neighborhoods

are expensive to build and maintain

Car-Free Omaha

Financial ConcernsCar-dependent neighborhoods on average cost cities $1.16 for

every $1 in tax revenue they generate

Car-Free Omaha

Financial ConcernsOf the 180 street and highway

improvements identified by MAPA that need to occur by

2030, less than 10 are in Omaha, east of 72nd Street

Car-Free Omaha

Financial ConcernsIn 2002, Omaha spent $179 per

person on road construction and maintenance – compared to $29.52 per person on public

transit

144th and W. Center 156th and Maple

76th and Cass 84th and W. Center

8 lanes = 100 ft of pavement

Vehicular Mobility Priority

Car-Free Omaha

Financial Concerns“Free” parking costs $5 per day,

per driver – costs that are passed down to everyone

Car-Free Omaha

The Solution:Livable Streets

Livable NeighborhoodsLivable Omaha

Car-Free Omaha

Maximum number of cars on a street = capacity

Distribution of people served by these cars

Same number of people on a bus Same number of people on a pedestrian and bicycle friendly

street

1 2

3 4

Car-Free Omaha

Financial SolutionsFor every $1 invested in public

transportation, $5 is generated in economic returns

Financial SolutionsSpending on transit generates more jobs than spending on

highways

Car-Free Omaha

Financial SolutionsHouseholds can save as much as

$8,000 per year by living with one less car

Car-Free Omaha

Health SolutionsAmericans who ride mass transit

walk an average of 19 minutes per day (compared to 6 minutes

per day by car drivers)

Car-Free Omaha

Health SolutionsResidents of “transit intensive” neighborhoods exercise more

often, have longer life expectancies, and are healthier than residents of car-dependent

neighborhoods

Car-Free Omaha

Social Solutions 83% of the elderly say public

transit provides easy access to things needed for everyday life

Car-Free Omaha

Social SolutionsA 2009 survey showed that 92% of Young Professionals in Omaha

want improved public transportation options

Car-Free Omaha

The Solution:Make streets “public” space

once again

Car-Free Omaha

Which would you prefer?

Car-Free Omaha

E14th Corridor - San Leandro, CA Source: Community, Design + Architecture

E14th Corridor - San Leandro, CA Source: Community, Design + Architecture

E14th Corridor - San Leandro, CA Source: Community, Design + Architecture

Dover Kohl and PartnersJohnson City, Tennessee

COMPONENTS OF AN URBAN STREETSCAPE

Dover Kohl and Partners

COMPONENTS OF AN URBAN STREETSCAPE

Johnson City, Tennessee

Dover Kohl and Partners

COMPONENTS OF AN URBAN STREETSCAPE

Johnson City, Tennessee

Dover Kohl and Partners

COMPONENTS OF AN URBAN STREETSCAPE

Johnson City, Tennessee

What’s going on nationally?Young adults, ages 21-30 now

only account for 14% of all miles driven, down from 21% in 1995

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?Feedback stage for MAPA’s 5-

year plan

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?Metro (MAT) improvements – 32 new buses, WiFi (soon) at transit centers, bike racks on ALL buses

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?Newly hired Bicycle/Pedestrian

Coordinator for the City of Omaha

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?New 20-mile Midtown bike loop, connecting Benson, Dundee, &

UNO with Keystone, Downtown, & Midtown

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?Upcoming 30-year transportation

plan by the City Planning Department

Car-Free Omaha

What’s going on in Omaha?Active efforts by Omaha By

Design, Activate Omaha, Young Professionals Council, and others to rethink transportation in the

city

Car-Free Omaha

Car-Free Omaha

Metropolitan Community College Green Living Workshop Series