Good showing at the hearing

It was great to see a lot of the folks who participated on Sunday at last night's budget hearing. Multimodal transportation was well represented by members of ModeShiftOmaha, Pedal Happy, and the chair of the new Active Living Advisory Commission. Surprisingly, I believe there were only two who spoke against the need for a Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator: the spokesman for what appeared to be a local Tea Party group, and a gentleman who suggested there were more important things to do with the money.

Now that the hearing is over, the unfortunate reality is that the position won't be restored this year. Even should a majority of the council approve, it will tale five of the seven to override. Therefore, we should plan for that eventuality.

First, continue to let the council and the mayor know how we feel; if nothing else, it will keep the need in their minds.

Second, pushed them on the Complete Streets issue. While the concept is included in the Master Plan, it will be far more difficult to ignore if it is codified in the city's ordinances.

Third, support the Active Living Advisory Commission. For th  time being, they are our voice for alternative transportation in Omaha.

Fourth, keep asking the mayor who the point person in Planning or Public Works will be. She's stated that she'll have someone by year's end, but that's way too long. We need to know where to go NOW!

Finally, be visible. Get outside. Walk, ride your bike, take the bus. Show that multimodal transportation is the best choice for the future of Omaha.

We don't coast; we walk and ride!

WOW!!

Yesterday was the day for the Bike/Walk Rally at Stinson Park to show support for alternative transportation choices in the city, and to ask for greater inclusion in the 2015 budget. When Laura and I set out at 11:00am, there was a light, mist-like rain starting to fall. "No biggie," I thought, "it'll just keep everyone cool." The rain began falling harder the closer we go to the park, and I worried that the turnout would be small. Imagine my surprise to see over 100 folks already there, and it was 30 minutes before the start!

While visiting with folks we know, the crowd continued to grow until, at noon, it appeared that there were close to 300 standing in the rain to support walking and biking in Omaha. After short, well-received speeches by Craig Moody of ModeShift, city councilman Chris Jerram, and Omaha Bikes spokesperson Ryan Feagan, Sarah Johnson detailed the suggested routes for walkers and cyclists.

The event was given great coverage by the Omaha World Herald and the local TV stations. Thanks, y'all! You can catch the links below!

WOWT

KETV

KPTM

KMTV

Omaha World Herald

In the interest of fairness, the Mayor has responded in a letter written to various advocacy groups in the city. It largely rehashes the "Ten Minutes" interview noted a couple of days ago.

For Your Consideration

This morning I read a statement on Twitter that got me thinking: "If you believe too much in reality, how can you innovate." This resonated with me in light of what's going on in Omaha's multimodal community.

If you read yesterday's post, you're aware the mayor is attempting to eliminate the bike/pedestrian coordinator position in the 2015 budget. This is our reality.

Walking and cycling are still not viable options in many parts of our city. This is our reality.

Omaha is not yet as bike/ped friendly as it could be. This is our reality.

Let's make sure we don't get so wrapped up in the "reality“ that we forget to innovate. Review the Transportation Element of Omaha's Master Plan. Wouldn't a Complete Streets Policy fit in beautifully? So let's push for that policy.

Next time you're out and about, take a look around at the shops, clubs, restaurants, etc. that you frequent. Are they bike friendly? If  the answer isn't an obvious "YES," ask them why not?

Finally, follow the suggestions in yesterday's post. Because the REAL reality is that we need keep our voice in city government.

Omaha's Loss

In her recent budget proposal, Mayor Stothert has eliminated the position of Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator. During an interview with the World Herald, she made a few statements I'd like to discuss.

She commented that the position was funded with seed money from grants. Now that the funding has expired, it's time for the position to disappear. To me, this is akin to uprooting the plant while the fruit is unripe. My understanding is the position was to be funded by the city at this point, not tossed in the compost heap. Her comment that his work is complete would have made me laugh, if it wasn't so blatantly incorrect. Just look at the streets in Omaha: how many folks do you see walking or cycling on them?

While she assures us that there will be someone dedicated to bike/ped needs in the planning department, that will only be part of that individual's duties. I suspect a small part given the car-centric nature of most of what comes from the administration. This in no way a substitute for a dedicated employee. Furthermore, I doubt that this individual will be as accessible to the public as Carlos has been.

Her feeling that the Active Living Advisory Committee will better serve to allow input from the citizens of Omaha also bears scrutiny. If her statement is to ring true, I'd ask why the Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee was allowed to die, despite the efforts of numerous individuals. Efforts to contact the mayor to discuss the possibility were unanswered. From her description in the interview, the mayor views this committee as one that will advise on recreation, not cycling or walking as transportation. Furthermore, how accessible will the members of this committee be to the general public? Will their names and phone numbers be published somewhere?

Finally, I about fell out of my chair when she said that the Planning and Public Works departments already look at each project to assure that multi-modal transportation is included. If that's the case, then we should be renaming the city's Master Plan to the Highly Suggested Idea.

I know that there are good people in Planning who support cycling and walking. I've even heard rumors of a couple in Public Works. But as long as the mayor has a laser focus on driving cars, we will be climbing uphill.

Please read  OmahaBikes blog for more information on this topic. and join us on August 10 in Stinson Park to show support for multi-modal transportation in Omaha.

The Challenge of the Cold

Since moving to Nebraska, my biggest challenge has been the winter weather. Last year was not that much colder than NC, but THIS year is freaking frigid! Temps that don't get above freezing for a week at a time? Plain CRAZY!!But I'm adjusting. Why just this morning I woke to fresh snow on the ground and kept my "cool". After all Spring must be on its way; it was 51° out yesterday. I almost broke out the shorts!With that warm respite, I know that it's time to make sure the bikes, boats, and camping gear are in order. Don't want to waste time when we should be out and about. Until next time, keep your pedals spinning and your paddles in the water; otherwise, you're not moving forward.

Preparedness (or Lack Thereof)

Over the weekend, Laura and I assessed our current level of training, how much time was left before BRAN, and the likelihood we'd be able to ride and (more importantly) enjoy the ride across Nebraska. The long (heck, they're calling for snow tomorrow) winter has kept our bikes in the garage, and us in the house for far too long. So we've decided to postpone our BRAN experience. Instead, we'll head out in July or August to do our own little tour. Right now we're leaning toward the Katy Trail in MO. This is a rail trail close to St. Louis with Amtrak service from one of the towns near the end of the ride back to the Big City. Biggest question in my mind is getting to St. Louis: do we drive or do we take Amtrak out of Omaha. TBD. At any rate, stay tuned. I'll be posting as we get ready to go.

Time for Preparations

So here we are, mid-February and snow on the ground. Laura and I have already registered for BRAN 33, The Historic Highway Tour. For seven days in the beginning of June, we'll be riding with 600 other folks across the State of Nebraska (a total of 468 miles, or 481 if we opt for the longer second day). For a better idea of what the route will be, I put together a Google Maps view of it. Granted, there will probably be some  twists and turns I don't have on here, but it gives a good idea of what's in store.

For now, the challenge is getting ready for the fun. Unlike my ride on the GAP/C&O in 2011, this ride will be supported. We'll have someone carrying the bulk of our gear to each overnight site. However, since neither of us has ridden since November we're planning on starting real soon (heck, maybe even tomorrow) getting our bikes and ourselves in shape.

We're really looking forward to this. Our first bike tour together!!