Omaha By Design: Omaha, Only Better

May 9, 2007
STREETSCAPE HANDBOOK TO BOLSTER OMAHA’S IMAGE, CONNECTIVITY
OMAHA – Streets are more than devices for moving cars from spot to spot. They’re public spaces, and their design says a lot about the image their city projects.

A new handbook sponsored by Omaha by Design seeks to improve the appearance of Omaha’s streets and create an environment that’s welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists as well as drivers and users of mass transit. The Omaha Streetscape Handbook is the work of a diverse task force of representatives from Omaha by Design, the city’s parks, planning and public works departments, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Planning Association, the Omaha Public Power District and the Nebraska Department of Roads.

“We want to create an attractive and functional street environment in Omaha, and we also want to encourage cohesive design in highly visible public rights of way,” said Larry Jacobsen, chair of the Omaha Streetscape Handbook Task Force and a vice president with Schemmer Associates. “The handbook will serve as a guide for city project managers, developers and design professionals in working toward the achievement of these outcomes.”

The handbook evolved from a series of recommendations outlined in the city’s Urban Design Element, a planning tool created to improve the quality of the natural and built environments throughout the metro. It can be thought of as the public counterpart to the city’s zoning code revisions and additions passed in August 2007, which focus on private sector development and redevelopment, said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.

The handbook is based on the execution of six principles – implementing sustainable practices, developing complete streets, using cohesive design elements, promoting safety and security, coordinating maintenance with design and implementation, and protecting and enhancing historic character.

Sustainable design for streetscapes affects factors such as stormwater flow through the area, the materials used, and the consumption or renewal of energy and resources. Complete streets provide comfortable space for motorists, transit passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists. They also serve those with special needs, such as seniors, children and people with disabilities.

The use of cohesive design elements results in a unified relationship between pedestrian and building spaces; well-defined edges between pedestrian and vehicle domains; a logical use of trees, furniture, paving and planting; attractive and functionally appropriate street lighting; a consistent family of street furnishings; a hierarchy of spaces that helps define the streetscape’s use; the use of attractive and durable materials varied to reflect functional and aesthetic needs; and an appropriate use of scale for users who experience the environment. “Everything must have a purpose, relate the street to its surroundings, and satisfy both functional and aesthetic needs,” Jacobsen said.

Design for a safe and comfortable streetscape minimizes or manages pedestrian and vehicle conflicts, increases observability, encourages pedestrian and street activity, and indicates stewardship of the street environment. “Good streetscape design should promote good maintenance and discourage vandalism,” said Charlie Krajicek, city engineer with Omaha’s Department of Public Works.

The long-term maintenance of a quality streetscape should be part of its design. The involvement of neighborhoods in both the design and maintenance process can help stretch city resources, Krajicek said. For example, the public works department partnered with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to improve the streetscape along 42nd Street between Dodge and Leavenworth streets. The project included new curbs and sidewalks, the installation of shorter pedestrian-style street lights and traffic signals, and decreasing the traffic lanes from four to three. All combine to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

A streetscape maintenance program should also address graffiti prevention, irrigation, landscaping, lighting, sidewalks, street furniture, street sweeping, trash pick-up and tree trimming.

Finally, a good streetscape design understands the contribution of streetscape elements to the character of historic districts. Traditional streetscape elements should be retained or re-installed when appropriate. New materials should be consistent with the historic character and design patterns of special areas.

The handbook also includes an album of well-designed streetscapes in different urban environments, a chapter outlining the specific components of streetscapes – along with their performance standards and design considerations, and a chapter on the application of streetscape design to Omaha’s Areas of Civic Importance (ACI) as outlined in the Urban Design Element.

“I can’t say enough about the efforts of this volunteer task force,” Spellman said. “Our city will be a better place because of everyone’s willingness to bring a diverse set of perspectives to the table and reach consensus on the issues that will truly help move Omaha forward.”

On May 7, the Omaha Planning Board unanimously recommended approval of an amendment to the Urban Design Element of the city’s master plan that calls for implementing the handbook’s recommendations. The Omaha City Council will consider the planning board’s recommendation this summer.

Omaha by Design will sponsor quarterly reviews of the handbook to evaluate its progress and implementation, Spellman said. It is designed to be used in conjunction with a number of existing tools, including the city’s green streets master plan and guidelines established by the Public Art Commission.

The Omaha Streetscape Handbook was made possible by grants from the Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation and the Fund for Omaha. RDG Planning and Design served as the project consultant. For more information, contact Spellman at 402.342.3458 or connie@omahabydesign.org.