MAY2008
IN THIS ISSUE

Streetscape Handbook to Bolster Omaha’s Image, Connectivity

Aust Inducted into AICP College of Fellows

City Council Approves First ACI Application

Bike Omaha

Final Funding Piece Sought for Pedestrian Bridge Plaza/Park

Design Notes

Green Homes: Getting Around Green
Complete streets provide comfortable space for motorists, transit passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists. Pictured above is a section of Omaha’s
N. 24th Street.

Streetscape Handbook to Bolster
Omaha’s Image, Connectivity

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 process 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.

Click here to view a final draft of the document.

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Alden Aust
Aust Inducted into AICP College of Fellows

A footbridge in Gene Leahy Mall bears his name. The dedication plaque, adjacent to the Farnam Street entrance, pays tribute to a legacy that continues to impact the city’s look and feel.

Alden Aust, the City of Omaha’s first planning director, was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) April 27 at the American Planning Association’s national conference in Las Vegas. The honor, one of the highest bestowed by the AICP, recognizes the achievements of the inductee as an individual, elevating the Fellow before the public and the profession as a model planner who has made significant contributions to planning and society.

Aust is widely viewed as the father of the planning profession in Omaha. He began his tenure with the city in 1956, building and staffing a fledgling planning department that – under his tutelage - developed into an influential advocate for community quality and investment. Three of his staff went on to serve as Omaha’s planning director in subsequent years, including Steve Jensen, the current planning director.

“Even though most Omahans today would not realize it, the City of Omaha would not be the city it is today without Mr. Aust’s extraordinary vision and leadership,” Jensen wrote in support of Aust’s nomination. “He truly embodies the best the planning profession has to offer.”

Aust’s contributions during his 24-year turn as planning director, a period that saw six mayors enter and exit office, are staggering.
Alden Aust and his “planning pupils.” Front row, left to right: Mike Wiese, Alden Aust and Steve Jensen. Back row, left to right: Lynn Meyer, Marty Shukert, Bob Peters and Greg Peterson.

Upon his retirement in 1981, Aust led an effort to plan a public botanical garden on the site of a former landfill overlooking the Missouri River. Twenty-five years and $20 million worth of investment later, Lauritzen Gardens in south Omaha is one of the city’s marquee tourist attractions.

“The great planner Edmund Bacon is rightly acclaimed for his contributions to the City of Philadelphia,” wrote Marty Shukert, principal with RDG Planning & Design and one of Nebraska’s two other AICP Fellows. “Alden F. Aust is our Ed Bacon.”

Those who’d like to gain some visual insight into Aust’s influence on the face of Omaha can view “If These Walls Could Speak,” UNO Television’s 1994 documentary that tells the story of Omaha’s first 100 years by focusing on its historic buildings. Aust was among those interviewed for the project.

“If These Walls Could Speak” is available for purchase from UNO Television at 402.554.2516. It also can be borrowed from the video archives of the Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC). For more information, contact the NHC at 402.474.2131 or nhc@nebraskahumanities.org.

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City Council Approves First ACI Application

A section of Dodge Street in Omaha’s historic Dundee neighborhood has become the city’s first Area of Civic Importance (ACI).

On May 7, the Omaha City Council unanimously approved the creation of an ACI along Dodge Street between 49th and 51st streets. The purpose of the ACI designation, a zoning overlay, is to preserve and strengthen a sense of place in image-forming parts of the city. It’s part of the zoning code revisions and additions package passed by the Omaha City Council in August 2007 to improve the quality of the natural and built environments throughout the metro.

The Dundee Memorial Park Association (DMPA) requested the ACI designation. Staff from the city’s planning department met with the DMPA in January to explain the ACI designation process and answer questions.

The planning department will continue to map specific ACI locations throughout the city in the months ahead, said Jed Moulton, manager of urban design in the city’s planning department.

For more information on ACI, visit here and click on “Code Changes, Additions.”

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Participants in the 2008 Mayor’s Bike Ride gathered outside California Taco and the Community Bicycle Shop of Omaha May 12.

Bike Omaha

If you live in Omaha, there’s never been a better time to brush the cobwebs from your bike and explore the city.

This spring marks the launch of several initiatives designed to encourage bicycle use and raise Omaha’s profile as a bike-friendly community. “We need to start thinking of our streets as public places,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design. “There should be comfortable space for bicyclists as well as motorists, transit passengers and pedestrians.”

New Bike Loop Project Announced
May 12-16 is National Bike to Work Week. In celebration of the designation, Activate Omaha hosted the 2008 Mayor’s Bike Ride May 12. During the event, Mayor Mike Fahey announced plans for a new 20-mile bike loop project in the metro. Funded locally by the Peter Kiewit Foundation and a second private foundation, the loop will connect the Riverfront Trail to the Keystone Trail (east-west) and the Creighton campus to Henry Doorly Zoo (north-south). Implementation is set to happen during the next 12 to 18 months. Additional information about the project will be provided as it becomes available.

Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee to Form
Fahey also announced the city’s support of the formation of the first Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee at the May 12 event. The group, set to form in the next several months, will act as an advisory board to proposed infrastructure projects regarding bicycle and pedestrian issues.

Bicycle Commuter Challenge Under Way
The mayor’s bike ride also kicked off the third annual Omaha Metro Bicycle Commuter Challenge. During the event, which runs through August, employees from participating companies ride their bicycles to work. Last year, 410 participants from 29 teams logged more than 109,000 miles during the 14-week challenge, said Tammie Dodge, project manager for Activate Omaha.

Bicycle Map Available
In another effort, Activate Omaha has developed the 2008 Omaha Metro Area Bicycle Map. Close to 5,000 maps will be printed and distributed to bike shops, libraries and other metro area locations later this month.

The map, developed by RDG Planning & Design, was funded by a private grant. It uses a color-coded system to classify streets based on their traffic levels, space for cyclists and other factors. It also notes specialized paved paths like the Keystone Trail as well as the city’s steepest hills. For more information, send an e-mail to info@activateomaha.org.

MAT Bike Racks Installed
In yet another effort, Metro Area Transit is equipping 130 buses with bike racks this summer. Each rack, which holds two bikes, will be mounted on the front of the bus.

The bike rack program is being funded with federal grant money for transit projects related to the construction of the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge between Omaha and Council Bluffs.

In the coming weeks, MAT officials will be testing two kinds of racks. The goal is to have all the racks purchased and installed so riders can use them this summer and fall. For more information about MAT, visit www.metroareatransit.com.

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Progress continues on the construction of the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge.
(photo courtesy of Dennis Nissen)
Final Funding Piece Sought for Pedestrian Bridge Plaza/Park

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in a continuing series of entries from the first Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy, a compendium of strategic giving opportunities that focus on the city’s natural and built environments. The Omaha Catalogue was published in December 2007 by Omaha by Design and the Omaha Community Foundation. It has attracted donations from Omaha’s philanthropic community at both the foundation and individual level, including a $10,000 gift to the Big Garden and a $25,000 gift to the South 24th Street Tree of Life Project. For more information on how to donate to a project, contact Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design, or Sara Boyd, vice president of the Omaha Community Foundation, at 402.342.3458.

When walkers, joggers and bikers enter Omaha via the Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge in late November 2008, they’ll be greeted by a one-of-a-kind destination that offers something for everyone.

Plans are taking shape for the Pedestrian Bridge Plaza – the riverfront area on the Omaha side of the river.  The plaza, sure to become popular with locals as well as tourists, will include an interactive water plaza, a unique public art sculpture and a play area designed to educate children about the Missouri River environment.

The water plaza, which will encourage play, will feature individual pulsating water jets.  Each jet, as well as the entire water plaza area, will be lighted at night for effect and use.

Artist and architect Sei Wantanbee’s dramatic “Fiber Wave” art display will frame the water plaza, adding an important component to Omaha’s civic identity.  The display consists of 150 carbon fiber shafts, each of which is approximately five meters tall.  Installed in ordered rows, the carbon fiber material allows the individual shafts to wave in the wind, mimicking the graceful movement of grasses stirred by a breeze.

The play area, tentatively named “River Critters,” will feature climbable sculptures of the pallid sturgeon, the piping plover and the least tern, three of the Missouri River’s endangered species.

The plaza will be located mostly inside the sloped circular walkway that’s part of the bridge.  Walkways that connect to the existing Omaha river trail system will lead users through a plaza to an entrance stairway.  That stairway will take them to the top of the sloped green space inside the ramp curve. 

The plaza will be accessible by bus, as a stop will be located near the ramp. Visitors will be able park at the National Park Service building after hours on weekdays and any time during the weekend.

During the past several months, design work has continued on the bridge plaza/park. In late April 2008, contractor bids were received, and the final cost of the project in its entirety is $1.75 million. The fund-raising effort, led by Back to the River and the City of Omaha, has raised all but $75,000 of the project’s total cost, thanks to contributions from 13 individuals, corporations and foundations. Funds for the remaining portion of the project are currently sought.

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Mildred D. Brown founded the Omaha Star on July 9, 1938.
Design Notes

Dedication of Strolling Park May 15
The legacy of Mildred D. Brown, founder of the Omaha Star, will be celebrated May 15 with the unveiling and dedication of a strolling park in her honor.

The park – developed with the assistance of students, businesses, local residents and the Long School Neighborhood Association – is located at the southwest corner of 24th and Grant streets. Long School received a grant from Mayor Mike Fahey’s 2007 Neighborhood Grant Program to help fund the project.

The park is adjacent to the Omaha Star building, a designated historical landmark in Omaha. Its design incorporates low maintenance and drought resistant plants, along with trees, shrubs and flowers with varied blooming seasons. Noted artist Littleton Alston sculpted the park’s portrait bust of Brown.

Dedication ceremonies for the Mildred D. Brown Strolling Park will get under way at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend.

“Green Streets for Omaha” Receives Lady Bird Johnson Award
Omaha’s plan for greening its streets is the recipient of a national award.

“Green Streets for Omaha,” a plan that defines a proposed green streets system for the city, was presented with the 2008 Lady Bird Johnson Award at the 36th annual National Arbor Day Awards Banquet and Ceremonies held April 25-26 in Nebraska City. The award was created to honor the work of the former First Lady, who had long been an honorary trustee of the National Arbor Day Foundation. It is presented to individuals, groups or organizations whose work sets a worthy example for others to follow in roadside beautification.

Completed in 2007, the plan establishes design and landscape standards, addresses maintenance concepts and standards, and lays out a process to help identify priorities for implementation. Sponsored by the City of Omaha and Mayor Mike Fahey in conjunction with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Public Property, it’s the work of diverse task force comprised of representatives from the city’s public works and planning departments, Omaha by Design, the Omaha Public Power District, the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, Mulhall’s Nursery and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. RDG Planning and Design served as the project consultant.

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 recommendations outlined in “Green Streets for Omaha” as well as the Omaha Streetscape Handbook (see article elsewhere in this issue for details). The Omaha City Council will consider the planning board’s recommendation this summer.

Click here to view the plan.
The acorn-shaped lights complement the Field Club neighborhood’s turn-of-the-century ambiance.
Vintage Lights Aglow in Field Club
The Field Club Homeowners League held a party April 16, one that was eight years in the making.

The group celebrated the installation of 16 vintage street lights along Woolworth Avenue between 33rd and 36th streets. The 12-foot cast iron poles with acorn-shaped lights complement the neighborhood’s turn-of-the-century ambiance.

Officials from the homeowners league honored city officials, Mutual of Omaha, the Kiewit Foundation, the Omaha Public Power District and three neighborhood residents – Libby Barnette, Nancy Gilliland and Tim Holland - for their respective roles in moving the eight-year project from idea to implementation.

The group is currently pursuing funding to place vintage lights at each of the neighborhood’s four entrances and in the median on Woolworth Avenue at 36th Street. For more information, visit www.fieldclubneighborhood.homestead.com.

2008 Mayor’s Neighborhood Grants Awarded
Twenty-one neighborhood groups are on their way to making their corner of the city a better place, thanks to the help of Mayor Mike Fahey’s 2008 Neighborhood Grants Program. This year’s recipients were announced May 7 at an event held in Hanscom Park.

Grants were awarded in two categories, neighborhood improvement and crime prevention. The 2008 recipients are listed below.

Neighborhood Improvement
Bemis Park Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Replace the nets and fence for the tennis court, and repair the roof on the picnic shelter in Bemis Park.

Conestoga Place Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $2,000
Project: Repair and improve the perimeter fence and common area green space.

Country Club Community Council
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Completion of a three-year project to restore the neighborhood’s historic street lamps.

Dundee Memorial Park Association
Amount Funded: $4,000
Project: Completion of a three-year project to restore the neighborhood’s historic street lamps.

Dundee Merchants Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Design new streetscape plan to revitalize the Dundee Business District.

E.R. Danner Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Provide registration fees and equipment so E.R. Danner neighborhood youth are able to participate in the Memorial Little League baseball program.

Field Club Homeowners League
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Addition of historic lights to the entrance of the Field Club Historic District.

Fire Ridge Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $3,800
Project: Add landscaping and perennial plants throughout the Fire Ridge neighborhood and on HWS Cleveland Boulevard.

Florence Futures Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Purchase ornamental benches to be placed along the downtown Florence streetscape.

Ford Birthsite Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $2,400
Project: Decrease amounts of litter by providing extra “Dumpster Days” once a month.

G.I.T Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Add grills and picnic tables to Greentree Park.

Leavenworth Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Create a public mural on the handball court at Dewey Park.

Lee Valley Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $1,860
Project: Install additional park benches and plant trees near the playground area in Lee Valley Park.

Maple Village Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: 4,160
Project: Provide two picnic tables on concrete padding with handicap accessibility for Maple Village Park.

Montclair, Parkside, Trendwood, Georgetowne Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $3,000
Project: Improve the neighborhood entrance medians with perennial plants and shrubs.

Morton Meadows
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Replace dying neighborhood trees.

Oakdale Community Club
Amount funded: $5,000
Project: Develop a neighborhood garden in collaboration with Oakdale Elementary School.

Orchard Hill Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $2,500
Project: “Greening Your Energy Budget,” an educational program to help residents lower their monthly utility bills.

Ridgefield Homeowner’s Association
Amount Funded: $5,000
Project: Upgrade playground equipment in Ridgefield Park.

Wyman Heights Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $1,100
Project: Create a neighborhood green space.

Crime Prevention
Viking Ship Neighborhood Association
Amount Funded: $3,000
Project: Provide summer pool memberships for area youth.

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Green Homes: Getting Around Green

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a continuing series of articles provided by the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Neighborhood Council. The Green Omaha Coalition is dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable community through partnerships, policy and smart solutions. Omaha by Design is a founding partner. This month’s authors are public transportation advocate Clyde Anderson and Trilety Wade, environmental consultant with Hayes Environmental LLC.

By Clyde Anderson and Trilety Wade
Having a green home doesn’t just stop at the door. It also matters how much and what type of energy you use to get to and from your home. "Cars and light trucks account for 40 percent of the nation’s oil use, and the total distance traveled by Americans exceeds that of all other industrial nations combined,” said David Ochsner of the Green Omaha Coalition. “If we want to get serious about greening our communities, we need to drive less and walk, bike or use public transportation more.”

There are many advantages to walking, biking and taking public transportation. Environmental benefits are noticeable when you consider that burning one gallon of gasoline is equal to the release of 20 pounds of carbon dioxide. Health benefits are obvious with every extra step you take – even walking to the bus stop provides opportunities for increased activity. In addition to reducing emissions and getting healthy, you can also save money by choosing public transportation. The January 2007 report Public Transportation & Petroleum Savings in the US: Reducing Dependence on Oil estimated that a two-adult household using public transportation could save $6,251 per year!

Walking and Biking
Check out www.activateomaha.org for great resources on biking and walking. You can find Bike Commuting 101, a terrific resource for both the novice and experienced bicyclist. The Activate Omaha web site also has the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Bicycle Map that identifies safe bike routes throughout the metro area.

Take a Bus
For information on the local bus system, check out the four-part series “Diary of a MAT Man” in the City Weekly at www.omahacityweekly.com. Remember to visit the MAT web site at www.metroareatransit.com for bus fare, schedule and general information.

Carpooling
Abandoning the use of personal autos is not an option for many Omaha-area residents. Carpooling is a great way to cut costs, save energy and reduce global warming. MetrO! Rideshare, a program sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, provides a viable alternative to driving to work solo. Check it out at www.metrorideshare.org.

In case you are still wondering why you should use multiple modes of transportation, visit www.travelmatters.org, and use the emissions calculator resource tool. By entering the make/model of automobile, miles driven per month and a few other data, you can find out how many pounds of carbon dioxide are released because of your personal driving choices. Remember, mass transit may not be the sole solution for your lifestyle, but it can benefit your wallet, waistline and the climate.

“Getting Around Green” Workshop
For more information on how to green your transportation, please join us for the “Getting Around Green in the Big O!” workshop. The event is set for Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Neighborhood Center. This practical workshop will help boost the knowledge and willpower of Omaha area residents to use alternative forms of transportation.

Unsure of your travel options? Learn what you can do to drive less and, more importantly, avoid buying that second or third or fourth car! Those present will have the chance to win free bus ticket packets, bicycle gear and other prizes to get you started on your way to driving less. R.S.V.P. to Daniel Lawse at livesimply93@gmail.com.

Transportation is both a vocation and avocation for speaker Clyde Anderson. Retired from Union Pacific after 31 years as a civil engineer and transportation planner, Anderson is now a part-time school bus driver/aide for Omaha Public Schools. He bikes to work using MAT's #18 bus as a backup. Except for a one-year stint with the California Division of Highways, Anderson has always used public transportation for commuting.

Tara Ryan from MetrO! Rideshare will explain how carpooling can work for you. Carpooling is good for business because employees save money, traffic is reduced, and those who carpool arrive at work less stressed and are more productive. Carpooling also reduces the need for parking, and many Omaha businesses provide employee parking.

The Neighborhood Center, 115 S. 49th Ave., is easily reached via public transportation. Take the #2 bus to 49th Avenue and Dodge, and walk south one block. The #2 bus operates every 30 minutes on Saturdays. Check MAT's web site at http://www.metroareatransit.com/ for the latest schedules.

The event, sponsored by the Green Neighborhood Council of the Green Omaha Coalition (www.greenomahacoalition.org), is free and open to the public. 

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