Let Me Sell You a Streetcar

Because Omaha’s Mayors Can’t

Today, the World-Herald had an essay from Omaha’s living former Mayors and current Mayor supporting the streetcar project (https://omaha.com/opinion/columnists/midlands-voices-all-of-omaha-s-living-mayors-agree-on-one-thing-a-streetcar/article_cc7a273a-a446-11ed-9640-c750a60e7000.html).

The essay amounts to a “calm down” article, or “everything is going to be OK. Don’t panic!” article. Generalities and vagueness abound. So let me do the work of Mutual of Omaha, developer Jay Noddle, the politicians, and other advocates will not do. They seem to miss the point. Everyone expects economic development to be created. After all, monetary incentives are in the project. The real objection to the streetcar is the City is merely creating economic activity in one part of the City, at the expense of the rest of the City, such as neglect. That is the challenge. But what are the realistic arguments for a streetcar?

Omaha’s Urban Core, as it is called, is basically the oldest parts of the City which have a bunch of structures which are ill-fitted for contemporary living. Yes, opportunities for development have emerged and taken place but it is spotty. Many lots could be developed if an opportunity presented itself. This causes people not to want to walk to destinations or park at a distance from their destination.

At the same time, many older structures were never designed with cars in mind and have huge adjacent parking lots which look ugly and unsafe. Day businesses compete with night businesses for parking resulting in wasteful uses of space. Since downtown Omaha is so busy with events taking place, parking lots are everywhere and create challenges for those who work downtown. All the parking areas also present a challenge to further development of downtown.

Park Omaha, a subdivision of Omaha City Works, put out a huge report on parking which goes into great detail about Omaha’s parking problems (https://www.parkomaha.com/images/WalkerReport/Park-Omaha_ParkingMobility-Strategic-Plan_FINAL-Report.pdf). The streetcar is expected to reduce the need for parking spaces and open up more development of empty parcels of land and allow old useless structures to be revitalized or replaced. The City will build parking garages and collect the funds. The City, operating as a large holder of parking facilities, will generate funds which will go into the City coffers. So basically, the project is about deterring people from parking in downtown Omaha without paying a hefty fee which will be used to operate a streetcar (instead of reducing property taxes).

In fact, Omaha intends to buy parking from Mutual of Omaha (https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-news/mutual-of-omaha-one-step-closer-to-downtown-skyscraper-after-omaha-city-council-approves-plan) which means the City will supposedly collect more funds. Sounds like a bad idea, but with City ownership, everyone can use the parking at any time.

So why am I opposed to the streetcar? Largely because it will unnecessarily take economic development from other parts of the City and do so out of great expense. I would be more comfortable if private funds were committed to the project.

Secondly, I disagree with the route. The east-west route is long and redundant of existing public transportation. People are using ORBT by parking at Westroads and taking it downtown. A north-south route would result in more economic development and tie the Urban Core to surrounding neighborhoods. The disconnect between the Urban Core and surrounding neighborhoods is a huge problem. Travelers arriving at Epply Airfield are told about the Omaha's zoo but have no direct public transportation to get there (unless you do a bus transfer).  Check out the ground transportation options for Epply at https://www.flyoma.com/ground-transportation/shuttles/ and you will see what I mean. Heck, travelers are almost like Westside high school students who have absolutely no public transportation options (https://www.ometro.com/maps-schedules/map/).

Third, the project is funded on the worst forms of tax shifts. There are so many forms of this, but I would bore people to death in going into details. Fundamentally, a streetcar has to bring in funds, whether it be advertising, naming rights, or branding of products. Any revenue from the City towards the streetcar is revenue which is not used to reduce property taxes. This is the case in using parking fees to fund the operation of the streetcar. In fact, the City tax levy has not been reduced to the levels Mayor Hal Daub obtained when he left office in 2001.

Fourth, there has been a major failure of the Planning Department to factor in the use of Uber and Lyft regarding downtown development as well as other changes in transportation. Travelers are using these apps as a way to get around, but the City has not factored them in nor encouraged such transportation to ease congestion. 

Fifth, unforeseen obstacles in development and operation are likely. Route east of Turner Park has an interstate to go over. Blackstone district already has traffic issues and will likely have problems with a streetcar running down the middle (https://www.wowt.com/2021/07/26/blackstone-business-leaders-propose-plans-slow-traffic/). Also, of the many streetcars in operation, I have real concerns about how this will work in Omaha’s temperamental winters.

Anyways, there you have it.