OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Omaha Streetcar Authority made a stop at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel Thursday to host an open house for Omaha's future streetcar.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From the streetcar stops to the revised west and east endpoints. The 60% designs were on display for community input on Thursday.
Linda Hayek lives downtown and came to the meeting to learn more, she says she was encouraged by what she heard.
"I love the cars they are talking about, I can take my bicycle on without having to lift it, similar to the orbit, so they are all working together so just to ride my bike on and get where I need to go is very hopeful," Hayek said.
She says she could see herself riding it almost daily especially with her grandchildren back from the parks.
"To be able to come home with young children, that don't want to walk 7 blocks, yeah we would hop on it all the time, I’m sure of it," Hayek said.
It was an opportunity to hear from OPPD and MUD about utility relocation plans and construction impacts.
Plus learn about the financial aspect of the streetcar.
"It creates the opportunity to increase the value of property and the tax revenue that comes from it. That increased value, that increased tax revenue is what goes back to paying for the streetcar," said Jennifer Taylor, deputy city attorney for the City of Omaha.
And a big note on the project - there is an update on the vehicle selection process.
"We did have a bid received last month, we are going through technical review but we have information on that vehicle here as well for the public to look at and get to understand more what the vehicle may be," said Nick Stadem, project manager with HDR.
Stadem says they plan to take the community input gathered and implement it in the 90% designs that are expected to be complete later this spring and the final designs in the summer.
For more information on the streetcar plans, click here.
