- Streetcar design 30% complete
- Some route changes suggested
- Project is on schedule
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Thirteen of the stops will be along the curb, approximately 100 feet long and eight feet wide.
"They are going to sit within parking trays, along the existing roadway corridor, so they will actually come out from the sidewalk," said Nick Stadem, associate vice president and senior project manager at HDR.
The other three stops will be in the median on Farnam Street between Midtown Crossing and the Blackstone District.
"There are some narrower sidewalks especially within Blackstone so having these center platforms helps to alleviate that pressure on those sidewalks," said Stadem.
HDR is behind the designs, these are preliminary, 30% designs, which also show what power stations along the route could look like.
It also shows the Vehicle Maintenance Facility which is where all six cars in the fleet would be held at the end of the day.
"There will be three bays, where the vehicles will be able to enter the maintenance facility, perform routine maintenance, heavy overhaul maintenance as well as a vehicle wash facility," said Stadem.
There are some recommended changes to the route including the west end changing to 39th and Farnam, changes Mayor Jean Stothert says, "will allow the University of Nebraska Medical Center to complete the evaluation of the streetcar extension through their campus and potentially to the Saddle Creek campus."
Plus, changing the north end to 10th and Capital.
"Rather than 10th and Cass, allows for future extensions up north," said Stothert.
Changes would have to be approved by the streetcar authority.
"The project is on schedule and as Nick and the Mayor have both mentioned there will be some approvals that the streetcar authority is asked to provide,” said Jay Noddle, president of the Omaha Streetcar Authority.
The design of the cars will come once a manufacturer is chosen, potholing will be finished soon, and you'll see future boarding zone signs popping up at the future stops this month.
These designs will be reviewed by the Urban Design Review Board this month and then will have to be approved by the Omaha Streetcar Authority. For more information, click here.
