Costs for the Omaha streetcar project are coming in higher than originally expected but it won’t change the city’s plans to fund it without raising taxes.
The Omaha Streetcar Authority met Monday afternoon to approve a route phasing plan for the streetcar, next year’s budget, as well as plans for an operating bid.
The Omaha Streetcar Authority met Monday afternoon to approve a route phasing plan for the streetcar, next year’s budget, as well as plans for an operating bid.
Mayor Jean Stothert held a news conference Tuesday along with other officials to share updates on the Omaha streetcar plan, unveiling more illustrations of what’s to come, particularly along Farnam Street.
While mainline construction work on the Omaha streetcar isn’t slated to begin until next summer, drivers will see impacts on the streetcar route starting this Wednesday.
Omaha officials on Tuesday afternoon unveiled more information about plans for the city’s streetcar, including stops along the route, proposed lane layouts, and potential vehicle designs.
The city says the streetcar will pay for itself with a route from midtown to downtown -- meaning because a streetcar boosts the values of what it’s near, a number of businesses will want to build next to it to take advantage of the benefits.
The goal of bringing streetcars back to Omaha takes a major step forward. While the city is at least four years away from one, it isn’t just a big idea anymore.
City officials are excited about Wednesday’s announcement of a streetcar in neighboring Omaha and say they think such a streetcar system would be good for business in Council Bluffs, too.