Lincolnite

I lived in Portland when light rail was built.  Everyone thought it would be used only for the daily commute.  Rush hour.  They found that the ridership on weekends was greater than weekdays.

Light rail that was routed to the zoo, the Old Market, Qwest Center, and out to the airport would have great support.

Park and rides moving out to the western edge of the Omaha Metro would be the first step.

There would have to be feasible public transportation in both cities for those commuting, something that wasn’t going to aggravate people when they got off the train. I can see a lot of Omaha people getting frustrated with our bus system.

During warmer weather, allowing people to store their bikes in a separate “cargo only” car might be a good idea.

A commuter train would open up more job possibilities for people in Lincoln. I love the idea.

I didn’t even think about it routing to the Omaha airport. That would be a great alternative to driving or finding a ride.

I could definitely see myself using rail to Omaha if I could get to Eppley early in the morning.

What would it take to use it with regularity? Just having it built. I think light rail between Omaha and Lincoln is an idea that’s long overdue. Should have been in place years ago.

It would definitely be used, and not as a novelty. I was driving to Omaha last week and my teenage daughter remarked that it would be nice to have rail service between the two cities. To her, it was a practical idea.

Of course, both cities (particularly Lincoln) would have to have local transpo available once people arrived at some point(s) in the city. But don’t get me started on Lincoln’s public transpo….

The local transportation is the key. Why hop on the light rail if you have no way of getting around once you get to either city?

I love the idea but I wouldn’t use it unless it was convenient.

Mr. Wilson, can you elaborate on what you meant when you said:

<blockquote><i>But let

Holy buckets there are a lot of comments this morning!

Agreed with Swoof: I’d love to have one that could take me to Eppley for early mornings or bring me home so I don’t have to bribe friends to pick me up in Omaha at 11pm.

Also, I’d use it to visit lots of Omaha friends & shop at Ann Taylor Loft 😊  Maybe an occasional zoo trip.

Can you imagine what a boost to Lincoln if people could get to the Haymarket and Memorial Stadium, and Haymarket Park and the new arena and the new convention center and if it came in on Highway 6 with a stop at the Lancaster Event Center.

We lived 20 miles West of Portland and would ride the train to Blazer games and concerts and functions at the convention center and even to Christmas shop downtown and bar-hop at the cool places in the city.

The big issue with things like this is that by the time the day “arrives” that this will be necessary and useful, it will be too late. The only people who truly wouldn’t want to take a train between lincoln and omaha (assuming that once they get to their destination they can still get around) are those who have never enjoyed the convenience of a train before.

It is so cool to sit on a train and just read or listen to music and relax.

we should have spent the money we are spending on i-80 between lincoln and omaha on this instead.

Amen

If you wait to build it until you absolutely have to have it….It is too late.

if i can take my bike on the rail like you can in L.A. and Chicago, then im totally down for this. and even if i can’t, i would still take the rail to the old market of omaha if i plan on spending the day there.

they’ll be enforcing deodorant laws, right?

I’m holding out for flying cars, a la the Jetsons. I think there’s a better chance we’ll see those in our lifetimes than a light OmaLnk rail.

Let’s see…we get rid of the Lincoln airport and use the resources that normally go to that to build a light rail system to Omaha so we can use their airport, since ours doesn’t amount to much anyway, and flights keep getting cut back (expecially with higher fuel costs), and rates are usually lower out of Omaha.

I have LONG thought a light rail would be a good thing for Omaha & Lincoln.

I do understand the argument that local transportation is a key but if the light rail were put in wouldn’t that warrant a change in the local transportation?  Wouldn’t Lincoln and Omaha be forced to adjust/add bus routes to accommodate those people coming into town.  They would be stupid not too. 

But even more than that, why would Omaha folks need transportation into Lincoln proper?  Lets think about potential points of interest in Lincoln.  Obviously you have the haymarket district as a natural starting point.  Within walking distance is Hawks field, the potential new downtown arena, O St. bar crowd, Memorial Stadium, the University.  There isn’t much more outside that area that would attract Omahan’s.  I mean maybe they could shoot it down O St. all the way out to 84th for the Events Center but…a one stop shop in the Haymarket might be all that Lincoln needs.

A couple of stops in Omaha would be necessary: Eppley, the Qwest/new Rosenblatt, you could maybe add an Old Market stop but the Qwest stop would be enough.  You’d also need a zoo stop.  But other than that…what would Omaha need?

Now what about stops inbetween the 2 downtowns.  How about the outlet mall in Gretna if we’re following I-80.  That would be a good location for Western Omaha folks to jump on instead of driving downtown.  What about a stop at the SAC museum.  That could also serve as a stop for Mahoney State Park.  A stop in Waverly isn’t necessary but certainly could be added.  And now you swoop down I-180 and you’re back in Lincoln.

I just don’t see how this wouldn’t be beneficial to both cities downtowns.

We *LOVED* light rail when we lived in Denver. I’m for it!

There are plenty of towns in America that we COULD emulate and learn from in this situation, in my opinion.