News

Focus on Public Transit Initiative

Published: 5/7/2010

Factor in places like Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, Mutual of Omaha and Kiewit, Creighton University and UNMC, and it amounts to thousands of young professionals and young professionals-to-be moving around Midtown Omaha everyday. Greater Omaha Young Professionals and its Young Professionals Council (YPC) would like to see more of that "moving around" accomplished by public transit.

"We are looking for ways to improve public transportation in Omaha, to advocate for its expansion and increase ridership, and to connect young professionals with opportunities to get involved in finding alternatives to private transportation," said Gerard Wellman, chairman of the Young Professionals transportation committee.

The Young Professionals is a fast-growing program of the Greater Omaha Chamber dedicated to retaining and attracting young talent through engagement, opportunity and advocacy. It believes its focus on public transit -- through a public transit initiative -- will make Greater Omaha even more attractive to your professionals.

"Anecdotally, I can tell you a lot of young professionals have lived in places like Chicago, Denver and Minneapolis where public transportation is just part of the social fabric. Then, they come to Omaha and there is such an emphasis on the private automobile. They see that as not being a fully urban lifestyle," said Wellman. "That was one thing the Young Professionals Council always heard, 'We need to improve public transportation.'"

A 2008 report card by SustainLane on urban sustainability in the nation's 50 largest cities found that Omaha ranked 48th in public transit ridership. That same survey, which took into account U.S. Census data, public sources and interviews, described Omaha as "challenged" when it comes to offering sustainable alternatives for commuting. In a survey conducted by the Young Professionals last year, about 92 percent of the respondents said public transportation was something the group should focus on.

"It really is an issue that resonates with young professionals," said Wellman. "There is an awareness among young professionals as well about the environmental and sustainability aspects of public transportation."

An inaugural "Young Professionals Bus Challenge" last spring, encouraged young professionals to take advantage of the city's bus system (Metro Area Transit or MAT) and provide feedback on their experience. Input from the almost 200 participants resulted in 6-8 policy recommendations aimed at improving public transportation in Omaha. Those recommendations include:

• The development of strategic partnerships between MAT and area employers and area colleges and universities.
• The pursuit of new funding for public transportation in Omaha along with a campaign to educate the community about the economic benefits.
• The addition of more MAT routes to "high-density areas and more Park and Ride options to lower density areas." (Of MAT's 37 bus routes, five service the Midtown area, including Route 2 (the Dodge St. route), which is MAT's busiest.)

"We are still in the process of working through those recommendations," said Wellman. "We have met and are meeting with various policymakers, city council members, the mayor and several of the mayor's staff."
Wellman added that MAT executive director Curt Simon and the MAT board have been "great to work with." He's confident the group's efforts will have an impact.

"We'd like to see young professionals utilizing MAT on, at least, a weekly basis," said Wellman. "We'd like to see a frequency of routes that is even more usable and efficient. We'd like to work with MAT to build service not only to areas that need it, but areas that want it."

Improved and better utilized public transportation (including a possible, future addition of a light rail/streetcar system) was a topic of discussion at the 5th annual Young Professionals Summit held in March. It is also a key theme in Your Omaha 2020, a unified vision for Omaha's growth and development initiated by the group. A five-year survey and forum process encouraged input from Greater Omaha young professionals.

"I believe young professionals want all citizens to have access to a variety of good transportation options. It is about listening, responding and respecting choice in terms of a community being a great place to live," said Anne Branigan, the Chamber's senior vice president of strategic development.

Destination Midtown, a strong proponent of balanced transportation, is among those applauding the efforts of the Young Professionals.

"Public transportation is a vital component of a good quality of life for all those living and working in Midtown. Without it, many would be unable to tend to their basic needs," said Jamie Grayson-Berglund, the Chamber's director of community development. "We appreciate the leadership role the Young Professionals have taken on this issue. Because of organizations like theirs, transit continues to be a more and more visible and urgent resource that we need to build up in our community."

View the Your Omaha 2020 summary.
Read the final report on the YP Bus Challenge.