Community Highlights

Omaha is an Honorable Mention community due to its excellent Open Streets events, comprehensive wayfinding efforts, and student pedestrian training. Highlights of Omaha’s application include:

• In 2013, the city hosted four Open Streets Omaha events. The street closures ranged in size and location focusing on areas that are park poor and/or are low-income/minority communities. The events had a tremendous turn out drawing more than 20,000 people. For the future, community partners are looking into the idea of hosting several smaller neighborhood-driven open streets events throughout the year, and larger community-wide celebration in the fall.
• Omaha has a number of walking maps and wayfinding signs that provide resources for residents and visitors looking for pedestrian paths around the City. In 2009, Omaha created the “9 in ’09 Great Walks” campaign that showcased nine walks for urban areas, parks, and historic areas with maps. The Downtown Omaha Wayfinding Project which was developed to provide pedestrian destination panels, pedestrian maps, and vehicular signs.
• Omaha maintains a Safety Patrol Program in a large number of their elementary schools. Law enforcement officials train 3,500 to 4,000 Safety Patrol crossing guards on safe street crossing practices each year.