Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has created a citizen advisory committee to review a new policy for replacing unimproved streets.
For decades, property owners in many neighborhoods have been responsible for the cost of improving streets that were built years ago, do not meet current standards, and have deteriorated to the point that they need replaced.
Stothert says she believes the city should share the cost with property owners. She says this committee will find a solution to improving streets at an affordable cost for the property owners and the city. Earlier this year, the City Council approved several cost-sharing projects on unimproved streets including 113th St. North of Pacific, 78th Avenue & Poppleton, South 95th Circle and the Rockbrook neighborhood. An additional 12 neighborhoods are in the process to create Street Improvement Districts or Roadway Maintenance Districts.
The members of the committee are: Dean Holdsworth, a Rockbrook resident, Julie Smith of One Omaha, Precious McKesson of the North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, Kimara Snipe of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, John Fullencamp of Fullencamp, Doyle & Jobeun, State Senator John McCollister. Omaha Public Works Director Bob Stubbe and City Engineer Todd Pfitzer will represent Public Works. Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Development Cassie Paben will represent the mayor's office, and Councilman Franklin Thompson will represent the City Council.
The City of Omaha has about 5,000 lane miles of streets, of which about 300 are considered unimproved.
