OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Omaha will install 90 new trail signs this year to improve navigation and safety on the city's 125-mile paved trail system after community advocacy.
- The Safe Trails Initiative has been pushing for better signage since 2014.
- Vanessa Urbach, co-founder of the Safe Trails Initiative, said the new signs could save lives by speeding up emergency responses.
- The city plans to begin installing the signs this spring and continue through the summer.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Omaha will install 90 new trail signs this year to help users navigate the city's 125-mile paved trail system, thanks to years of advocacy from community groups.
The Safe Trails Initiative has been pushing for better signage since 2014, citing safety concerns and navigation difficulties for trail users across the metro area.
"As a trail user and as a bicyclist and a commuter, sometimes I don't know exactly where I am, especially if I'm a new part of town," said Cindy Tefft, founder of the Safe Trails Initiative.
Currently, only a few overpass signs help trail users identify their location. One example is Blondo Street off the Keystone Trail, which has signs on both sides.
The lack of signage creates safety concerns for runners like Tammie Kruszczak, who has been running for 26 years and is currently training for a 28-mile local race.
"It's a horrible feeling to not know where you are," Kruszczak said.
Vanessa Urbach, co-founder of the Safe Trails Initiative, said the new signs could save lives by speeding up emergency responses.
"If you're running scared, it's not just calling 911, you're talking to the call taker who then calls or talks to the dispatcher who then talks to the police officer. Those seconds are crucial," Urbach said.
Beyond emergency situations, the signage will make it easier for trail users to report issues to the city, including litter, mud, ice or stray animals on the paths.
Urbach also said the signs will help with wayfinding and promote different areas in the community.
For Kruszczak, who regularly runs on the South Omaha Trail, the improved navigation will encourage more people to use the trail system.
"This is a beautiful trail system and I think it needs to be utilized and it would be more efficiently utilized if people just knew where they were," Kruszczak said.
The city plans to begin installing the signs this spring and continue through the summer.
