OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The City of Omaha is designing safety improvements for Q Street and 30th Street in South Omaha, including wider sidewalks, ADA ramps and better lighting.
- A 2022 study found Q Street and nearby roads had a high number of crashes involving pedestrians and bikers.
- Because it's such a narrow corridor and you've got businesses only a few feet from the street the speed is a concern," said one neighbor.
- Neighbors who were unable to attend the open house can still share their thoughts online through April 9 at KeepOmahaMoving.com.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
South Omaha neighbors are sharing their concerns about safety along one of the area's busiest corridors as the city moves forward with plans to improve Q Street and nearby roads.
Q Street is a major thoroughfare for South Omaha neighbors, connecting them to grocery stores, libraries and workplaces.
"I go onto Q St. if I'm gonna go to the library which I did today... if I'm gonna go to the grocery store, which I did today," Anita Rojas said.
"It also gets people to their jobs. We've got a lot of industry in the area and people need to get to and from work," Don Preister said.
A 2022 study found Q Street and nearby roads had a high number of crashes involving pedestrians and bikers. City leaders have since placed the corridor at the top of their list for safety improvements.
"Things like traffic calming, signal timing maybe there's some additional treatments to the road that makes it a little bit safer for pedestrians are all on the table," Heather Tippey Pierce, the City of Omaha Public Works General Services Division Manager, said.
Before any official decisions are made, the city held an open house to hear from those most affected by conditions on the corridor.
"I'm concerned with the traffic, how fast it goes, how unsafe it is," Tracy Kirby said.
Speed along the narrow corridor is a particular concern for neighbors.
"Because it's such a narrow corridor and you've got businesses only a few feet from the street the speed is a concern," Preister said.
The plan targets improvements along Q Street from 27th to 36th Street and on 30th Street from Q Street to Washington Street.
"30th helps get you down here to the Kroc and the Kroc is a pretty... You could see a full parking lot out there," Preister said.
"And that is a speedway cause they launch off as they hit the hub they launch right down," Rojas said.
The project is currently in the design phase. Potential improvements include wider sidewalks, ADA ramps, safer crosswalks and brighter lighting on both Q and 30th Street.
Neighbors who were unable to attend the open house can still share their thoughts online through April 9 at KeepOmahaMoving.com.
