Our Streets. Our Livelihoods. Our Voice.

The Omaha Streetcar project is moving forward, but the local businesses and residents on Harney and Farnam are being left behind. The Streetcar Impact Alliance is a unified coalition demanding accountability, transparency, and fair mitigation for those on the front lines of construction.

The Three Pillars (Icons/Sections):

• Advocacy: We represent your interests at City Hall so you don't have to fight alone.
• Transparency: Real-time updates on construction timelines and street closures.
• Mitigation: Pushing for tax relief and financial support for businesses losing foot traffic.

We Have Sent City Hall Our Demands

I. Financial Restitution & Tax Relief

• Direct Cash Grants: Immediate establishment of a mitigation fund to provide cash grants to impacted businesses. These grants should be scaled to bridge the gap of documented lost sales directly resulting from construction disruption.

• Tax Holiday: An immediate pause on the collection of the Blackstone Tax and the Restaurant Tax for businesses within the impact zone.

• Property Tax Freeze: A freeze on property tax assessments for residents and business owners along the corridor to prevent displacement due to speculative value increases while current utility is diminished.

• Sales Tax Holiday: A designated sales tax holiday for the corridor to incentivize local shopping.

II. Logistics & Parking Solutions

• Dedicated Resident & Employee Parking: A "License Plate Exemption" program allowing residents and employees to log their vehicles to exempt them from ParkOmaha meters, spots, and garages within a 4-block radius of the construction.

• Patron Parking: Clearly marked, city-subsidized parking specifically for customers, with high-visibility signage directing traffic to available lots.

III. Non-Negotiable Safety & Communication Standards

• Public Safety Intervention: The current state of construction is hazardous. Open pits, unannounced street closures, and the absence of safe pedestrian detours have already resulted in pedestrian strikes. We demand immediate installation of ADA-compliant walkways and active flaggers at all major intersections.

• GPS & Data Coordination: The City must coordinate daily with Google Maps and Waze to ensure real-time data reflects closures, preventing dangerous U-turns and vehicles driving into oncoming lanes.

• Transparent Communication: A weekly, granular update on the timeline that goes beyond generalities and provides specific block-by-block progress reports.

We request a formal response to these demands by Friday, March 6, 2025. Should we fail to receive a meaningful commitment to these points, our coalition is prepared to escalate this matter to the City Council and engage in a sustained public awareness campaign regarding the mismanagement of this project.