Places: General Area
 The general suggestions below are intended to create a sense of 'place' along the Missouri riverfront. This is crucial since the five main developments cover a long expanse of the waterfront. Since it is important to generate foot traffic along this expanse, the pedestrian experience is key, as are connections between the waterfront and downtown. Until the waterfront development achieves a density more typical of the world's best-loved waterfronts, activities, linkages, and sense of comfort and image are fundamental to its future.
Suggestions for "Uses and Activities" are largely dependant on local partners. Activities can be the most effective and flexible of improvements, and can maximize relationships between the developments and the community. Their success depends upon strong, energetic partnerships and features that make the space attractive and easy to program. The National Park Service's mission offers exciting opportunities to promote its interpretive programs and park assets with local partners.
Suggestions for "Access and Linkages" are intended to link the waterfront to downtown activity and encourage movement among the major developments. The large expanse of the area makes this an acute challenge. Suggestions and challenges for "Comfort and Image" are similar. They are intended to add visual and service amenities that will attract and accommodate various users. Again, given the waterfront's large area and immediate plans for rather limited amenities, the creation of attractive and comfortable spaces is key to supporting desired uses and linking the site to more general downtown improvements.
Click on any image for a slide show.
|
|
|
SHORT-TERM Changes: Uses & Activities
- Program events and activities such as:
- Ethnic festivals
- Concerts, dances
- Street performers
- Art exhibits
- Lewis & Clark days, or other historical festivities
- Night-time activities
- Interpretive spaces for Lewis & Clark, the Underground Railroad, plants and wildlife
- Historical walks along the riverfront with connections to other points of interest
- Provide vending kiosks or carts where people can rent roller blades, bikes, and kites.
What do you think?
|
Click here for a slideshow on
"SHORT-TERM Changes: Uses & Activities"
|
|
SHORT-TERM Changes: Access & Linkages
- Provide clear and attractive directional signage.
- Provide maps of the downtown and waterfront areas on the internet and on flyers.
- Install information kiosks along the riverfront that will orient visitors to the site.
- Introduce a concierge service run by volunteers that can help people find their way and answer any questions related to a site.
- Initiate a bus shuttle system that will connect downtown to the riverfront, especially during lunch so that people can buy lunch and eat it at the waterfront.
- Run an antique-style trolley (that runs on wheels) to operate along the riverfront.
- Install bike racks on all buses to encourage people to go to the riverfront with their bikes.
What do you think?
|
Click here for a slideshow on
"SHORT-TERM Changes: Access & Linkages"
|
|
SHORT-TERM Changes: Comfort & Image
- Introduce moveable seating with backs to provide a variety of seating options and locations.
- Enhance the area with color by installing colorful banners, flowers, trees, and plants.
- Provide amenities such as pedestrian lighting, trash receptacles.
- Provide a variety of foods with carts and kiosks.
- Provide telephones for convenience and emergency 911 "blue-light" phones for safety.
- Install clean restrooms.
- Install a large public art piece at each site that can serve as a landmark, icon, or unifying symbol.
What do you think?
|
Click here for a slideshow on
"SHORT-TERM Changes: Comfort & Image"
|
|
LONG-TERM Changes: Uses & Activities
- Continue to provide programmed events and activities on a regular basis such as:
- Pre and post-events programmed with Arena
- Seasonal festivals such as winter carnivals
- Open-air markets
- Sculpture exhibitions
- Art fairs
- Taste of Omaha
- Create tourist attractions such as a steamboat ride along the Missouri River.
What do you think?
|
Click here for a slideshow on
"LONG-TERM Changes: Uses & Activities"
|
|
LONG-TERM Changes: Access & Linkages
- Provide access and linkages to:
- Convention center and hotels
- Dodge Park
- Other Omaha sites
- Central business district
- Omaha neighborhoods
- Old Market area
- Miller Landing - a continuous link straight from the Lewis and Clark Landing site to Miller Landing
- Airport
- Create a pedestrian environment with:
- Underground parking
- Well-lit, crushed granite pedestrian and bike paths
- Provide a fun and effective transit system to connect the riverfront amenities, the convention center, downtown, old market, etc. Ideas include:
- Water taxi/ferry along and across the river
- Light rail or trolley system along the riverfront
- Bus shuttles from downtown
- Horse carriages or bike carriages
- Provide means to connect land facilities to the boating public. Public boat docks access ramps and other measures are needed to allow boaters to access the land improvements and allow park visitors to "experience" river craft.
What do you think?
|
Click here for a slideshow on
"LONG-TERM Changes: Access & Linkages"
|
|
LONG-TERM Changes: Comfort & Image
- Provide clean restrooms and heated areas that are well placed.
- Install weather shelters to protect people from wind and rain.
- Provide bike lockers and bike racks for commuter and recreational use.
What do you think?
|
Click on the image for a larger view
|
