OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A new bus subsystem planned for Omaha will offer riders a peek into the city’s transit future: prepaid boarding, real-time arrival displays, Wi-Fi, sleek new stations, and quicker loading and unloading.
Omaha’s Metro transit agency officials joined Mayor Jean Stothert on Thursday to unveil the station locations and route map. They hailed the project as a transit advancement that will connect people with jobs, shopping and entertainment, reduce parking needs and spur economic development.
“This new system is going to connect more people more to the places they want to go, more frequently,” said Metro Transit Authority board chairman Daniel Lawse.
Stothert described the system - dubbed ORBT, for Omaha Rapid Bus Transit - as “citizen-focused and efficient.”
The $30.5 million ORBT line is being funded with federal and local sources, including a $15 million federal grant.
The 60-foot-long (18-meter-long) buses will be powered by compressed natural gas, have onboard bike storage, three doors for faster boarding and a floor height matching the station platforms for easier access.
Technology at traffic lights west of downtown will recognize an oncoming ORBT vehicle and extend green lights. There will be dedicated ORBT lanes downtown.
Upgraded stations built of glass and concrete wrapped in graffiti-resistant metal will feature ticket kiosks, arrival displays, Wi-Fi and bike racks, and there will be rental bike outlets at some stations.
The first ORBT line will run along Omaha’s major east-west thoroughfare, Dodge Street, for nearly eight miles (13 kilometers) and will intersect with almost all existing Metro bus routes.
Officials have said ORBT eventually will provide connections citywide, with the first line establishing a foundation for a future network.
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