Trails in Omaha, Nebraska include of paved trails as well as unpaved trails and paths for recreational usage throughout the city. Popular among bicyclists, runners, hikers and recreational walkers, these trails are included in comprehensive plans for the

City of Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

, the

Omaha metro area Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

, Douglas County, and long-distance coordinated plans between the municipalities of southeast

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

History

In 1887 the Omaha Bicycling Club was responsible for expanding Athletic Park at North 20th and Lake Streets to include a bicycle racing track, and there were other early trails throughout the city. However, Omaha was completely devoid of trails for several years during the 20th century leading up to early 1989. That year the city began developing the Keystone trail, and since then the city of Omaha has developed approximately of paved recreational trails, and another of trails are scheduled for completion within the next eight years. On September 28, 2008, the trails in Omaha were connected to trails in Council Bluffs, Iowa by way of the new Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. A 15- to wide "S"-shaped bridge spans more than across the Missouri River, connecting Omaha's Riverfront Trail with Playland Park in Council Bluffs.

Benefits of the trails

A recent study focused on the benefits of Omaha's trails found that respondents generally perceive the trails to be economic benefits, with almost two-thirds of those surveyed reporting the trails would increase the selling price of their home. There is no widespread concern for safety issues on the trails, as trespassing, theft and vandalism by trail users are relatively infrequent events. A large majority of residents living along the trails think there is a positive relationship between the trails and neighborhood

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

Future development

There are many plans for the trails in Omaha. A local organization is calling for more east-west connecting trails, as most of the city east of 72nd Street has few trails of note. There are also plans to connect Omaha to the MoPac Trail running east from

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

on a system called the Mo-Pac East Trail. Currently extending northeast towards over the

Platte River The Platte River () is a major river in the State of Nebraska. It is about long; measured to its farthest source via its tributary, the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which itsel ...

on the Lied Platte River Trail Bridge near

South Bend South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourt ...

, the trail will eventually connect with the 144th Street Trail. The trails are also included in a plan called the Quad State Trail Project. This plan envisions linking numerous cities in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

and

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, including connecting Omaha to

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, Kansas City,

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...

and Lincoln via of trails, 450 of which already exist.(2005
"Quad-state trail system mapped—over of trail linking MO, KS, NE, IA"
''Missouri Bicycle News.'' Retrieved 9/20/07.

Trails

References

Bibliography

* Greer, D.L. (2000)
Omaha Recreational Trails: Their Effect on Property Values and Public Safety
'. University of Nebraska at Omaha. Retrieved 9/20/07. * RDG Martin Shukert and Ciaccio Dennell Group. (1994)

' Nebraska Energy Office and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

External links

Omaha Bike Map

OmahaTrails.com

– University of Nebraska at Omaha website.
Omaha Area Trail Map

Midwest Cycling Community
website.

website. {{OmahaTransport Transportation in Omaha, Nebraska Tourist attractions in Omaha, Nebraska Geography of Omaha, Nebraska Protected areas of Douglas County, Nebraska