Omaha employers put muscle behind shared vision of midtown, including long-desired streetcar

A new nonprofit group led by some of the city’s largest employers has been created to speed up the growth of midtown Omaha, including by pressing for construction of a modern streetcar line.

Midtown 2050 Corp. aims to “maximize midtown’s potential” by connecting its existing corporate and university campuses and neighborhoods, and filling in the blanks between them with new developments built to complement each other and support an urban lifestyle.

The group has a plan, Midtown Vision 2050. It’s big on a new version of an idea that’s been around for years: a modern streetcar line down Farnam Street that would connect midtown, downtown and the riverfront.

The plan also calls for redesigning midtown streets to make them more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. It seeks changes in city zoning regulations for midtown to create better design standards and more cohesive neighborhoods.

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