Improving Streetscapes: Lincoln, NE

 I was thinking recently about underrated elements that make for a pleasant streetscape for me to walk through, and I decided I should give some love to some things I experienced in Lincoln, Nebraska--a city I've given some attitude in the past, and which deserves probably better than I usually give it.

So here are some things that Lincoln does that other cities could learn from to improve their streetscapes.

1. Let Us Dispose of Trash

Look, I am not downplaying that there are sometimes good historical reasons why some cities don't like to have public trash cans. 

But frankly, being able to throw something away without going inside a business (especially without paying them money) and without hanging onto a piece of trash forever is a deeply underrated benefit.

Extra points for having a recycling bin too!

2. Let Us Sit Down

I'm less sympathetic to the reason that a lot of cities don't have a lot of benches than I am to the reasons they might not have trash cans. 

Let people sit down.

Heck, let them lie down.

It's basic as heck, but a solid, uninterrupted bench is a blessing.

Double points for co-locating them with the above trash cans!

3. Let Us Avoid the Sun

A good shelter is worth a lot on a hot day--and also on a cold, rainy or snowy one.

Again, bus shelters might seem very basic, but Davenport rarely has them, so I can't exactly cast stones. And Lincoln generally does pretty well with cover--there are covered walkways in the Haymarket and lots of similar examples sprinkled throughout the city of covered spaces in public.

These may all seem very simple--but they're not present in all cities, and I want to shout out Lincoln for doing a good job with them, especially but not solely on the University of Nebraska campus. And sure, it helps to have a major university build some of that infrastructure for you. But plenty of places have universities that don't help, or don't build on what the university does, and I think Lincoln does a good job with these elements--at least compared to the QCA.

Distinctive Amenities

Thinking again about this Next Metro post, I wanted to talk about what kinds of things can contribute to urban feel beyond transit and housing.

In this post I want to focus on what I'm calling distinctive amenities: things that are normal in one city that might exist in others but aren't typical elsewhere in the same way, giving a sense of place to the city. On a larger scale we might think of separated red bike paths in The Netherlands or free public restrooms in a lot of US cities; but here I'm trying to zoom in on single cities. Again, I'm not claiming these elements are fully restricted to only this city; I'm claiming they are distinctive of that city in how common or normal they are when they might not be so elsewhere.

1. Public Wading Pools in Minneapolis 

This is the amenity that inspired this list: lots and lots of public parks in Minneapolis have little wading pools in them: unstaffed, use at your own risk spaces that allow children (and to a lesser extent adults) to cool off in summer.

Now, we had such a thing in my neighborhood park in Seattle growing up, so it's clearly not unique. But the maintenance and even expansion of the system city-wide feels distinctive, at least among US major cities. It's not something you'd necessarily consider if you were designing Minneapolis from scratch, but it gives the parks, and thus the city, a feel you don't get elsewhere.

An example in Linden Hills Park.

2. Library Hours in Lincoln

This isn't an element of the built environment, but it's nevertheless significant, I suggest, to the urban sense in Lincoln, Nebraska: the public library hours there are longer, especially on Sundays, than in many comparably sized or even larger US cities. My wife still has to catch herself about libraries likely being closed Sundays, for example, or closing early on Sundays, even after decades of living outside the city.

Is it the major feature of Lincoln? Of course not. But that's part of the point. It doesn't require a major building plan or a 30 year city development to create distinctive elements of living in a certain place. And things that make a difference to the urban feel for those living there don't necessarily have to be big or ostentatious.

A related library example not significant enough to get its own listing: the mobile book truck for the Davenport libraries gives out free books all summer in the city parks. That's not something everyone does; it's something every city could do, but actually doing it is different.

3. The Blocks in Barcelona

Barcelona's cityscape is designed around a very particular block structure that cuts the corners of squares to increase visibility and mobility, while retaining the insides of blocks for public space. This is a more famous example than the above, but that's part of the point too: this isn't an unknown thing I wish to try to spring on the world, it's a natural part of how cities evolve. 

These distinctive blocks are both identifiable and well-designed. But they're not actually unique or inimitable. A city could use the design! But they often don't, and so this becomes part of the typical, distinctive Barcelona experience.

What is unique or distinctive about your city? What makes the city itself, and what makes it livable, and pleasant, and even exciting? These are important elements of urbanism above and beyond density, transportation, and other typical elements of the urbanism package.

CityBracket 2025, Round 2, Matchup 3: Lincoln vs Washington, DC

The first two matchups in round 2 have been real nailbiters, where as I was going through them I wasn't entirely sure where it would end up going.

I'm not sure that's going to be true today. With all due respect to Lincoln, Nebraska, a city I deeply enjoy visiting and, to quote Shakespeare, would willingly waste my time in, I think there's a clear favorite here. 

But maybe some would have said that about New York last time, so let's get to it! This is Lincoln vs Washington, DC.

Category 1: Visiting Without A Car

a) How can you get to the city? 

Lincoln has daily train service, a cute little airport with some bus service, intercity bus (coach) service, and even a shuttle to the Omaha airport as well.

DC has Acela, the highest capacity and highest speed rail line in the US, even more intercity bus service, a regional train to Baltimore, and three international airports all connected to it by rail, including two on the metro.

Or: I have visited Lincoln without a car once. I have driven into DC once.

The train drops you off right downtown, too.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 1

b) How do you get around?

Lincoln has a small but relatively robust bus network, a growing and frankly impressive for the Midwest bike network, and a very walkable downtown next to the university.

DC has one of the best subways in the USA, which visits pretty much all of the major sites in the city, the National Mall to walk along, and a more robust bus network than Lincoln.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 2

c) What are the limits on a visitor without a car?

Honestly, in Lincoln there's not a lot you can't get to without a car that's of visitor interest, although the UNL's Memorial Stadium is definitely set up for car parking first and foremost.

The best rail service in Lincoln: at the Zoo. I'm afraid it doesn't quite compare...

DC? There can be some long walks from place to place, but again, very little in terms of restrictions.

VEDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 3

Category 2: Living Without A Car

a) Can you expect to get to work?

In Lincoln this is primarily true if you live downtown. It's definitely dominated by single-car driving.

In DC, you should totally expect to be able to work without a car, unless you work at one of the federal offices out in suburban Virginia or Maryland -- though in that case you probably won't live in DC proper anyway. There are definitely large numbers of car commuters, but they aren't nearly as dominant, especially inside the city.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 4

b) Can you live the rest of your life?

Again, I respect the grind of those who live in Lincoln car-free. The bike network and walkable downtown really do make it possible.

You can bike to UNL!

That said, the sheer comparison of lived experience shows how many more people in DC make this work, and I cannot stress how much easier it is to do there.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 5 

c) How are the basic amenities?

I'm sorry for Lincoln here: I like its parks and museums, the sidewalks are empty (see below) but ample, and I think it has everything you need for a city.

Nice park. Too bad there was no one on this path...

Unfortunately, DC overflows. It hath abundance. It does and overdoes. The national investment in DC's amenities is impressive, and deserves recognition.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 6 

Category 3: Miscellaneous

a) Are there people on the street?

See above. I have seen more than one person on the streets in Lincoln, and the downtown Haymarket can get pretty packed.

And then there's the rest of the city, where I think my in-laws were about to commit me to a mental institution the first time I walked to the Runza (Nebraska fast food chain) from their house.

DC is a different city: it buzzes throughout, and the desire to walk to your junk food fix is hardly unusual.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 7

b) Where is the city's urbanism going?

Here, as with NYC, we have to consider the reality of what the US government is doing: whatever we think of DC, we have to admit that Donald Trump has explicitly declared a desire to micromanage the government of DC, which can derail any ongoing projects. 

Lincoln is building out bike lanes and densifying downtown. 

DC has just extended the Metro (into a new county in the outskirts of the metro area even) and has started discussing plans to continue to intensify the transit options in the city. 

Against another opponent the threat of US government intervention might tip things, but DC's developments are just too strong here.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 8

c) Is it functionally diverse?

For Nebraska, Lincoln is quite diverse. The options in terms of food and groceries, education and community, are diverse among African, Asian, and Hispanic cultures, to name just three broad groups.

DC is a majority-minority city embedded in a larger metro area that is also more diverse than Lincoln. The city has its troubles with historical segregation and discrimination, as all large US cities do, but it's still a more diverse city than Lincoln.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 9

d) How do people there react to knowing you're not using a car?

In Lincoln they'll probably assume you're a poor student.

In DC, 👍 is probably about the amount of reaction you'll get.

VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 10

e) How do people react to people living close together?

Again, DC is much more used to this; in Lincoln it's basically restricted to college kids, and that's not always viewed positively.

FINAL VERDICT: Lincoln 0, DC 11

Sorry Lincoln; I love visiting you and would gladly live there, but it's not DC. This is our first clean sweep (although there were some narrow "ties" in earlier rounds that here in round 2 would probably have fallen one way or the other and caused sweeps as well).

CityBracket 2025, Round 1, Matchup 7: Louisville vs Lincoln

Welcome to our penultimate matchup of round 1, Louisville, Kentucky vs Lincoln, Nebraska! My experience of both of these can be blamed on (or traced to, depending on your perspective) my partner, who spent three years while we were dating living in one and hails from the other. As such, I've spent quite a bit of time in both these places, but in idiosyncratic parts of them; I'll admit up front that will probably color my analysis, but I'll try not to make it just about those parts of the cities.

Category 1: Visiting Without A Car

a) How can you get to the city? 

Now, neither of these cities is going to compare to most of the cities I've considered in this bracket: no train lines to airports, no super-frequent bus lines (though both cities do have bus service to the airport). 

Both cities have Amtrak service, but Lincoln has an actual train.

Not just a mural either, though the train comes late enough that the station is staffed only from about 11:30pm to 7:30am. 

Back when I was visiting, Louisville had Megabus service to Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Cincinnati, and the tourism website thinks it still does, but Megabus doesn't. Lincoln still has service, though, primarily to Omaha.

VERDICT: Louisville 0, Lincoln 1.

b) How do you get around?

Well, without a car you're either walking or you're taking a public bus in both cities.

Lincoln's bus system (StarTran) probably does a better job covering the whole metro area. Most of those buses are infrequent, though, and Louisville metro is enough bigger that TARC still has superior service, especially downtown.

VERDICT: Louisville 1, Lincoln 1

c) What are the limits on a visitor without a car?

Both cities ramp up their transit options if you're going to the biggest events: Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby) has regular transit service that gets increased for the Derby/Oaks weekend, and StarTran operates special additional buses for Husker gamedays (at an increased fee). 

I will say, however, based on personal experience, that while both cities are walkable downtown, the fact that the University of Nebraska dominates Lincoln's downtown makes it a more walkable tourist destination: it's basically all for college students. Louisville's isn't bad, but it's just that little bit more limited.

VERDICT: Louisville 1, Lincoln 2

Category 2: Living Without A Car

a) Can you expect to get to work?

Well, it depends where you work, doesn't it? Both of these cities are very car-centric: one study shows them with both over 90% of households having a car, and basically if you don't live downtown that makes sense. 

This is Louisville, and if it weren't for the trees it could be Lincoln too. 

Because Lincoln has such a focus of its employment at UNL, though, it is much more likely that if you work in Lincoln you can not have a car (since the bus service and the walkability are both focused on that area).

VERDICT: Louisville 1, Lincoln 3 

b) Can you live the rest of your life?

Again, very few people do. Lincoln scores higher than Louisville on both WalkScore and BikeScore, partly because of the bike lanes it has built: Louisville has potential for these but hasn't implemented them well. Lincoln's are better and across more of the city. 

VERDICT: Louisville 1, Lincoln 4

c) How are the basic amenities?

This is the classic example where I'm going to once again declare a tie (don't worry, the stakes and standards for this will go up in later rounds). Both of these cities have places with bad sidewalk infrastructure:

And both of them also have places with absolutely lovely parks:

Those examples are only a few blocks away from each other, but what can you do.

Neither of these cities is a Washington DC for either, but both are doing OK.

VERDICT: Louisville 2, Lincoln 5

Category 3: Miscellaneous

a) Are there people on the street?

Here it really depends on where you are on the street. Louisville has parks with great gathering spaces:

And it has some areas where people do walk from business to business (though note the cars all around too):

Lincoln has a lot more walking downtown, but honestly it's pretty rare in my experience to see anyone on the street outside of the Haymarket.

VERDICT: Louisville 3, Lincoln 5

b) Where is the city's urbanism going?

Conveniently, both TARC and StarTran make their analyses of their city's current transportation infrastructure public, albeit with differing levels of being up to date. Louisville has focused on getting frequent transit service (hence the better frequency of their service!) while Lincoln has focused more on multimodal solutions (like the biking infrastructure). Overall, however, I have to give this to Lincoln, because they're looking beyond just transit in a more effective way (and losing Megabus certainly didn't help people visit Louisville without a car!).

VERDICT: Louisville 3, Lincoln 6

c) Is it functionally diverse?

Now here we have a showdown of greater segregation (Louisville, with a long history still relevant today) vs lesser overall diversity (Lincoln, which is over 3/4 white). Louisville certainly has problems here, including a long history of judicially mandated busing of school-children to desegregate schools. 

You're still much more likely to see a diverse group of people walking down a street in downtown Louisville, though, even if the city is still suffering the effects of segregation.

VERDICT: Louisville 4, Lincoln 6

d) How do people there react to knowing you're not using a car?

This is an easy one; Louisville the only place I've ever been met with actual gasps that I didn't use a car to get around.

VERDICT: Louisville 4, Lincoln 7

e) How do people react to people living close together?

Here again the centrality of the university pulls for Lincoln. The University of Louisville just isn't as much of a central driver of the city's identity, and thus the density needed for university housing just isn't as significant to the city. That doesn't mean that there isn't density in Louisville, but it does mean that people are less weird about it in Lincoln. 

FINAL VERDICT: Louisville 4, Lincoln 8