In case you missed it – the City of Council Bluffs has a podcast. Season two of "On First" is live! Listeners can tune in to learn more about what's happening along 1st Avenue.
City of Council Bluffs Communications Officer, Ashley Kruse and Chief of Staff, Brandon Garrett explore the transformative project and share everything from the specific details to the big picture vision.
1st Avenue, a former railroad corridor, is a 66' wide right-of-way stretching from I-29 in the west to Indian Creek in the east. It is one block south of West Broadway and represents an opportunity to link downtown Council Bluffs with downtown Omaha and all points in between.
"The 1st Avenue corridor has the potential to be a transformative project for Council Bluffs," said Garrett. "With a multi-use trail as a spine connecting the Bob Kerrey Bridge with downtown Council Bluffs, the stage is being set for new development centered on a variety of quality of life improvements."
Roughly 30% of Council Bluffs residents live within a half-mile of 1st Avenue. The corridor is lined with businesses along West Broadway, destinations such as Thomas Jefferson High School and Cochran Park, and numerous mixed-use and multi-family residential redevelopment opportunities.
The first season of On First wrapped up last fall, along with the first phase of the multi-use trail construction. Season two began just before Omaha made their streetcar announcement.
“Omaha’s streetcar announcement signals a major commitment to the development of the metro’s urban core,” said City of Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh. “We support Omaha’s efforts to enhance transit and look forward to expanding the vision into Council Bluffs along the First Ave corridor.”
Throughout the On First episodes, Ashley, Brandon, and their guests will divulge plans for trails, transit, and redevelopment. Tune in to Season 2 to hear Mayor Walsh discuss the potential for a future streetcar along First Ave that connects to Omaha.
"We created the podcast as a fun and easy way for people to learn more about First Ave," said Kruse. "While all of the project information is available on our website (FirstAveCB.com), the 20-minute episodes make it more consumable."
Listeners can find "On FIRST" on the City's website at OnFirstCB.com, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.
