At the VOICE Public Meeting, the panelists provided a rich discussion on a broad range of topics, including historic patterns of development and growth in Omaha, and how our city’s culture and community would be affected should a beltway be built. The panelists all agreed that the link between transportation and social mobility is strong; urban design, they said, has a direct effect on equal opportunity. Citing initial expenses and long-term costs, de-centralization (of jobs, money, population) from the city’s eastern core, continued sprawl, the over-extension of infrastructure, and concerns about how a beltway would negatively affect east Omahans, the panel generally advocated in favor of expanding and improving the public transportation system, rather than committing all of our money and energy to a beltway. By the end of the meeting, the attendees were in agreement with the panelists, moving into a spirited discussion about how VOICE could help educate the public and build momentum around a movement to develop transportation in Omaha, rather than around it.