South Willamette Street Improvement Plan
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NEXT PUBLIC MEETING - JUNE 11, 2013
Community Forum #3: Rank & Refine the Alternatives
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WHEN: Tuesday, June 11, 2013
4:00-5:45 p.m. or 7:00-8:45 p.m.
We are holding two meetings to accommodate the high interest in this project. Please come to the earlier time if you can, as many can only come to the later.
WHERE: South Eugene High School Cafeteria (back of school)
400 East 19th Avenue
Come hear study results for the three alternatives:
- Conceptual layouts
- Cost estimates
- Projected travel times
- Function for cars, pedestrians, bicyclists, and buses
Please RSVP now to help us prepare
Send an email with your name and which time you prefer to: or call 541-682-8472.
Can't make the meeting?
An online survey will be available here between June 12-18th.
Please join the project email list to receive details on the next public meeting by sending an email to Chris Henry or call 541-682-8472.
The City of Eugene is committed to access for all participants to all of the City’s events, facilities, and programs. All events are held in wheelchair accessible rooms. For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, an interpreter, note taker, or FM assistive listening system (if available) can be provided by request with one week notice prior to the event. Materials can be made available in alternative formats if requested one week prior to the event, or after an event. To arrange for these services, or for more information, please contact Chris Henry at 541-682-8472. |
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Community Forum #2 Summary and Outcomes
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Thank you to the more than 300 people who attended the second Community Forum on February 27th. The presentation, meeting summary, appendix of comments, meeting materials, and graphics are available under Project Documents or at the links below.
The City is moving forward with an in-depth analysis of 3 of the 6 alternatives presented at Community Forum #2:
Alternative #1 (4-Lane)
Alternative #3 (3-Lane with Bike Lanes)
Alternative #5 (3-Lane with Wide Sidewalks)
All of the street design alternatives have the potential to expand the sidewalk width within the existing public right-of-way. For alternatives #1 and #3, that means sidewalks could be widened to their maximum width of 9 feet (as many are currently). For alternative #5, the curb moves and creates the potential to expand sidewalks to a maximum of 13 feet within the existing public right-of-way.
The three alternatives provide the community and decision makers a range of options for the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan. This decision is based on both technical review and public input (conversations with the public, forum results, and public comments via phone and email).
Alternative #1 is proposed because it responds to community support to maintain the existing number of travel lanes. Alternative #3 is proposed because it incorporates the elements of a balanced, complete street design. Alternative #5 is included because it responds to community input to improve the street for pedestrians. Each of the alternatives includes bicycle routes on parallel streets to be developed as separate projects identified in the Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.
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The South Willamette Street Improvement Plan will explore options for people to easily and safely walk, bike, take the bus, or drive in an eight-block study area from 24th Avenue to 32nd Avenue. The goal of this study is to help South Willamette Street become a vibrant urban corridor accessible by bicycle, foot, car, and bus. Today Willamette Street is heavily used to reach many popular destinations, yet it is uninviting to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists alike. For years, many residents and business owners have shared complaints about the poor conditions on Willamette Street for walking and biking and the need to do something about it.
The street has two travel lanes in each direction, with no left-turn lanes on the majority of the corridor. The narrow sidewalks are filled with many obstacles, such as mailboxes, utility poles, and trees or landscaping. Nearly 70 driveways cross the sidewalk in this area and create potential hazards for pedestrians and bicyclists. Vehicles stop in the outside travel lanes, blocking traffic.
Over the next 13 months, the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan will develop a complete street design plan for an active transportation corridor (providing for walking, biking, transit access, motoring and business access) that can be adopted and advanced as a capital improvement project for construction.
The Plan aims to:
1) Support existing businesses and the commercial district’s vitality,
2) Create a balanced multi-modal transportation system,
3) Further City planning efforts to identify compact growth and redevelopment opportunities,
4) Foster a well-informed and involved community supportive of the plan.
Previous transportation studies of South Willamette Street suggested adding bicycle facilities, pedestrian crossings, improved transit stops, and reducing the number of motor vehicle travel lanes. This project will study how these changes to street elements could be implemented, and investigate the level of public support for these ideas. Critical to the success of the project is involvement by a variety of people informed by the sharing of information, interests and ideas to establish priorities and consider the tradeoffs between different street design options.
Read more about public involvement for this project here
How does the Willamette Street Improvement Plan relate to the South Willamette Concept Plan?
The results of this project will refine the street design portion of the South Willamette Concept Plan. The Concept Plan creates a long-term vision and identifies tools realizing that vision in the South Willamette area. One important goal of the Concept Plan is to create a neighborhood where services for residents are available in a “20-Minute” walk, and the street functions for a variety of users (Complete Streets policy).
The timing of the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan is good because it melds with the South Willamette Concept Plan, and could be completed in conjunction with needed pavement preservation work.
The City of Eugene Project Management Team reviews final reports and guides the planning process:
The Consultant Team conducts the technical studies and manages the public outreach:
Project Lead:
Scott Mansur and Peter Coffey |
Public Involvement Team:
Ellen Teninty, Christian Watchie,
Julie Fischer |
Land Use and Urban Design:
Tom Litster |
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