Franklin Boulevard Transformation 

Graphic of a street with all transportation modes, individuals walking, biking, waiting for a bus

Project Updates


ONLINE OPEN HOUSE for REFINED PREFERRED DESIGN

On February 2, 2023 over 160 members of the community attended the in-person Community Open House for the Franklin Blvd Transformation project. Staff shared the current design iteration with attendees and engaged in discussion. Feedback was shared and collected and will be used to inform further refinement of the design as it moves forward from planning to engineering.

Didn't make it to the in-person event? Have no fear! You can visit our Engage Eugene project page to review all materials shared and provide feedback on the design through March 5, 2023.


Preferred Conceptual Design - 2023

Preferred Conceptual Design 02-2023 Opens in new window

*This image is a design overview. You can also view the design in more detail.


RAISE Grant Application - AWARDED!

The Cities of Eugene and Springfield, with support from the Lane Transit District, submitted a joint application for federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant funding in July 2021.  In November 2021 it was officially selected for federal funding! To learn more about the RAISE grant, you can visit our grant application page. You can also visit the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE grant website.


Project Description


What is the project?  

We're spearheading a planning process for Franklin Boulevard from Alder Street to Interstate 5, including Garden Avenue. The purpose is to transform Franklin from an auto-focused state highway to a pleasant,  multi-modal urban street that is safe for people walking, biking, riding the bus and driving.


Why is it needed?  

Franklin Boulevard, with its wide lanes, can be an unsafe and uncomfortable street. For people who walk, bike, or ride the bus, Franklin Boulevard can be a significant barrier to getting from place to place. Because of that, fewer people choose to walk or bike to make connections between the University of Oregon, surrounding neighborhoods and Willamette River trails to the north, hindering the our long-term efforts to reach climate reduction goals.  The project will also encourage new ways for businesses and neighborhoods near Franklin Boulevard to redevelop the boulevard into a more comfortable connector of places, rather than a divider.


What has the processes been so far?

Planning for the project began in January 2019 with the goal to improve Franklin Boulevard from Alder Street to Interstate-5, including Garden Avenue. The project aims to transform Franklin Boulevard from an auto-focused state highway into a pleasant, multi-modal, urban corridor that is safe for all people, including those who walk, bike, roll, take the bus and drive.

Throughout the planning process, staff engaged with the community through multiple public involvement activities, including two workshops, online surveys and meetings with interested parties. Through public input and professional analysis, the three corridor alternatives that were shared in May 2019 have been evaluated and revised into one preferred alternative, which was shared at an open house in March 2020. Since then, additional design refinements have continued to be identified and made.

Franklin Blvd Through the Years


Project Timeline

The project planning phase began in January 2019. The design concept produced during the planning phase is being revised and will soon progress to the next phase of engineering. After engineering, it will go to construction.


National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Analysis and Documentation: 2023
Together, we and our partners will assess the environmental and related social and economic effects of the selected design alternative.

Corridor Analysis and Recommendation Report: 

February 2023

A report presenting the final analysis of the opportunities and constraints involved with transforming Franklin Boulevard, as well as final recommendations for how to design and implement an updated Franklin Boulevard.
Community Open House: February 2, 2023An open house where a refined design concept will be shared with the community for review and feedback.
Federal Grant Funding: 2020 & 2021Applications for federal grant funding were submitted in both 2020 and 2021.
Open House: March 10, 2020
We presented the preferred final design concept to the community at a public open house for final feedback.

Project Alternatives Design and Refinement:
June 2019 - February 2020
 

Following the second design workshop, project alternatives were refined and evaluated for a final design concept.
Design Open House:
May 29, 2019
An open house where we presented draft design concepts and project alternatives to the community so that they could benefit from community input and be revised.

Project Alternatives Evaluation and Screening:

February - May 2019


Following the first design workshop, project alternatives were developed.

Design Discovery Workshop:

January 28 - 31, 2019



A four-day workshop where we gathered community feedback and incorporated it into initial design concepts for a transformed Franklin Boulevard.
  1. Rob Inerfeld (he/him)

    Transportation Planning Manager