Construction returns February 2021 to parts of South Willamette Street. The work is part of the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan — the project designed to improve function, safety, and pavement condition from 23rd Avenue to 29th Avenue. Construction started in 2020 and will be completed this year.
The project will rebuild South Willamette Street into a vibrant urban corridor accessible by foot, bike, bus, and car. The original street had narrow sidewalks filled with obstacles, no bike lanes, and no turn lanes, forcing people biking to use the sidewalks and people driving wanting to turn left to stop in the travel lane and block traffic. The street is identified on the Vision Zero High Crash Network and project improvements will make it easier for people to safely access the South Willamette shopping district.
While the 2016 Pilot Study added a center turn lane and bike lanes, the construction of the permanent project will make it even more comfortable for our community to safely walk, bike, bus, and drive in the South Willamette shopping district.
Construction will resume in March 2021 and continue through the fall of 2021. Construction in 2020 focused on utilities, raingardens, and stormwater system upgrades. Construction in 2021 will focus on upgrades to the street including paving and restriping, street lights and signal upgrades, planting street trees, sidewalks, driveways, and finalizing and planting the raingardens on side streets.
The final project will include:
- Full road reconstruction and paving from 23rd Avenue to Woodfield Station
- Reconstructed, accessible driveways and curb ramps to improve business access
- Over 5,000 linear feet of widened sidewalks to enhance the walking experience
- Pedestrian-scale lighting to increase visibility for all street users
- Pedestrian countdown timers at intersections to make crossing safer
- New traffic signal at 27th Avenue to make turning from Willamette Street safer
- Trees planted throughout the corridor to make the shopping district more inviting
- New raingardens on side streets to clean water runoff from city streets
- New conduit for communications (including high-speed fiber) to support connectivity throughout the corridor
The South Willamette Street corridor will be open and accessible throughout construction. South Willamette Street will be open for business access and north-south travel during the entire construction period. To learn more about the project please visit eugene-or.gov/2055.
For updates on Eugene area transportation construction projects and travel impacts, please go to www.tripcheck.com or visit www.eugene-or.gov/roadwork. For information about City projects, including scope and timeline, visit eugene-or.gov/2558/Current-Projects.