Item A: Joint Meeting with Lane Transit District Board of Directors

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Joint Meeting with Lane Transit District Board of Directors Meeting Date: June 12, 2006 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Kurt Yeiter www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-8379 ISSUE STATEMENT The City Council meets every year or two with the Lane Transit District (LTD) Board of Directors. This year the topics of focused discussion will be: 1.LTD Ridership and Service 2.Selection of the third EmX corridor 3.Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center The discussion will include a brief tour of the first EmX corridor, which connects downtown Eugene and downtown Springfield, due to begin service this fall. BACKGROUND Bus rapid transit, now dubbed “EmX,” is a key component of the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area’s coordinated land use-transportation and growth management strategies. EmX is designed to emulate the positive attributes of light rail to give superior transit service, eventually creating a network throughout the metropolitan area. Each corridor takes years to plan, fund, and build. The first segment, nearing completion, will be the focus of the tour. The second corridor is along Springfield’s Pioneer Parkway, and will connect their downtown station to Sacred Heart’s River Bend hospital and the Gateway area. Because the EmX corridors require years of planning and design work before the corridor improvements are installed, LTD requests City Council initiation of a new corridor planning effort for the third phase. As described in the attached materials, an earlier attempt was made at planning EmX service in the Coburg Road corridor. The LTD memorandum provides a suggested selection process that is similar to previous corridor selection activities. Another component of this region’s land use–transportation strategy is Mixed-Use Centers (formerly called “nodal development”). These higher-density, pedestrian-friendly centers will be well served by transit to provide residents with increased transportation options. Areas that have adopted master plans or the /ND overlay zone district to encourage mixed-use development include the Royal Node, the Royal/Danebo area, Chase Gardens, Crescent Village, and Lower River Road. An “emerging vision” was recently completed for a potential mixed-use center at EmX’s Walnut Station, located at Walnut Street and Franklin Boulevard. Planning activities will continue this summer. Walnut Station will be highlighted on the EmX tour. Background materials are included in this council packet. L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060612\S060612A.doc