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Using wall maps, he described the Chambers Connector, the North/South improve- ment connecting Chambers at 8th Avenue to Fir Lane in the River Road area e that will bypass a major congestion area in the vicinity of Blair Boulevard and the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. He stated that this project was in the process of review of the draft Environmental Impact Statement in con- formance to federal regulations. Mr. Shelton, in response to Mr. Hansen's question on residential opposition to tying in the Roosevelt Boulevard area, stated that organizations in the affected areas have voiced neither opposition nor favoritism. However,there have been rumors that the Bethel Triangle Neighborhood is opposed, but there has been no official opposition voiced. He continued that part of the process prior to assembling the EIS draft involved a Citizen Advisory Committee to assist with local concerns and preliminary design and information gathering. The draft EIS analyzes two alternatives--either a "no-build alternative or a "build" alternative. The "build" alternative contains the option to connect Roosevelt Blvd. and three different centerline alignment options. This statement will assist the community in the process of developing preferred alternatives to enable a final Environmental Impact Statement required before construction. A joint public hearing on the project has been scheduled by the Eugene Planning Commission and the Lane County Roads Advisory Committee for August 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber. The City Council will conduct a public hearing on the project on August 17, and will forward a recommendation to the County Commissioners. Mr. Lindberg questioned the assumptions behind the Chambers Connector as a "needed" project. Mr. Shelton stated that it was in response to the T-2000 e evaluation process which identified the need for more efficient linkage between River Road and Eugene and a method to eliminate traffic congestion at the railway tracks. Mr. Gleason added that residents of the South Chambers area would benefit from improved access to the airport and freeways. Ms. Wooten voiced concern on traffic "dumping" onto 8th that would affect the Far West and Westside neighborhoods' residential qualities. Staff res- ponded that construction of the 6th and 7th Avenue widening should attract traffic and therefore lessen neighborhood impact. In addition, it was explained that funnelling of traffic from six lanes to two required the extesion to 8th rather than 7th Avenue. Therefore. the implementation of the 6th and 7th Avenue project in conjunction with the Chambers project becomes more important to preserve the status quo of neighborhood streets. In addition, signalization and intersection design would mitigate some concerns on traffic patterns. In response to Mr. Holmer's question on using Chambers over Blair Boulevard as a funnel for traffic, staff responded that traffic movement along neigh- borhood boundaries was selected over traffic through neighborhoods to preserve cohesiveness. Mr. Shelton agreed that this issue needs to be looked at further in response to concerns voiced in the meeting. Ms. Wooten raised the question of the necessity for a public vote on these improvements to satisfy the charter amendment. Mr. Gleason explained that the e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 11. 1983 Page 2