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<br />- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Ms. Decker said the Planning Commission had received the same material the <br />council received because the issue is related to land use actions. The <br />council could ask the commission to make a recommendation, if the council <br />desires their input before taking a position. <br /> <br />Mayor Obie opened the public hearing. <br /> <br />Geor~e Scholibo, 1000 Pacific Building, Portland, represented the Southern <br />Paci lC Railroad. He discussed the history of the Chambers Connector and the <br />efforts of the railroad to cooperate with Lane County and Eugene. He said the <br />railroad's needs were not identified in the City. He said the City had built <br />a school within one-and-a-half blocks of the railroad crossing and a fire <br />station almost on top of the crossing many years ago. <br /> <br />Mr. Scholibo said lumber markets are a long way from Lane County and trans- <br />portation costs for lumber from here must be competitive with transportation <br />costs from other places. To be competitive, the railroad must operate <br />efficiently and the main switching yard is very near the Van Buren crossing. <br />The crossing creates a serious problem for the railroad and the citizens of <br />Lane County. The railroad is a citizen of Eugene and Lane County. It pays <br />many taxes and has over one thousand employees who are concerned about their <br />jobs. If the railroad cannot keep costs competitive, its payroll will have to <br />be reduced. <br /> <br />Some years ago, Lane County told Southern Pacific Railroad it would like to <br />construct the Chambers Connector across the switching yards and intermodal <br />facility which is the fastest growing part of the business. Lane County <br />wanted five acres of railroad property. The railroad decreased the number of <br />tracks it wanted in order to save the County much money. At the time, it <br />seemed the citizens would approve the closure of the at-grade crossing. Mr. <br />Sholibo emphasized that the crossing is hazardous. There probably will be <br />fatalities. He is concerned about the school children who must cross the <br />tracks. <br /> <br />Mr. Sholibo said long trains must be "humped" across the yard and the crossing <br />must be blocked. Otherwise the railroad may go out of business. The railroad <br />is not flexible. It cannot get off the tracks but citizens in automobiles are <br />flexible and can use the other three crossings in the area. Consideration <br />should be given to construction of a pedestrian underpass. The railroad will <br />work with the City and County to obtain it. <br /> <br />The closure of the crossing will enable the railroad to operate its facilities <br />efficiently, Mr. Sholibo said. He asked the council to consider the matter <br />more before deciding to oppose the crossing. <br /> <br />Al Johnson, 915 Oak, represented Nedco and the Whiteaker Community Council. <br />He said major policy decisions to retain the railroad crossing at Van Buren <br />Street had been made in the Whiteaker Refinement Plan, the Metro Plan, and the <br />T-2000 Plan. The Chambers Connector was to solve the traffic problem in the <br />neighborhood by taking through traffic off of Van Buren. <br /> <br />Mr. Johnson said the closing of the crossing would isolate the Blair neighbor- <br />hood and divide the community. It would cut off the school and the fire <br />station because the railroad yards cut through the Whiteaker neighborhood. <br />Alternative streets, such as Monroe Street, are residential streets. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council <br /> <br />Ma rc h 11, 1 985 <br /> <br />Page 3 <br />