CC Minutes - 11/08/10 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Ted Sweeney, a University of Oregon student, spoke in support of the proposed West Eugene EmX. He said that students used the EmX system heavily and he believed they would use it to reach West 11 Avenue. He emphasized the importance of EmX to those going to and leaving the University of Oregon campus. He asked the council to support the project and the federal funding it would bring into the community. Brent Woodrich, 2700 West l I th Avenue, expressed concern about the cost of the proposed EmX system. He noted the budget challenges facing local schools and questioned how Eugene could contemplate spending $20 million on the proposed West Eugene EmX route when those shortfalls existed. He suggested that instead the council should be considering the community's less fortunate. He did not think that West 11"' Avenue was the appropriate route for EmX and suggested it should be located on West 18 Avenue where there was more dense residential development. Don Peck, 2911 West l l Avenue, did not think the need for the EmX system had been demonstrated. He had noticed articulated buses on River Road in the pull outs and asked why LTD had to add lanes on each side of the street when that sort of system worked as well. He did not find the potential of federal money to be a reason for the system. He did not oppose the bus system, but he opposed the EmX system. Eric Gunderson, 72 West Broadway, supported the proposed EmX route because he believed it was good for business, good public policy, and part of the solution to the community's future transportation needs. He noted the more diverse modal split in Portland and asserted that community had reduced its vehicle miles traveled by 25 percent as a result. He further asserted that younger people sought to live in walkable, dense communities with homes near transit. They had a different vision about what communi- ties should look like in the future. Mr. Gunderson further maintained that EmX would reduce Eugene's dependence on foreign oil. He said that transit brings customers to businesses. He asserted that "transit likes business" and said a speaker discussing transit orient development at a recent conference maintained that real property values near transit lines held steady in the recession. Mr. Gunderson said that new development followed transit. Larry Banks, 72 West Broadway, supported the West Eugene EmX route because he found the status quo unacceptable. He went on to assert that the community overwhelmingly valued public transportation, transit - oriented development, livability, and reasoned long -range planning. He believed those were core values shared by both the business community and all Eugene residents. He said the proposed EmX route would support the needs of the future. Mr. Banks said that EmX was easier for people to use and it got cars off the road. He said the current infrastructure was insufficient to support the desired redevelopment of West l I"' Avenue, and EmX contributed to changing that. Fran Corno, 497 Oakway Road, said that decisions were being made without input from the people who paid for LTD. Decisions were made on citizens' behalf by a non - elected board with taxing authority and the power of eminent domain. Federal grant moneys would not cover the project cost. She questioned how LTD would support the system once in place. Ms. Como questioned the destination of the route. She expressed concern that regular bus service was being cut. She asked what EmX had done for downtown and if it had brought business to downtown. Ms. Como pointed out that the Franklin EmX route served the University of Oregon and linked two towns. She did not think ridership on that route could be compared to a route on West 11 Avenue. She asked if additional lanes and left turns that crossed three rather than two lanes of traffic made travel on West 11 Avenue easier or safer. She said that undergrounding utilities would improve the appearance of MINUTES— Eugene City Council November 8, 2010 Page 3 Regular Meeting