Item C: West Eugene Transportation Status

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: West Eugene Transportation Status Meeting Date: January 23, 2006 Agenda Item Number: C Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Jim Carlson www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5524 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session provides an opportunity for the Mayor and City Council to discuss the current status of the West Eugene transportation alternatives review. BACKGROUND The City Council approved a motion at its October 26, 2005, work session “to direct the city manager to consult with our intergovernmental partners and community organizations to commence a scoping process to design and build transportation projects in West Eugene to address congestion, safety, and operation of all modes of transportation.” The two Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) members, Mayor Piercy and Councilor Kelly, along with the city manager, have been working with the City’s intergovernmental partners to attempt to identify a process which would allow for this to occur. In meetings with the Federal Highway Administration and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), an option was proposed to conduct a review and analysis of alternatives for solving the West Eugene transportation issues within the current environmental review process. At the January 12, 2006, MPC meeting, agreement was reached to proceed with a facilitated discussion of alternatives. The next step in this process is for a collaborative effort to select a facilitator who will conduct an assessment of the situation. This will involve a representative from each MPC member agency (except Coburg) selecting a qualified facilitator from a list generated by the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution. The facilitator will review background materials, assist in the identification of stakeholders and conduct interviews, and prepare and deliver a brief assessment report. The final step in the process, assuming the assessment report indicated that there was an opportunity for having a productive process, would be to facilitate a series of meetings with sponsors, consultants and stakeholders to look at the issues and alternatives. It is expected that the facilitator would be selected in the next 30-45 days and that the facilitated meetings could occur this spring. The agreements and results of this process would be considered as a part of the West Eugene Parkway environmental review. A public hearing would be held after the facilitated process is completed. L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060123\S060123C.doc