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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Work Session: West Eugene Parkway Memorandum of Understanding Meeting Date: September 22, 2004 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Kurt Corey www. cl. euget~e, or. us Contact Telephone Number: 682-5241 ISSUE STATEMENT The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has requested that the City of Eugene and Lane County sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the construction and maintenance of a portion of the West Eugene Parkway. This item has been placed on the work session agenda as an informational item to provide information about the current status of the West Eugene Parkway project and, specifically, the City Manager's response to ODOT's request. BACKGROUND Since the West Eugene Parkway (WEP) project was initiated by ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 1980, it been the subject of numerous studies, including a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) published in 1997. The 1997 SDEIS is being re- evaluated to determine what factors may have changed over the course of the past several years and whether the project can advance to the publication of a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement or whether a new SDEIS must be prepared. Among the findings of the draft re-evaluation report is that the WEP east of the Beltline would be too congested by 2025 to meet ODOT's design standards, which require a 30% design year reserve capacity. The project would, however, meet the City of Eugene's arterial street standards, which are more tolerant of congested intersections during peak hours than ODOT's standards. The MOU (see Attachment A) is a non-binding agreement "only intended to facilitate the cooperation between the City, County and ODOT through completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the WEP project and further recognize additional agreements will be needed to address construction of the WEP project and subsequent jurisdictional transfers." Specifically, the MOU proposes that jurisdiction of Unit 1 of the WEP, from Highway 99 to Beltline Highway, will be transferred to the City or the County upon ODOT's completion of that section of the WEP and that additional portions of the current state highway system be transferred to the City or County when Unit 2 of the WEP, from Beltline Road west to approximately Goble Lane, is completed. The map appended as Attachment B provides more specific information about the jurisdictional transfers outlined in the MOU. The MOU is a non-binding proposal and "is not and should not be construed as a commitment by any party." The MOU is not expected to have any effect on the SDEIS re-evaluation report or on any L:\CMO\2004 Council Agendas\M040922\S040922B.doc