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<br /> <br /> <br />City of Eugene <br />125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor <br />thnd <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />(541) 682-5010 <br />(541) 682-5414 (FAX) <br /> <br />www.eugene-or.gov <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER <br />March 24, 2016 <br /> <br />IN THIS EDITION <br /> <br />PUBLIC OUTREACH NEXT STEP IN RAILROAD QUIET ZONE PROCESS <br /> <br />EUGENE SPRINGFIELD FIRE AND COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMDRILL <br /> <br />AROUND THE CITY <br /> <br />Public Outreach Next Step in Railroad Quiet Zone Process <br /> A citizen advisory panel wants to hear what people have to say about a proposed railroad quiet zone in downtown and <br />the Whiteaker neighborhood. <br /> <br />The Public Works Department convened the 11- <br />member Railroad Quiet Zone Citizen Advisory Panel <br />last November to look at options for increasing <br />safety at 10 rail crossings that would qualify Eugene <br />to become a “whistle-free” zone. Over the course of <br />five meetings, the panel focused on the 1.5-mile <br />section of the Union Pacific mainline between <br />Hilyard and Van Buren streets. But, if those 10 <br />crossings were designated “whistle free,” Union <br />Pacific train engineers would not sound their routine <br />crossing horns in the Eugene area for a stretch of <br />more than seven miles – from I-5 to Irving Road <br />(which is under Lane County jurisdiction). <br /> <br />At each of the 10 crossings the panel has developed <br />preliminary recommendations for safety <br />improvements, including “quad” gates, medians, the conversion of a section of Jefferson Street to one-way southbound, <br />and the closure of Lawrence Street (dependent on approval of the design of a new Amtrak siding west of Willamette <br />Street). <br /> <br />The panel also was charged with providing a recommendation for funding the safety measures. Preliminary estimates <br />of the total cost range from $6.8 million to $7.3 million. At this point, the consensus of panel members is to remain open <br />to a variety of funding options, with a preference for using existing revenues such as urban renewal funds as much as <br />possible, and, if necessary, funding the balance from a new revenue source such as a local bond measure. <br /> <br />Businesses and residents have been actively engaged in drafting the preliminary proposal, and a number of <br />presentations to stakeholder groups have been scheduled in March and April. The panel hopes to reconvene in May to <br />consider the community input on the draft proposal and craft a final recommendation tentatively scheduled to be <br />submitted to council this summer. <br /> <br />A website at www.eugene-or.gov/quietzone offers a wealth of information about the railroad quiet zone proposal, <br />including a calendar of public meetings which features a community open house on Apr. 26, an online comment form, a <br />brief introductory video, maps and timelines, answers to frequently asked questions, and meeting notes and materials <br />related to the citizen panel discussions. For more information, contact City Engineer Mark Schoening at 541-682-5243. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 <br />March 24, 2016 <br /> <br />