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? <br /> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization <br />? <br /> Beltline Corridor from River Road to Coburg Road <br />? <br /> West Bank Trail Extension <br /> <br />Ms. Wilson said the Beltline Corridor project from River Road to Coburg Road was submitted to the <br />CCIGR for consideration but the committee concluded the project was not ready for inclusion on the 2008 <br />Eugene Federal priorities list. She said the West Bank Trail Extension request for $1.75 million was not <br />included because Representative Peter DeFazio had strongly recommended the City seek funding from the <br />State for that project. She said there would also be future opportunities to submit large transportation <br />funding requests outside of the United Front effort. She said projects determined not ready for inclusion on <br />the 2008 priorities list would be referred to the IGR Committee for possible inclusion on the SAFETEA-LU <br />Reauthorization list. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark said neighbors in the vicinity of the Delta Ponds area were convinced that clearing blackberries <br />from the perimeter of the property by the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) had resulted in nutrias <br />invading the neighborhood. He had been informed that wildlife abatement was the responsibility of the <br />ACOE and hoped that issue could be addressed in future Delta Ponds work. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark was under the impression that the Beltline corridor between River Road and Coburg Road was <br />the council's highest transportation priority and asked why NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) <br />funding was being requested for West Eugene and Franklin Boulevard projects and not Beltline. Rob <br />Inerfeld, Planning and Development Department, explained there were three steps a project went through to <br />move from TransPlan to construction. He said first there needed to be a facility plan, followed by a NEPA <br />process before the project was ready for construction; the facility planning process for Beltline from River <br />Road to Coburg Road had been delayed because of Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) budget <br />cuts. He said the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) had recommended the project as a top priority <br />for funding in the FY10-13 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). He said some of the NEPA <br />process would be incorporated in facility planning to help expedite the project. He said that ODOT's budget <br />deficit was being evenly distributed to regions across the State. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark asked if the 2009 legislative session was likely to restore funding. Mr. Inerfeld said that ODOT <br />had requested priorities from regions in anticipation of increased funding. Mr. Zelenka added that the MPC <br />had asked staff to provide recommendations for local priority criteria to assist the MPC to objectively <br />prioritize projects. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark asked if the Delta Highway/Beltline project was dependent on County funds. Mr. Inerfeld <br />responded that it was an ODOT project and could be entirely funded by ODOT, but the State would likely <br />welcome County funding. <br /> <br />Ms. Ortiz expressed dismay that the Beltline corridor project was not on the federal priorities list. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman hoped that staff recommendations to the MPC would reflect City Council policies on <br />transportation priorities that elevated maintenance and preservation, and safety and efficiency over <br />modernization and capacity. She questioned why the West Eugene Transportation Implementation project, <br />which was the third priority, was being moved forward while the Beltline Corridor from River Road to <br />Coburg Road project, which was the first priority, had been taken off the table. She asked for a full list of <br />priorities from all of the United Front jurisdictions. She understood that Springfield had put forward two <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 14, 2008 Page 3 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />