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University of Oregon East Campus Lands Land-Use ApplicatiOns February 23, 2004 City Council Public Hearing Public Testimony #4 Submitted by: Mike Weishar, Access Engineering 1410 Oak Street Minimize Traffic and Parking Impacts: Meet all Criteria As mentioned previously, one of the key tenets of the East Campus Development Policy is minimizing traffic and parking impacts in and through the Fairmount Neighborhood. My first task as a transportation consultant to the university for this project was to establish a baseline study. The data showed that since 1988, traffic volumes in the Fairmount neighborhood have slightly increased on Villard Street and Agate Street while the traffic volumes on Orchard and Walnut Streets have decreased. I evaluated three 20-year development scenarios for the East Campus Area in the 2002 East Campus Lands Trip Generation Study.' This study found that assuming worst case conditions and the most intensive development scenario, overall traffic levels in the area would increase by 11% compared to that generated by uses allowed in the current plan. Area streets have the capacity .to absorb this increase that would be spread over the 20-year development period. In response to a request from the city, I completed the East Campus Lands Traffic Impact Study, to address the requirements of the Transportation Planning Rule. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the impacts of likely development were able to be .mitigated. The study found that, indeed, the likelY impacts are able to be mitigated. Mitigation measures will be implemented as development projects move forward. The city has concurred with the findings of this study; the university's land-use applications meet the Transportation Planning Rule requirements. I also evaluated the effectiveness of the residential parking zone program instituted in accordance' with the 1982 SAS to discourage parking in the neighborhood. It demonstrates that the program has been very effective on participating streets. All of the related studies are provided in your background materials. Other Comments Beyond Application Requirements: Support Neighborhood-wide Traffic Studies While not required to find the current proposal in compliance with the Transportation Planning Rule or other approval criteria, the university agrees with the neighbors that transportation studies should be funded by the city to address the functionality of Agate Street and the potential for traffic calming on local streets in the Fairmount neighborhood. I encourage you to fund these important Studies as part of the city's overall transportation system planning. Thank you. City Council Agenda page 272