01/26/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e responses of residents east of Polk Street were considered when the decision was made to delay installation of the test diverter. The recent staff study did not include those people because they would not be adversely affected by the diverter. He said a daily traffic count of 4,200 is high for a residential street. The block north of 18th Avenue on City View probably has that high a count. Mayor Obie opened the public hearing. James McCoy, 1190 West 5th Avenue, said he purchased his house in 1979 when the street was pleasant and quiet. Now, he does not like living in his house because the traffic problems have alienated him from his home. He said there will be long-term problems if people like him move away from inner-city neighborhoods. Mr. McCoy said the Whiteaker Refinement Plan indicates that 5th Avenue should not be an arterial but City actions have increased the traffic on 5th Avenue. He said the fast traffic signal at 5th Avenue and Blair Street has increased the traffic because it makes it easy to get across Blair Street. He said people get places quicker using 5th Avenue than by using 6th or 7th avenues. He said the Whiteaker representative on the Spillover Task Team did not represent the people in his neighborhood and the "woonerf" is unacceptable to him and his neighborhood. He said 5th Avenue is not needed for access to businesses in the area. Mr. McCoy said some of his neighbors are thinking of moving because the environment in the neighborhood has degraded. He said 5th Avenue is not needed for access to businesses in the area. e Answering a question from Mayor Obie, Mr. McCoy said the staff approval of a diverter is good but it is important that residents see some City action on the issue now. He said a policy decision has not been made to install the diverter after the construction is finished. Laura Johnson, 1810 Fairmount, said she opposes any diverter. She said she owns a new commercial building on West 3rd near Taylor and access to the buil di ng must be vi a 5th or 2nd avenues. She sa i d 2nd Avenue is not satisfactory for people from the east. She discussed the negative impacts of a diverter at 5th Avenue and Almaden on people coming to her building from the south or west. She said the diverter would really be a barricade. She said one business owner in the neighborhood who employs about 80 people is leaving Eugene because the con struct i on of the Chambers Connector wi 11 remove a railroad spur. She hoped City actions would not hurt other business people. Ken Coleman, 1457 West 5th, said he represented the Whiteaker Community Council. He said traffic on West 5th has increased steadily for the last eight years. He said people are concerned about the safety of themselves and their pets and they do not want to wait two more years for the traffic to lessen. He said traffic on 5th Avenue is very heavy in the summer months when there is construction on the streets. He said some parked vehicles have been damaged. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 26, 1987 Page 3