07/11/1983 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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M I NUT E S Eugene City Council e City Council Chamber Jul y 11, 1983 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Betty Smith, Freeman Holmer, John Ball, Emily Schue, Brian Obie, Dick Hansen, Mark Lindberg, Cynthia Wooten. Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by His Honor Mayor Gus Keller. I. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Contract Award for Lorane Highway Improvement Project Mr. Gleason said that he lived in the area involved, and, although he was not involved in previous discussions of this item, would not participate in Council discussion so there would be no appearance of a conflict of interest. He asked Mr. Whitlow, Assistant City Manager, to handle this item. Mr. Gl eason 1 eft the meeting. Mr. Whitlow introduced Bert Teitzel, City Engineer, who reviewed the Public Works Department's memorandum of July 5. Mr. Teitzel noted that the project had been instituted at the request of the 4-J School District, in order e to provide safe conditions for children walking to Crest Elementary School. The project consisted of a minimal design with two lanes, two bike lanes and a sidewalk. Mr. Teitzel observed that the remonstrance petition which had been received represented 75 percent of the assessable frontage, and that after reconsideration of the project, a two-thirds vote of the council would be required to approve it. He indicated that staff, after reviewing the materials, recommended approval of the project. Public hearing was opened. Speaking in support of the remonstrance petition: Jan Gund, 1670 Lorane Highway, said that she had worked with the School District Safety Committee to prepare an alternative plan similar to the one in use at Gilham Road, including increased safety education at the school, which had been submitted to Mr. Teitzel. She said that the staff recommendation was based on inflated traffic figures and estimated numbers of students, and that enrollment at Crest Elementary School was decreasing, so that only 27 children were currently eligible for busing. In addition, she stated that the children used Lorane Highway during times of light traffic flow, varying from 3.1 to 5.0 including trucks. The accident rate on this stretch of highway was minimal with no accidents having occurred since 1981. She observed that Lorane Highway was a unique and historic highway, and urged the council to reconsider the project. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 11, 1983 Page 1