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

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Carroll D. Fentress, 3883 Blanton Road, said that he was the chairperson of the Crest Drive Neighborhood Association, and stated his opposition to the alleged II improvement, II and hi s hope that the counci 1 woul d give open-mi nded recon sidera- e tion to the project. He said that the proposed plan was not safer than available alternatives, quoting the views of a safety expert in opposition to the project. Noting that the plan called for gutters, curbs and sidewalks in order to make the highway unifonn with streets in the rest of the City, he said that Lorane Highway was one of the unique touches that made Eugene special and appealed to vi si tors. Mr. Fentress commented that the abutting property owners were being assessed in this matter at a time of economic hardship and that, while the safety of school children should clearly be over-riding, there were viable alternatives to this project. Characterizing the plan as an unnecessary deci- sion being forced on unwilling citizens, he urged the council to pennit them to continue to live in peace. Public hearing was closed. Mr. Teitzel responded to testimony, noting that the Gilham Road design had been built to County standards which were not acceptable to the City. He added that three representatives of the School District were available to answer questions. Bob Pellico, Safety Supervisor for the Transportation Division of School District 4-J, said that the district transported students who would otherwise have to walk under hazardous conditions, and that this involved an ongoing expense. He said that direct savings would result for 4-J from these improvements. He noted that these improvements are the standard throughout the community. Noting that some students were currently choosing to walk, he added that he was not sure what the safety situation would be if the improvements were not made. If the improvements were not made and bus service not available, this would present a e real problem. In response to a question from Councilor Smith, Mr. Pellico said that he could not evaluate the impact of a 4-foot gravel shoulder, noting that a curb would give more delineation, and adding that a number of children were still being bused at Gilham Road. Councilor Holmer asked whether the $21,000 of City funds, which would not be spent if this project were not actualized, would be spent instead on alternative projects such as the installation of street lights. Mr. Teitzel replied that this decision would be one to be made by the Budget Committee or the City Council. Councilor Hansen said that he had viewed the portion of Lorane Highway in ques- tion and had seen a deer, but no children. He expressed his concern that this portion of the highway appeared to have less problems than the rest of Lorane Hi ghway . He stated that he had real reservations about the project, despite his concern for the safety of the children. Councilor Obie said that he was opposed to this project and that it was time to listen to the citizens and stop trying to do things that people did not want done. Councilor Wooten said that she had opposed this project when it was first before the council and continued to oppose it. She added that the number of children involved did not merit the cost at this time, but that the project might become necessary in the future. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 11, 1983 Page 2