02/11/1985 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Cordy Jensen, 633 Spyglass, owns a business on 6th Avenue. He supported the project. He spoke of the recent unemployment in Eugene and said the widening will be good for economic development. Discussing the recommended alignment, ~ he preferred the removal of trees rather than the impact on Gray's Feed and Seed and the Texaco Station. The street will be beautiful when the new trees are planted. Harold Chapman, 51 Chapman Drive, supported the recommended alignment. He said the quality of life in a city is determined by the visions and decisions of former elected officials. Beltline Road and Delta Highway are examples of good decisions of former officials. If the area is to have jobs for future generations, 6th and 7th avenues must have four lanes. Referring to a report, Mr. Chapman said one-and-a-half percent transit ridership is the best goal LTD can obtain. He did not want traffic rerouted over Beltline bridge because it is dangerous. Traffic projections indicate it will be overloaded even if it is widened to six lanes. He submitted three documents from LTD to the council. Dave Pedersen, 2661 University, is the president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. He urged approval of the recommended alignment. He also urged voters to approval the project. The widening will make the corridor safer. The fifteen trees which will be removed will be replaced by 600 trees. An improved east-west corridor is necessary now and will become more necessary. Widening 6th and 7th avenues makes more sense than improving 11th or 18th avenues. The traffic problems will not go away. Traffic will spill into residential neighborhoods if corridors are not improved. The Washington/ Jefferson ramp problems are only one part of the problem. Other improvements and the Chambers Connector are keyed to this project. Improvements to the ramps would impact historic trees. Citizens have paid for the widening 4It project by payment of gasoline taxes. The social and economic benefits of the projects justify its construction. Don Ferebee, 1710 West 7th, and Arthur A. Mehas, 1220 Goodpasture Island Road, said the testimony they had intended to give had been covered by others. Michael Simonson, 358 8th Avenue, had left before his name was called. Mr. Hoyt hoped his children will be employed in the industrial developments in the Riverfront Park or the Willow Creek Basin. The 6th/7th widening is a link in the economic diversification at both ends of the community. Mayor Obie thanked the people who testified for their courtesy. There being no additional requests to testify, he closed the public hearing. He recessed the meeting for ten minutes at 9:40 p.m. Mr. Miller asked the staff to comment when the council considers the matter again on alternatives to the recommended alignment at the Texaco Station and Midas Muffler or ways to assist the businesses to minimize the impacts. Ms. Wooten wondered why pedestrian crossings and street level lighting were not included in the recommended alignment. The Westside Neighborhood Quality Project had recommended them. She requested information about the rerouting of trucks. She wondered if the design review for phases two and three is as complete as the design review for Phase 1. She asked for information about right-of-way costs, exact impacts on businesses, the length of the ~ construction phase, and guarantees to protect trees during construction. ~ MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 11, 1985 Page 8