10/22/1990 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e goal. He described this goal as unrealistic and wondered if the lack of progress which is being made is an indication that the community is not behind the goal. Ms. Andersen explained that the goals in the TransPlan are based on avoidance of intersection Service Level E, a service level far below what is currently being experienced in the community. Mr. Reinhard said that the lack of apparent progress which has been made in the community toward this goal can be attributed to a lack of awareness. He also noted that automobile traffic per capita has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Ms. Bascom commented that exhaustive discussions were held in the 1970s about which transportation service level would be the most feasible for the Eugene metropolitan area. She noted that the community agreed to accept service Level 0 because it was deemed livable and, at the same, would lower the overall costs of street and freeway maintenance which would be required. Responding to a question from Mr. Bennett, Ms. Andersen said that in the past, the City has not aggressively pursued getting the public to shift toward alternative modes of transportation. One of the few City strategies toward this, the carpool program, was not very successful. The City is now planning an aggressive strategy toward this goal. Ms. Andersen said that increasing bicycle ridership is one area in which the e City can make headway toward the 23-percent goal. She explained that through a citizen attitudes survey, the City hopes to identify b(rrierS which are keeping people from using the bike system in an attempt 0 overcome them. Mayor Miller remarked that City's bicycle corridor system is not complete enough to make bicycling a successful alternative mode of transportation. Mr. Bennett asked whether the City is modeling its transportation program after a similar program of a city of similar size. Ms. Andersen responded that because most cities of a similar size have not yet addressed the growing congestion/pollution problem as comprehensively as Eugene, Eugene's plan is not modeled after another. 2. Using land-use planning and development regulations as tools to bring about greater usage of alternative modes Mr. Bennett asked whether the City has evidence demonstrating that those places that have adequately secured bike facilities get greater commuter bicycle usage. Mr. Reinhard acknowledged that this type of information would be helpful, but said that the City does not currently have such information. Mr. Boles said that there are several transportation areas which are not aggressive enough. For instance, he suggested that higher rates should be levied on downtown parking, the possible implementation of a carbon tax, and restriping some of the parking spaces in major downtown lots for small cars. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 22, 1990 Page 7 Dinner/Work Session