03/02/1992 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e He wondered if it were possible to place conduits across the highway to pre- serve the option for undergrounding until additional funding becomes availible. Les Lyle, Public Works, said that this was a possibility. However, the fu- ture project would impact sidewalks and driveways. Mr. Croteau noted that a conduit project would still involve significant costs. Mr. Lyle indicated that US West Communications and TCI Cablevision will not help fund the undergrounding. Mr. Boles expressed concern that the future cost of the beautification project will be higher, making implementation unlikely unless funding assis- tance from EWEB is secured. He deferred the question to Mr. Green, that area's council representative. e Responding to a question from Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Croteau said that in order to fold the undergrounding into the Highway 99 project, the design phase must start immediately. Mr. Lyle said the undergrounding construction is antici- pated to occur late this summer or fall, prior to the City's construction the following summer. City Manager Mike Gleason ascertained that a "go/no-go" decision could be made as late as June. However, the council had to authorize expenditure of $30,000 to keep its options open. That would be spent on the design phase of the project. With regard to funding alternatives, Mr. Gleason said that a decision on urban renewal would be required tonight so that staff can prepare a Urban Renewal Plan for the council's approval. The other options are more complicated because they would go on the November ballot, at which time undergrounding should have been completed. In response to Mayor Miller, Mr. Gleason said that the urban renewal option would involve creating a district, borrowing the money, and then paying it back later. Responding to a question from Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Croteau said that under-ground- ing is required in new street construction; in cases where there is a recon- struction for road widening, the utilities are asked to move their facilities out of the way, but are not required to put them underground. He noted an- other future major project where the City will be facing the same issue is West 11th Avenue. Ms. Ehrman wondered if it were possible to do a serial levy for undergrounding projects communitywide. Mr. Boles said that EWEB is Willing to consider an undergrounding policy for specific projects but do not have a revenue stream to support all projects of that nature. He noted that maintaining underground utilities is more expen- sive than those above ground. Mr. Nicholson said the urban renewal option seemed an arbitrary use of the mechanism. Urban renewal, he added, is usually used to attack urban blight e MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 2, 1992 Page 3