Ordinance No. 20258 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

WEST ELIC~NE PAP, KWAY M(X~FI~ PROJECT-.CONSiSTENCY ~TH T~ STATEtP~IDE ~NNING GOALS A~D TRANSPE~An~ PLANN~ Rd Traffic management measures; and Improvements to existing transportation facilities." Transportation Need Re identified transportation need is for the West Eugene Parkway P_~i~9_~t rather than the Modified Proj~t ~ The need ~br the Modified Project alignment is e~.~¢yimnme.__.., n.~J, to reduce significant adverse impacts to high value wetlands and to threatened and endangered plant and animal species from those that would occur through construction of the Approved Desigm As described in the Alternatives Memorandum, the Modified Project will impact 6.4 hectares of high value wetlands, compared to 11.27 for the Approved Design? It also directly impacts only three clumps of endangered plants, compared to 39 plants or plant clumps for the Approved Design, and unlike the Approved Design~ k d~s not eliminate western pond turtle habitat. The Modified Project also includes five undercross~ngs between Terpy Street and its western terminus to provide safe crossings for small animals including the western pond turtle.34 Because the West Eugene Parkway project already is an element of the acknowledged Metro Plan, TransPtan, and Lane County Rural Compreher~ive Plan, a statement of reasons why there is a transportation need for the WEP should not ~ necessary. The overall need for the project is not affected by the alignment modification from the Approved Desi~ to the Modified Project. Nonetheless, ~is is addressed in an exercise of caution. To the extent this constitutes surplussage, it should be regarded as such. Ink[ally, the 1986 exception ~dentified a need to provide a safe transition to Highway 126 and avoid the narrow, curved ore,ass w~th the railroad. That transportation need still exists~ as do the needs, identified in the t985 Draft Environmental Impact Statement and repeated in the SD~g& to (1) improve access to the West Eugene industrial area v~a direct connections w~th only strategic crossroads, (2) better link West Eugene residential areas with downtown, (3) relieve congestion and improve safety along West ] lth Avenue by removing most ~ntra- and ~nter-regional and some local traffic from the busiest and most h~dous section of West 1 lth Avenue, (4) facilitate intra- and ~nter-regional ~d citywide ~'avel through the western half of the C~ty of Eugene between H~ghway 126 ~d the Interstate 5~nterstate 105 corridor, and (5) ~mplement an important part of the areawide roadway system as envisioned [n the TransPhn. See SDEI$ at I- 1; see also 5;upp~emental Needs Analysis and Alternatives Memorandum. The Transportation Planning Rule, at OAR 660-012-0005(28), defines "regional transportation needs" as "needs for movement of people and goods between and through communkies and accessibility to regional destinations wi~in a metropolitan area, county or associated group of counties." ~ose needs exist in West Eugene, as identified above. The West Eugene Parkway, with the Modified Project alignment~ would serve regional transportation needs of the area by enhancing the movement of traffic through the Eugene-Springfield region, by improving access to regional population and emplo3ment centers (in particular, the West Eugene industrial area and the Willow Creek Basin35), and by ~mproving accessibility to regional destinations, including Fern Ridge 33 A~temativos Memorandum, Tabie 4. 34 SDE~$ at 2-~ % 35 The ~ Creek Basin ~ ~ south of West ~ ~ Aven~e ~n Wes~ Euge~. The ~982 ~ Cr~k Spe~al Ama S~udy 9~ emp!oYees~ The p~a~ a~ mSu~ed ~n ~he designation of another ~,622 e~s as ~u~an rese~e~ ~and. S~ Supplemen~ the 205-a~e ~11~ Creek ~ndUstdal pa~. EXHIB~ C4 - FiNDiNGS 22