Ordinance No. 20258 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WEST EUC~NE PARKWAY M~FIED PROJECT--C'.J3NSiSTENCY WiTH THE STAT~ PLANNING C..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.~ ~ L S AND ?RAN~ORTATllON PLANNING RULE considered here in an exemise ofcautiom If such analysis is not required, then this discussion should be considered as surplussage. Also, as previously noted, the identified transportation need for this facility includes a statewide need to serve [nterregional trips. The facility, a state highway, is part of the state TSP and thereby must be included in the local TSP under the coordination and consistency requirements in OAR 660-0 0015(2)(a). If the VMT standard must be considered, then the evidence suggests, for a variety of reasons, that this facility would not so contribute to VMT per capita as to impede the region's ability to achieve VMT compliance or otherwise achieve alternate standards demonstrating progress towards achieving reducing automobile reliance. First, under the definition of VMT at OAR 660~0 originating or ending outside the jurisdictional boundaries oft he Metropolitma Planning Organization (here, LCOG) are not included in VMT calculations.52 As a facility meeting state transportation needs, many of the trips on the WEP will begin or end outs[de the MPO boundary.53 ~ese trips do not con~ibute to per capita VMT. Second, without the WEP, traffic conditions along West t 1 th Avenue would so deteriorate as create s[~ficant out-of-direction travel, thereby causing a greater increase in VMT per capita.5~ People will travel parallel routes to access or leave West Eugene. These routes include West 18th Avenue and Beltl[ne Highway (see Figure 1). Th~s out of direction travel not only would increase VMT~ but may cause mismatches in roadway function relative to surrounding land uses. For example~ West ISth Avenue is surrounded primarily by residential land uses. By serving as an overflow for West 1 lth Avenue traffic during congested periods, West 18th Avenue may be serving a function for which it is was neither designed nor intende& ~ird~ the region is undertaking other transportation and land use effo~s to reduce reliance on the automobile, including land use, demand management and system improvements. These measures ~nclude opportunities for nodal mixed use developments in areas served by transit and the Bus Rapid Transk (BRT)p~lot project~ implementation of which is expected to begin within the ne~t several yearn. Nodal mixed use development will place housing closer to jobs and shopping, thereby {ncreasing convenience ~d access[b[lky and reducing the need to drive long distancesfi5 The BRT concept consists ofhigh~frequency~ fast transk service along major h~ansportation corridors, with small bus service in neighborhoods that connects wkh the BRT corridor service and wkh nearby activity centers. Ultimately, elements of the BRT system may include exclusive bus lanes, a bus guideway system, traffic signal priority for transit, low-floor buses for ~hster boarding, pre-pare fares for faster boarding, greater spacing between bus stops, improved stops and stations, and park and ride lots along BRT corridors~ which will include West 1 Ith Avenue to BeltHne Highway. F[naIly~ the Modified Project will not encourage sprawl types of development that contribute to VMT per capita because so much of the area v¥4thin which the project is located cannot be developed under 52 ~ile LCOG, as a Council of Governments, covem the entire Lane County area, the Eugene-Springfield MPO plan boundary is only [he area wAhin the Metro P~an boundary. That boundary extends about 3,200 feet west of the UGB at Green H~I~ Road. 53 Figure 3~2 of the SDEIS ~ent~es 18,4~ trips ~ginning or ending outside the MPO area. ~ ~T ~pa~ am des~d below ~ the d~scussion of improve~n~ to ex~st~ng fadl~ties. 55 N~a] deve!~pment refem taa mixed-us~, ~destdan ~end/y ~and u~ pa~em that s~ks to increase ~n~ntrat~ons of population and emp~oy~n[ ~n wel~efined areas W~h 9o~ ~rans~ se~!~, a m~ of dive~e and ~mpatib!e ~and uses~ and Public and P~ate ~ProVemn[s designed to ~ pedestrian and transE oriented; N~al developments in the Eugene. Springfield areava~ i~ ~e amount, ty~ and orientation of ~mmerdal, dMc, and emp[oy~nt uses; ta~et ~mmercial ~OOr area ratios; s~e of buS,dings; and [he amount and ~ of res~ent~at uses. N~a~ development pa~ems ~n~ude neighbo~o~ ~ntem ~s~e~a~ develoPm~[) a~d emp~Oymen~ ~n~ {primarily ~ight ~dustfial offi~ and/or ~nst~ut~onal W~h so~ S~ppo~ng mtaJ~ and se~J~ a~iv~ies and possib~ some housing). E~IBff C4 -FINDINGS 28