CC Minutes - 02/20/01 Work Session

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direct staff to come up with some "quick and dirty" answers on how much the proposals would cost. Ms. Wylie expressed her appreciation for being invited to this meeting. All present have an intense desire to continue the good living environment in the community, but that there were divergent ways of bringing that goal about. She acknowledged that the LTD board spent significant time discussing what the transportation system will look like 20 years from now. Ms. Morrison said that she wanted to retain the $17 million and supported construction of Phase 1. However, she expressed concern about losing Phase 2. She said that the Board of County Commissioners worked closely with the City of Eugene to get this project approved. The community's population has increased in the last 10 years and transportation needs have continued to increase. She said the community needed to address the congestion problems now as well as in the future. She agreed Mr. Gaydos' comments about the difficulty of serving West 11th Avenue from Beltline east with transit. Ms. Morrison pointed out that there are a lot of citizens who live outside the urban growth boundary who have not been included in the discussion. Ms. Morrison told Mr. Pirrie that she considered this a State highway project that had nothing to do with local arterial streets. She said that in the past two years, the traffic patterns and congestion have changed in the West Eugene area. She called for a common sense approach to the problem. Regarding the waiver required for Phase 2, Ms. Morrison said she did not see any concern in obtaining a waiver. Ms. Taylor asked Mr. Pirrie if he had suggested that if just Phase lA was completed, that it would increase problems rather that solve problems. Mr. Pirrie said that Phase lA will add to th traffic congestion, specifically on West 11 Avenue, west of Beltline. Regarding the requirement for a waiver for construction of the parkway over the wetlands, Ms. Taylor said that just because the City could get a waiver did not mean it was the right thing to do. She said this project was not paramount. If the City has been going in the wrong direction, then the direction should change. She said she would be in support of the proposed motion by Mr. Kelly and at looking at alternative proposals. Ms. Weeldreyer said that most of her comments have been made. She echoed the comments of Mr. Farr and Ms. Morrison. There are clearly many legitimate projects within Region 2. She noted that development in the Veneta area will encourage growth west of Eugene and that many of those residents will be commuting into Eugene and Springfield for work. She had confidence that a solution could be found. Ms. Weeldreyer expressed a concern that ©D©T not lose funds that have been invested in purchasing right-of-way for Phase lA. She said that the issue of elected official credibility was very important to consider. She supported a solution that segmented the project, and wanted the elected officials to work together to address the growing congestion problems in West Eugene. Mr. Meisner did not see the solution as building new capacity. He said that he has heard nothing from ©D©T that it would "actively" work with the City to remedy the local traffic problems. The parkway was designed to be an expressway and it did not have great connections to westside neighborhoods. He said that the City Council has to be concerned with local problems and solutions, as well as traffic through the community. He said that he was not sure that cutting the west Eugene neighborhood in half would benefit the neighborhood. MINUTES-Joint Meeting- Eugene City Council February 20, 2001 Page 10 Lane County Commissioners/Lane Transit District Board Members