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Mr. Papd wondered if the tree removal would require a vote under the City's charter amendment. Mr. Viggiano said he would research the issue. Mr. Papd suggested both the board and staff embark on a marketing campaign to gain public support. Mr. Lee said he would be very concerned if BRT was not faster then "mainstream traffic." He emphasized the importance of transportation access to development, urging consistency with the City's growth management plan and other goals. Mr. Lee ascertained that only about 20 percent of riders were cash customers, all others belong to group pass organizations. Mr. Lee wondered if there was federal support for other phases of the project. Ms. Hocken said it was important to keep the project in the forefront of those vying for federal dollars and this community was in a very good position for more funding. Mr. Lee said he hoped the project would not be as problematic for commuters as the Ferry Street Bridge project Ms. Taylor said the project should not go forward unless there was a public need/demand for it. She wondered how important it was to people to travel faster and how many would be willing to walk additional distances to the less frequent stops. Ms. Taylor said she hoped the buses would not be use for advertising. She asked if there was any chance that the service would be free. Mr. Viggiano said no change in fares have been considered. Ms. Hocken said all indications are that congestion in the Eugene-Springfield will increase tremendously and the public will appreciate BRT then. Mayor Torrey said many remained concerned about the parking problem on 11th Avenue and asked Mr. Viggiano to speak to all the businesses located there. He asked if there was no cost to the City for the project. Mr. Viggiano confirmed that there was no cost to the City for the BRT improvements, but there could be City costs for other elements beyond those necessary for BRT. Mayor Torrey wondered if Phase 1 could stand alone, e.g., was this project worth doing if only Phase 1 was possible? He asked about the impact on travel times should LTD have problems with getting exclusive rights-of-way and about ODOT concerns. Mr. Viggiano said Oregon Department of Transportation staff were on both the Steering Committee and the technical committees. Mayor Torrey asked why skateboards were not allowed on buses. Mr. Viggiano said there was no such prohibition. The Mayor urged LTD to answer as many of the questions raised as possible to avoid losing support for the project. Mr. Rayor said he was very supportive of the project, and that was why he preferred to see more dual guide ways. Mr. Kelly said he has been very impressed with the public workshops held thus far. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted, James R. Johnson City Manager (Recorded by Yolanda Paule) Minutes--Eugene City Council September 13, 1999 Page 4 5:30 p.m.