CC Minutes - 09/29/99 JEO - Laserfiche WebLink

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Gary Pape, City of Eugene, stated he agreed with the City of Springfield and LTD to continue the hearing at another date. Peter Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner, stated he agreed to continue with the meeting and asked that a date be chosen. Pat Hocken, LTD, said that given the Transplan process had gone on for five years, a delay to allow time to schedule another joint meeting would be best so everyone is fresh to listen to the testimony. Dave Kleger, LTD, noted that if each jurisdiction had subsequent hearings, that all information needed to be shared among everyone. Bill Dwyer, Lane County Commissioner, stated everyone should have an opportunity to speak and he is willing to go to another hearing. Green stated the meeting will go to 10:30 p.m. and he suggested the rest of the speakers be continued to Wednesday, October 20, 1999. Tom Schwetz, Lane Council of Governments, reported the public hearing is the formal beginning of the deliberations on Transplan that will lead to the adoption of the plan in some form. He noted one of the underlying objectives of the planning process has been to develop a plan that is adoptable by all four agencies. He added a critical part of adoptability in a long range planning process is understanding where the community is at with the future of the transportation system. He noted over the past six years there had been extensive public involvement on the process including a series of workshops, intensive stakeholder efforts, community surveys and the initial public review of the February 1998 draft with the planning commissions. He said they had received input from over 10,000 people. He noted there had been research and analysis on a wide variety of issues and ideas over the course of the planning process. He said the first symposium was in 1993, where the Transplan stakeholder group put in time, effort and creativity in exploring strategies for the region to consider in addressing the challenge of growth and change over the next 20 years. Schwetz reported that over the next planning period, it is projected there will be 45,000 jobs within the existing urban growth boundary, increasing congestion. He noted to meet federal requirements, the plan's costs must be limited to revenues available. He noted analysis suggests to build the way out of congestion, there would need to be added 140 lane miles to the roadway. He said the draft plan proposes 26 new lane miles. He reported the major roadway projects proposed in the plan focus on strategic investments, safety capacity and regional connectivity, including the addition of bike lanes and sidewalks. Schwetz said that Transplan improves the region's transportation choices. He said the Page 4 -- Joint Elected Officials' Meeting -- September 29, 1999 WP bc/m/99122/T