Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

Home Browse Search

thth for pedestrians between 13 and 18 avenues. He said the gap analysis concluded there were adequate gaps th for crossing most of the time, except at 15 Avenue. th Mr. Zelenka asked what it would cost to determine the impact of converting Willamette Street between 18 ththth and 20 avenues and Oak Street between 13 and 20 avenues to two-way operation. Mr. Henry estimated the cost at $50,000, but said the project would need to be scoped. Mr. Zelenka did not want a solution to the problem to be deferred for an indefinite period of time. Mr. Pryor agreed that the study should not take forever or cost $50,000. Mr. Pryor, seconded by Ms. Bettman, moved to accept the recommendation of the volunteer citizen stakeholder committee that Willamette Street remain one-way thth southbound between 18 and 20 avenues pending a major study that would iden- tify alternative routes for a large amount of the traffic and be done in a timely fash- ion. Ms. Bettman offered a friendly amendment to add the following recommendations: thth 1. Adding a southbound bicycle lane on Willamette from 18 to 20 if it can thth operate safely with no net loss of parking between 18 and 19, and a thth minimum loss of parking between 19 and 20. We also recommend this bicycle lane connect to the existing bicycle lane that currently ends mid- thth block between 17 and 18, if this can be safely done. thth 2. Adding bump outs (sidewalk extensions) at 18 and 19 for safer pedes- trian crossing while retaining parking. 3. Maintaining the traffic diverter and island refuge for pedestrian crossing at th 20. Mr. Pryor accepted the friendly amendment. Ms. Taylor said she had hoped that the study would identify ways to mitigate effects on businesses and improve pedestrian safely, with Oak Street a part of the solution. She said the motion seemed to repeat the council’s action of several years ago. Mr. Henry said CATS had looked at Oak Street, but could not find a way to meet service levels if there was a conversion to two-way; Willamette Street was the only opportunity at that time. Ms. Bettman offered a friendly amendment to direct the City Manager to direct staff to bring back a timeline and cost estimate for expanding the Willamette Street conversion analysis to include conversion of the entire lengths of Oak and Pearl streets to two-way operation and the impact on the level of service on Willamette Street. Mr. Pryor accepted the friendly amendment. In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Mr. Henry estimated that information on study options could be provided to the council in a month. Ms. Solomon arrived at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Ortiz said she would support the motion, but wanted to assure that the City’s current priorities, specifically Beltline between River Road and Interstate 5, were retained unless other direction was given. MINUTES—Eugene City Council September 22, 2008 Page 4 Work Session