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GREAT STREETS Great Streets connect special places with safe, convenient and interesting routes. They are pedestrian-oriented in design and appearance, with retail and other active ground floor uses. They accommodate bicycles, slow-moving automobile traffic, on-street parking and emergency vehicles. Great Streets are places people choose to walk along and return to. The concept of Great Streets was one of the most strongly supported ideas in the Vision for Greater Downtown Eugene as a way to characterize downtown and focus public attention and funding. These Great Streets will be the basis of a walkable downtown network that encourage pedestrians and retail activity. Historically, Broadway and Willamette Street were the important streets downtown. 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue were also key streets, one for market activities and one for civic uses. Part of what makes these streets great is their connection to places that are important in the history of our community, reinforced by building design and the location of public art. All four of these streets need to be designed as urban open space, to transcend the function of moving traffic and flourish as pedestrian routes and destinations. A public improvement strategy will be created to reinforce the special character of each Great Street. Improvements will include elements such as special paving, street trees, benches and ~nfc,~atic, n signs and street furniture. Design guidelines are already in place for buildings that front Broadway between Oak and Chamelton. Similar guidelines should be extended to all the Great Streets to promote high quality, pedestrian orientated design. Commercial signs or signs for information, direction, or public safety need to be well designed and placed along these streets to add to the sense of purpose and activity, not increase the visual clutter. Willamette Street Willamette Street is the historic main street of Eugene. Although the historic buildings clustered at Broadway and Willamette are gone, the street remains the significant commercial street in downtown. Several blocks along Willamette have been improved with the removal of the pedestrian mall, but a unifying concept for the portion of this street between 5th and 13th Avenues still needs to be developed and implemented. Willamette Street opens onto the plaza at Broadway and Willamette and the Hult Center Plaza. The City should consider changes to the Hult Center Plaza to enhance the visual connection between Skinner Butte and Spencer Butte, and if possible, allow access for transit and emergency vehicles. The north end of Willamette Street ends at the train depot. A pedestrian connection across the railroad tracks to Skinner Butte Park has been desired for many years and should be vigorously pursued. Broadway The pedestrian ambience along parts of Broadway is among the best downtown. It is consistently ranked as a favorite retail location for window shopping and dining. Ground 16