Item B: Update on the West Eugene Parkway and the 2008-2011 State Transportation Improvement Program

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Update on the West Eugene Parkway and the 2008-2011 State Transportation Improvement Program Meeting Date: October 26, 2005 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Kurt Corey www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5612 ISSUE STATEMENT The Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) is scheduled to discuss the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) 2008-2011 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) modernization project priorities on November 10, 2005, and approve the modernization project priorities on December 8, 2005. Mayor Piercy and Councilor Kelly, as the City’s two MPC representatives, requested a work session on the West Eugene Parkway (WEP) prior to the MPC discussion and approval of the 2008-2011 STIP modernization project priorities. The City Council is requested to continue its support of the WEP as a modernization project priority in the 2008-2011 STIP. BACKGROUND West Eugene Parkway Status The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), upon approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), initiated a Re-Evaluation Report in March 2003 to reassess the WEP as defined in the 1997 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS). ODOT commissioned this reassessment in light of: 1) the need for an extended forecast year for the project (from 2015 to 2025); and, 2) the need to use revised, and generally more stringent, operating and design standards for ODOT expressway facilities, adopted in 2003. The intent of the re-evaluation was to determine: 1) whether the design of the WEP should change in response to the revised forecast year and operating/design standards; 2) whether a WEP project that meets the new operating and design standards in the new forecast year could advance to the publication of the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS), or if the FHWA would require another SDEIS to be conducted prior to publishing an SFEIS; and 3) whether any local plans would need to be amended to reflect changes made to the proposed design of the project. The re-evaluation, led by ODOT in cooperation with FHWA, the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG), Lane County and the City of Eugene was conducted by a consultant team and re-examined: The purpose and need statement for the project ? Traffic modeling in light of changes to volume/capacity and level of service standards ? Right-of-way requirements, compared to the SDEIS ? Environmental impacts, including protected wetland displacements (as per the West Eugene ? Wetlands Plan (WEWP)) and additional rare plants displaced, compared to the SDEIS Capital cost expressed in base year (2005) dollars ? Design standards, ODOT and City of Eugene ? National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implications, assessment of whether an additional ? SDEIS would be required L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M051026\S051026B.doc