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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: I-5/Franklin Interchange Meeting Date: February 15, 2006 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Lisa Gardner www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: (541) 682-5378 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is an opportunity for the City Council to receive an update on the outreach process conducted for the I-5/Franklin Proposed Interchange project in December 2005. The council is requested to approve the continuation of the project through a refinement study process. The refinement study will be funded by a $400,000 SAFTEA-LU earmark requiring a ten percent local match. If a refinement study is approved, then an FY07 General Fund decision package will be prepared for the City’s estimated $20,000 share of the local match BACKGROUND Over the past year, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has engaged in a “Community Dialogue” on the potential for new interchange ramp connections between Interstate 5 and Franklin Boulevard. This process was initiated at the request of the cities of Eugene and Springfield. ODOT’s commitment to this process has included both funding the process and managing the contract administration and technical work program of the consultant team and project management team. The scope of the process has included a technical scan of eight interchange concepts. The results of the technical scan were summarized in four technical memos: 1) existing conditions and potential constraints; 2) engineering/environmental and cost analysis; 3) traffic forecasts; and 4) potential revenue sources. The process also had a public involvement component that included engaging citizen groups, business owners and residents, and holding a series of public workshops. At the November 14 work session, ODOT indicated that the council would be provided with an opportunity to give a “thumbs up, or thumbs down” following the scheduled public workshops in December 2005. At the February 15 work session, ODOT will provide a summary of the results of the public workshops, and will provide information on ODOT’s assessment of the project, and its potential role in further study of the project. In the attached memo, ODOT states that the study has not identified a state transportation problem that would be solved by adding ramps to the I-5 interchange at Franklin Boulevard, and therefore does not see a transportation justification for developing interchange ramps at this location within the next 20 years. However, ODOT does state that it would not preclude further consideration of this action if the decision is made locally to move forward with the refinement planning process for I-5 Franklin, and to explore other possible justifications for interchange improvements at this location. ODOT participation in the refinement planning process would be to commit to co-manage a more detailed refinement planning effort where ODOT staff manages procurement, contract administration, and the technical aspects of a refinement plan. ODOT participation in this process L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060215\S060215B.doc