Ordinance No. 20438 - Laserfiche WebLink

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South Bank Viaduct Metro Plan Amendment and Goal 15 Exception Exhibit A to Adopting Ordinance and Staff Report September 22, 2009 Applicants: City of Springfield (initiated the amendment) City of Eugene Lane County Local File No.s: Springfield File No. LRP2009 -00005 Eugene File No. MA 09 -4 Lane County File No. PA09 -5472 Request: ProcedureType:. - To amend the Eugene - Springfield Metropolitan Area Type I Metro Plan Amendment General Plan (Metro Plan) text to include an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 to allow construction of a bicycle viaduct underneath the Willamette River 1 -5 Bridge. Attachments: Attachment 1: Metro Plan text amendment language. Attachment 2: Diagram showing the approximate. location of the proposed South Bank Viaduct I. Executive Summary Eugene - Springfield has one of the largest networks of riverfront bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the state. The current connection between Eugene and Springfield is limited to the north side of the Willamette River. The extensive south bank Willamette River path system in Eugene ends at Interstate 5 because of the physical barriers created by both the existing 1 -5 bridges and the proximity of Franklin Boulevard (OR 1268) to the Willamette River. Users traveling between the two cities along the south side of the Willamette River must cross to the north side of the river near the 1 -5 bridge or divert to the shoulders of Franklin Boulevard (OR 126B), a high speed arterial street. Many planning documents, including the Central Lane MPO Regional Transportation Plan, TransPlan, the Glenwood Refinement Plan and Willamalane Park and Recreation District Comprehensive Plan, call for the continuation of the Willamette River South Bank Path through Glenwood to Springfield. Construction of the South Bank Viaduct is essential to the continuation and development of the South Bank Path. The combined viaduct and path facilities (the combined facilities referred to hereafter as the viaduct) will provide a safer, more pleasant experience for recreational and commuter bicyclists and pedestrians traveling between Eugene and Springfield through Glenwood. The proposed viaduct will be about 16 feet wide and 1,100 feet in length. It will connect to the South Bank Path at the point where it currently diverts away from the river in Eugene, just west of the 1 -5 bridges. The viaduct will elevate the bike /pedestrian path and move it out away from the steep bank near the 1 -5 bridges, and return to the riverbank at a point where the path can continue to Glenwood. The proposed structure will hug the shoreline, minimizing its impact on the river. Some supporting columns will be placed in the river to support the viaduct as it bypasses the slope barrier. Attachment 2 -1