Item 6: I-5/Willamette Bridge Naming Recommendation

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Action: Recommendation on Proposal to Name New Willamette/I-5 Bridge the “Whilamut Passage Bridge” Meeting Date: August 9, 2010 Agenda Item Number: 6 Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Beth Forrest www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5882 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY The council is asked to consider and act on a proposal to name the new Willamette River/I-5 Bridge the “Whilamut Passage Bridge.” This bridge is a state-owned facility and the council has been asked by members of the Citizen Planning Committee for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park (CPC) to support the proposed name and send its recommendation to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). BACKGROUND The process for considering this proposal was guided by the council’s draft naming policy, which was presented and discussed at a work session on May 19, 2010. Although the policy has not yet been formally adopted, councilors supported the core elements of the plan, which includes a public comment period, solicitation of financial information, and decision-making criteria. A request for the council to endorse a proposal to name the new I-5/Willamette River Bridge the “Whilamut Passage Bridge” was submitted in May 2010 by the CPC. The City of Eugene has no jurisdictional authority over the decision; therefore, the council is being asked only to consider the proposal and send its recommendation to ODOT. Public Comment A public comment period was initiated on June 14 and ended with a dedicated public hearing on July 26. During that period, over 65 comments were received via email or in the form of testimony. Of these, 60 were in favor of the proposed name. Financial Implications According to ODOT officials associated with this project, the financial implications of the naming proposal would be minimal. The naming of the bridge would cost virtually nothing, said Dick Upton, ODOT’s project manager for the bridge replacement. Small signs at each end of the bridge would include the names “Willamette River” and “Whilamut Passage Bridge” and cost between $1,000 and $1,500 for both. That cost would be part of the total $187 million bridge price tag, ODOT spokesman Rick Little said. - May 10, 2010, Register-Guard In his testimony at the July 26 public hearing, CPC member David Sonnichsen estimated the cost of two “modest” signs measuring 6’ x 4’ to be approximately $960.00, and noted that this expense has already been included by ODOT in the project budget. Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M100809\S1008096.doc