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MINUTES OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH EUGENE CITY COUNCIL, Page 3 <br />METROPOLITAN POLICY COMMITTEE, AND LANE TRANSIT DISTRICT <br />BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FEBRUARY 8, 2011 <br />compensate her, and she was told that the loss was part of the cost of doing business and was her <br />problem. She said she should not have had to carry that loss, and that it was LTD's cost of doing <br />business. She received no help from the City, the County, nor the Governor's Office. Three stores on <br />her block went out of business during the construction period. It would be a nightmare for the <br />businesses on West 11 Avenue. A year has passed since construction ended on Pioneer Parkway, <br />and her business has not come back. <br />Lt. Robert Powell, Mueller Road, Oregon City, recommended the No -Build option. The intent of <br />EmX appears to have a predetermined outcome. The money is not in existence. The King County <br />Transit System saw no fuel savings in a one -year study. Articulated buses were not good in snow <br />and other inclement weather. He used the standard city bus in Oregon City, and it was working well. <br />The estimate that $400,000 would be recovered over 20 years was not realistic. Taxpayers would be <br />forced to cover costs. The West 13 Avenue route invaded the neighborhood. West 11 Avenue <br />could be rebuilt for one -third the amount of money. EmX was not sustainable. Private vehicles were <br />becoming more fuel efficient. He said he would provide evidence for his position. <br />Stefan Kwiatkowski, West 16 Avenue, Eugene, displayed a graph to the public officials. He stated <br />his opposition to No Build. In 2050 costs to maintain same frequency will take off like a rocket for the <br />West 13 Avenue project. He feared the LTD system would turn into a system similar to the Bend, <br />Oregon, system. The No -Build crowd said that it was a waste of taxpayer money. If we did not take <br />the money, it would go to Alabama; so we might as well take it. It was foolish to reject the gift. BRT is <br />quicker than the regular bus because the driver does not collect fares and drivers can influence <br />traffic lights. He said he rides the West 11 Avenue buses, and they are always full. People in <br />wheelchairs are often turned away because all of the wheelchair bays are full. He is boycotting the <br />businesses that are involved in the No Build campaign. The community will shoot itself in the foot by <br />going with the No -Build option. He observed that there is no one in the No -Build crowd attending <br />tonight's public hearing that is under 30 years old. <br />Pat Hocken, West 11 Eugene, representing the League of Women Voters, said that the League's <br />office is located in the area being studied for the EmX route. Bus rapid transit is essential for <br />Eugene's metropolitan area. The League takes positions on issues only after it has researched and <br />discussed them. As part of the League's research on EmX, about 50 members toured route <br />alternatives and rode on EmX in the Franklin corridor. BRT has been a key component of the <br />regional transportation plan since 2001 and has received a comprehensive review during the <br />process. The Franklin and Pioneer Parkway EmX lines provide a clear illustration of the benefits to <br />the community. The League supported an extension from downtown Eugene to West Eugene. LTD <br />has provided an extensive public outreach program and has worked diligently with property owners, <br />residents, and with other interested citizens to mitigate the impacts of the proposals. The process <br />has been thorough and open. The League favored the West 13 Avenue to West 11 Avenue <br />option. The projections for this alternative, when compared to the No -Build alternative, showed a <br />49 percent reduction in the estimated time for a round trip in 2031 and an 11 percent reduction in <br />automobiles for that corridor. The alternative would dramatically improve ridership and reduce <br />operating costs. The League supported the alternative even though it would remove on- street <br />parking in front of the League's offices on West 11 Avenue. The City of Eugene adopted a policy <br />designed to improve access for pedestrians and transit riders by requiring buildings to be built <br />practically on the street. This has created barriers for the right -of -way for EmX. She asked the City to <br />review that policy. The community has a wonderful opportunity to continue to develop the BRT <br />system. <br />Jim Wilcox, West 31 Eugene, Director of Bike Lane, said the group he represents supports the <br />West Eugene EmX expansion because they believe that in order for more people to bike, it needs to <br />be easier than driving. When multi -modal transportation, such as biking and mass transit, is <br />integrated, more people bike. There is $80 million spent in Lane County on gasoline per year, and <br />