CC Minutes - 02/08/11 JEO Public Hearing

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MINUTES OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH EUGENE CITY COUNCIL, Page 5 METROPOLITAN POLICY COMMITTEE, AND LANE TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FEBRUARY 8, 2011 unanswered questions. He questioned how operating costs could be less than traditional service since the buses were costlier to purchase and they were more expensive to operate. He had observed the Gateway route which carries only 10 passengers during non -peak hours. He questioned projections for ridership. Routes, especially the Breeze service, have been cut. He is concerned about ridership of the current system through the West 11 Avenue corridor, which was minimal during non -peak hours. He questioned LTD's transparency, noting questions on its Facebook page went largely unanswered. This is a dividing issue in the community, and he encouraged a "no" vote. He said we should take more time to work out the details and achieve success in the community. Elaine Zablocki, Ferry Street, Eugene, is a private citizen who is getting older. She will drive less in the future, and expects the cost of gas to go up. She will not buy an electric car. She asked the business people on West 11 Avenue to please think about what would happen if one -third of their customers were no longer driving. She bought plants from Grays and brought them home on the bus. She suggested that in the future, buses should accommodate people who get on buses with shopping carts. She wants to see more stores have delivery services, which presents a private enterprise opportunity for businesses. She said the blue van provides transportation to the airport and wants to see that same service to Valley River Center and Fred Meyer. Rusty Rexius, Panorama Road, Springfield, stated his support for EmX. He supports the many challenges in providing this important service. People are concerned with property rights, business interruptions, and operational costs. LTD has worked diligently to address those concerns. In the long term, the community will be faced with a growing population with confined space to house and employ people. Those challenges can be met. The greatest challenge will be to figure out how to move a growing population reliably, effectively, and efficiently. It is important to invest in a public transportation system, which helps meet housing and employment needs. It is important to develop a transportation corridor, and rapid transit is an important element of the corridor. A dense and livable downtown has long been a goal of the City. EmX will help make that become a reality. There are many people who will continue to live on the edges of the city and will need to drive. A rising student population and successful business recruitment needed a viable transportation system. Jack Meacham, West 28 Eugene, rides and supports EmX. It is important to think in terms of quality of life for the future. Eugene's population will increase in the next decade, and traffic congestion will be bad in 2020. Cars are getting more expensive for families to purchase and maintain. The cost of gas will go up, resulting in gas shortages. In a decade, substantially more Eugene residents will have to rely on public rapid transportation, and using the bus will become a necessity for many people. Decades ago many people thought covered wagons were sufficient to move people and goods, and railroads were a waste of tax money. More recently, many people thought slow, two -lane highways were sufficient; and many of those cities were by- passed by the interstate highway system. The automobile age is coming to a close. Without quality public transportation, Eugene will no longer be competitive with other cities. It is important to extend the competitive quality of life to attract business and jobs to the community. Larry Reed, Scenic Drive, Eugene, stated his support for EmX. He had written a letter to the City Council and the Envision Eugene group. He asked the City Council to read the letter again. LTD was not building rapid transit to serve single - family, detached housing neighborhoods. EmX was not designed to maintain the status quo, but for 20 -30 years in the future. He asked what was the alternative, and if the West Eugene Parkway or another parkway project would be revisited. He asked if a much larger expansion of the urban growth boundary (LIGB) and continuation of single - family, low- density residential development in farm land and other resource land would be lobbied for. He did not think the community would come up with a different solution. EmX is not requiring business to change how they do business today, but the businesses should be thinking about the future. He encouraged the officials to support BRT.