01/03/13 - City Council Newsletter

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reconstructing the Rexius Recreation Trail from Hilyard Street to Martin Street, and installing two additional pedestrian bridges and reconstructing the existing bridge to current standards. NE Livable Streets implements a significant portion of the City’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. The solution would develop Livable Streets that are comfortable for walking and bicycling trips over a large geographic area (7.8 square miles) of the city, and increase access to transit stops. Projects include developing a bicycle boulevard network comprised of enhanced wayfinding signs and shared lane markings, traffic calming, pedestrian islands, stutter flash pedestrian signals and widened sidewalks at critical crossing locations and bus stops. Funding for this project was also sought through ODOT’s Transportation Enhancement Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee 2012 Combined Solicitation Program. ODOT has prepared an online survey to collect public input through 5 p.m., Jan. 31. To register support for the NE Livable Streets project in the survey, select “Linn, Benton & Lane Counties (except coast)” as the Primary Area of Interest and then choose project #48 City of Eugene - NE Neighborhoods - Bike Boulevards and Pedestrian Crossings. The Jessen Path will be a key active transportation facility for the 28,228 residents of the Bethel neighborhood in northwest Eugene. The Jessen Path will create an east-west link across the north side of the neighborhood that connects to the Beltline Highway shared-use path and eventually to the regional path network. The 12-foot-wide path will extend 7,250 feet along the south side of the 222-acre Golden Gardens Park which is a significant natural and recreational resource for northwest Eugene. The SmartTrips Regional Program is comprehensive individual household marketing aimed at increasing biking, walking, use of public transit, and ridesharing. Locations include the West Eugene EmX Corridor in 2017 and West Bethel in 2018. In addition to the projects listed above, ODOT and Lane Transit District (LTD) also submitted projects contained within the City of Eugene. ODOT is seeking funding for safety improvements on Beltline in the vicinity of the Delta Highway. LTD applied for funds to conduct a study of EmX from River Road/Hwy 99 to Lane Community College and to replace the existing River Road transit station with a new one north of Beltline. More information about projects submitted by LTD, ODOT and other agencies will be posted on the Central Lane MPO and Lane ACT web pages. For more information, contact Reed Dunbar, associate transportation planner, at 541-682-5727. Three December Shows at Hult Sold Out The “SOLD OUT” message on the Hult Center’s 6 and 7 avenue marquees for three of its shows in December is the sign of thth thriving arts and culture in the community. Congratulations to the two local arts organizations, All That! Dance, presenting the Nutcracker Remixed, and the Eugene Symphony, one of the Hult Center’s six resident companies, presenting Cirque de Noel. The three performances they presented in December represent a total of 3,400 tickets sold, and much more. The Arts and Economic Prosperity Study, conducted by Americans for the Arts in 2011, with many local partners including the City of Eugene and the Hult Center, confirmed that Eugene is indeed incredibly rich in arts and culture, and compares very well to other similarly sized cities. Nonprofit arts and culture is a significant industry in the city of Eugene - one that generates $45.6 million in total economic activity. This spending - $29.5 million by nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and an additional $16.1 million in event-related spending by their audiences - supports 1,739 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $34.8 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $2.4 million in local and state government revenue. This economic impact study sends a strong signal that when the arts are supported, not only is the community’s quality of life enhanced, but so is its economic well-being. This December alone, close to 10,000 patrons enjoyed performances at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Eugene. The staff at the Hult Center is proud to play such an important part in the vibrancy of the arts and culture community, and equally proud of the considerable economic impact for the entire community. Read more about the study at http://eugeneaep.wordpress.com/. For more information, contact Hult Center Event Manager Theresa Sizemore at 541-682-5242. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 January 3, 2013