HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-17-26ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-17-26
of the
Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene
ESTABLISHING TWO-WAY TRAFFIC ON LAWRENCE STREET FROM
WEST 7TH AVENUE TO WEST 13TH AVENUE
The Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene finds that:
A. Under the provisions of Chapter IV, Section 16 of the Eugene Charter of 2002, the
City Manager is designated as the administrative head of the City, and is specifically authorized
to enforce all ordinances of the City. In addition, EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the
Manager's designee to take administrative action designating the direction of traffic flow on
streets. EC 5.055 sets forth the criteria the City Manager or the City Manager's designee should
consider when taking administrative action authorized by EC 5.040.
B. On September 24, 2009, the City Manager issued Administrative Order No. 58-09-
14 granting the Traffic Engineer of the Public Works Department the authority to exercise all of
the duties and responsibilities specifically defined as those of the City Manager in Section 5.040
and 5.050 of the Eugene Code, 1971. In addition, Administrative Rule R-5.045 assigns additional
responsibilities to the Traffic Engineer.
C. By Administrative Order No. 58-17-08, the City Manager appointed me as the
City's Traffic Engineer and delegated to me authority to exercise all duties and responsibilities
granted to the City Manager by EC 5.040 and 5.050.
D. Pursuant to the above -authority, I intend to establish two-way traffic on Lawrence
Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13th Avenue. In making the decision to establish two-way
traffic on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13th Avenue, I have considered all of the
applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055. Based on the applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055, the
following findings support my decision to establish two-way traffic on Lawrence Street from West
7t11 Avenue to West 13th Avenue:
1) Lawrence Street between West 7th Avenue and West 13th Avenue is a local street with a
posted speed of 25 mph. The street has two 9.5 -foot southbound travel lanes and 6.5 -
foot wide parking lanes on the east and west sides. The curb to curb width is
approximately 33 -feet wide.
Establishing two-way traffic on Lawrence Street will not change the street classification
or posted speed. The two-way configuration of Lawrence Street will be one southbound
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and one north bound travel lane each approximately 9.5 -feet in width with a 6.5 -foot
parking lane on both the east and west sides of the street.
2) Currently parking along the west and east sides of Lawrence Street is predominately
regulated 2 hour parking with sections on the eastside of the street allowing exception to
the 2 hour parking regulation with a Zone E permit. Changing Lawrence Street to two-
way traffic will not affect parking other than to reverse the direction of parking on the
east side of the street.
3) from 2007 to 2015, there were forty-two crashes on Lawrence Street between West 7th
Avenue and West 13th Avenue. One crash resulted in major injuries and eight crashes
resulted in moderate injuries including one crash involving a person bicycling. Twelve
crashes resulted in minor injuries and twenty-one crashes resulted in property damage
only.
4) The land use along Lawrence Street is predominately single and multi -family residential
with interspersed areas of General Service, Retail, Educational and Religious/Charitable
land -uses.
5) Traffic volumes collected in September 2017 indicate that one southbound lane is
sufficient to accommodate the existing ADT of 3,500 vehicles per a day traveling
southbound on Lawrence near West 10th Avenue and 2,700 vehicles per day traveling
south near West 12" Avenue. Two-way traffic operations may result in a slight increase
in traffic volume, but will improve traffic circulation.
6) Establishing two-way traffic operations on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to
West 13th Avenue will:
a) Reduce out of direction travel and provide greater connectivity of the street grid
reducing vehicle miles traveled.
b) Enhance safety by:
i) Eliminating the threat to pedestrians crossing the street that one car stops, but a
car traveling in the same direction in the adjacent lane does not.
ii) Eliminating south bound vehicle weaving between lanes on Lawrence Street.
ii) Eliminating the double left turn from Lawrence Street to West 13th Avenue which
conflicts with pedestrians crossing 13th Avenue at that location.
7) Postcards were sent to property owners and tenants along the Lawrence Street corridor
from West 7th Avenue to West 13th Avenue and neighborhood association leaders from
the Downtown and Jefferson Westside neighborhoods were contacted asking for input
on the City's proposal to establish two-way traffic operations on Lawrence Street from
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West 7th Avenue to West 13th Avenue. The City received ten responses, nine of which
were supportive of the change and one person who was not sure the change was needed
but not opposed to the change.
8) Establishing two-way traffic on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13th
Avenue is consistent with Goals l., 2. and 4., System Wide Policies 2., Roadway and
Parking Policies 2. and 6., Potential Actions for Roadway and Parking Policies M. and R
and Pedestrian Policies 1. in the Eugene 2035 Transportation System Plan, adopted by
City Council on June 26, 2017.
Goals
Goal 1: Create an integrated transportation system that is safe and efficient; supports the
Metro Plan's land use diagram, Envision Eugene, A Community Vision for 2032 (2012),
the City of Eugene's target for a 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption, and
other City land use and economic development goals; reduces reliance on single -
occupancy automobiles; and enhances community livability.
Goal 2: Advance regional sustainability by providing a transportation system that
improves economic vitality, environmental health, social equity, and overall well-being.
Goal 4; Address the transportation needs and safety of all travelers, including people of
all ages, abilities, races, ethnicities, and incomes. Through transportation investments,
respond to the needs of system users, be context sensitive, and distribute the benefits and
impacts of transportation decisions fairly iluoughout the City.
System -Wide Policies
2. Consider safety first when making transportation decisions. Strive for zero
transportation -related fatalities and severe injuries by reducing the number and severity
of crashes through design, operations, maintenance, education, and enforcement. In
furtherance of the City Council's adopted Vision Zero goal (Resolution No. 5143),
prioritize safety improvements for people who walk, bike and use mobility devices
because no loss of life or serious injury on our streets is acceptable.
Roadway and Parking Policies
2. Improve connectivity and address deficiencies in the street network, both inside the
Urban Growth Boundary and connecting to neighboring cities, with the understanding
that connectivity needs may differ based on an area's planned land uses (e.g., large lot
industrial areas may have different needs than residential areas).
6. Continually optimize the efficiency of the transportation system through transportation
system management (TSM) improvements, connectivity improvements, multimodal
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improvements, parking management and supply, and Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) strategies, in combination with the projects identified in this TSP.
Potential Actions for Roadway and Parking Policies
M. Change the configuration of some streets to encourage slower vehicle speeds.
R. Consider converting to two-way traffic Charnelton Street between 11th and 13th
Avenues, Lincoln Street from 5th Avenue to 11th Avenue, and Lawrence Street from 6th
Avenue to 13th Avenue.
Pedestrian Policies
1. Encourage walking as the most attractive mode of transportation for short trips (e.g.,
within one half miles) within and to activity centers, downtown, key corridors, and maj or
destinations, and as a means of accessing transit.
9) Establishing two-way traffic on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13"'
Avenue is consistent with Objectives 10 of the City of Eugene Community Climate and
Energy Action Plan which City Council directed to be developed on October 8, 2008.
Objective 10: Create 20 -minute neighborhoods, where 90 percent of Eugene residents
can safely walk or bicycle to meet most basic, daily, non -work needs, and have safe
pedestrian and bicycle routes that connect to mass transit.
10) Establishing two-way traffic operations on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to
West 13th Avenue is consistent with goals (3) and (4) of the Climate Recovery Ordinance
No. 20540 adopted by City Council on July 28, 2014 and subsequently updated by
Council under Ordinance No. 20567.
(3) By the year 2030, all businesses, individuals and others living or working in the city
collectively shall reduce the total (not per capita) use of fossil fuels by 50% compared
to 2010 usage.
(4) By the year 2100, total community greenhouse gas emissions shall be average share
of a global atmospheric greenhouse gas Ievel of 350ppm, which is estimated in 2016
to require an annual average emission reduction level of 7.6%.
11) Establishing two-way traffic on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13th
Avenue is consistent with City Plans and polices and community desires. Therefore
establishing two-way traffic operations on Lawrence Street from West 7th Avenue to
West 13th Avenue is in the best interested of the City.
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On the basis of these findings, I order that two-way -traffic be established on Lawrence
Street from West 7th Avenue to West 13' Avenue.
Dated and effective this day of October, 2017.
Matthew .VRodrigues
Traffic Engineer
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