HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-20-15ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 58-20-15
of the
Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF WEST BROADWAY BETWEEN WILLAMETTE
STREET AND OLIVE STREET FROM JULY 16, 2020, TO OCTOBER 31, 2020
The Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene finds that:
A. EC 5.040 authorizes the City Manager or the Manager's designee to take administrative action to
close or open any street to vehicular or pedestrian traffic. 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 and 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.
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. On May 22, 2020, the City Manager issued Administrative Order 56-20-02 allowing for temporary
permits for outdoor seating within the public right-of-way.
E . Pursuant to the above-authority, I intend to close West Broadway between Willamette Street and
Olive Street to vehicular traffic from July 16, 2020, to October 31, 2020. In making this decision, I considered
all of the applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055 (a-n), including the consideration of traffic engineering
principles and traffic investigations. Based on consideration of the applicable criteria set forth in EC 5.055 (a-
n), the following findings support my decision:
I. Temporary closure to vehicular traffic on West Broadway for cafe seating is consistent with the
Eugene 2035 Transportation System Plan, adopted by City Council on June 26, 2017:
Goal 3: Strengthen community resilience to changes in climate, increases in fossil fuel prices, and
economic fluctuations by making the transportation networks diverse, adaptable, and not reliant on
a single mode.
System-Wide Policy I: Foster neighborhoods where Eugene residents could meet most of their
basic daily needs without an automobile by providing streets, sidewalks, bikeways, and access to
transit in an inviting environment where all travelers feel safe and secure.
System-Wide Policy 3: Improve community health by designing streets and paths to encourage
increased physical activity by the public.
2. The use of abutting properties on West Broadway between Olive Street and Willamette Street
includes several restaurants.
Administrative Order --Page I of 2
3. West Broadway is a low-traffic volume local street in the Eugene 's downtown commercial core. It
is a common travel route for people walking and biking. People biking on West Broadway currently
share the travel lane with people driving cars. During the period this administrative order is in
effect, travel lanes will be used as a public pedestrian area, prohibiting anyone from impeding
access to any adjacent private or public building (i.e. leaving less than an eight-foot wide travel
lane clear for pedestrian use). People on bikes and other non-motorized vehicles on West Broadway
are required to yield to pedestrians.
4. West Broadway between Olive Street and Willamette Street is a local street with a speed limit of
20mph. This street segment has a paved width of approximately 36 feet, with one 10-foot wide
travel lane in each direction, 8-foot wide parking lanes on each side of the street, and a center
planted median. Sidewalks are present on each side of the street.
5. At least one travel lane will remain accessible to emergency vehicles during the dates of this
administrative order.
6. Closing West Broadway between Willamette Street and Olive Street to people driving creates a
safe place for outdoor seating free from conflict with automobile traffic is in support of public
health, safety and welfare. Executive Orders of the Governor of Oregon have declared a statewide
emergency due to COVID-19, through September 4, 2020. On May 14, 2020, Governor Kate
Brown approved Lane County's application to begin Phase 1 of her reopening plan for Oregon.
Phase 1 includes the Governor's guidance for restaurants that requires, among other things, tables
(both indoors and outdoors) to be spaced at least six ( 6) feet apart. It wou Id be in the public interest
to close this portion of the public street so that adjacent restaurants may apply, pursuant to Eugene
Administrative Order 56-20-02, to use the public right of way for the temporary placement of tables
and chairs in compliance with the Governor guidance.
7. Extension of cafe seating into the street is an economic response strategy to the COVID-19
pandemic as a special event of community interest.
On the basis of these findings, I order that:
West Broadway between Willamette Street and Olive Street is hereby closed to vehicular through traffic
from July 16, 2020, to October 31, 2020. During this time West Broadway between Willamette Street and
Olive Street is a public pedestrian area.
Dated and effective this /0 ~ day of July, 2020
Traffic Engineer
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