Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdmin Order 58-96-25 .58- 9lo -Z,S Administrative Order of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon Prohibiting Through Truck Movements on Lorane Highway The Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene finds that: A. Section 5.040 of the Eugene Code provides that the City Manager or the manager's designee shall exercise specific traffic duties by administrative action, including: ~ Implementing ordinances, resolutions, and motions of the Council and his or her own orders by installing traffic control devices; ~ Designating truck routes or streets where trucks are prohibited; and ~ Restricting the use of certain streets by any class or kind of vehicle to protect the streets from damage. B. The City has received numerous requests from citizens asking the through truck traffic be prohibited on Lorane Highway. The requests assert that through trucks are a nuisance to residents and create unsafe driving conditions due to the width of the roadway and the number of curves on Lorane Highway. c. Transportation Division files contain numerous other complaints regarding truck and auto traffic on Lorane Highway. D. The portion of Lorane Highway within the City limits is approximately 11;4 miles long. It follows the north slope of the south hills and has a narrow, winding horizontal alignment. The vertical profile is fairly constant, ascending southwesterly at grade of approximately 5%. E. All of Lorane Highway within the City limits is a statutory Speed 25 zone, with Speed 25 signs posted west of Washington Street and east of Chambers Street. F. There are six major curves with safe speeds of20 mph or lower. Oversized vehicles are unable to stay in their travel lane when driving through most of these curves. G. Traffic volumes on this segment of the highway have remained constant since 1991, with daily volumes ranging from 600 east of Chambers Street to 1,400 west of Washington Street. H. There were two accidents on Lorane Highway in the two year period from January 1,1994 through December 31,1995. Neither accident resulted in an injury. I. The road surface is very aged and has not received an overlay since Lane County transferred ownership of the road to the City in 1971. Maintenance work has been limited to repairing hazardous conditions. The poor condition of the roadway surface, combined with inadequate drainage and slope instability above and below the roadway are indicators of impending roadway base failure. 1. Efforts to re-pave and widen Lorane Highway have been met with substantial opposition from residents and property owners, resulting in an indefinite postponement of plans for work on Lorane Highway. K. The Transportation Division was reluctant to prohibit through trucks on Lorane Highway as truck usage is low and the street is proposed as a collector street on the Draft Functional Classification Map. L. Prohibiting trucks will prolong the useful life of the roadway while allowing access to adjacent properties, and will increase the safety of the roadway. NOW, THEREFORE, Based on the above findings, and pursuant to the authority contained in Eugene Code 5.040, the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene orders that: Through truck movements shall be prohibited on Lorane Highway. Dated this~' -rh Day of November, 1996 Administrative Order Number 58-96-25 Administrative Order of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon Prohibiting Through Truck Movements on Lorane Highway Criteria for Administrative Action The administrative action of the Traffic Engineer of the City of Eugene, Oregon, prohibiting through truck movements on Lorane Highway is based on the following criteria: (a) Traffic engineering principles and traffic investigations: . Roadway and intersection capacity: Not applicable. . Safety: The accident potential will be reduced. With fewer oversized vehicles using the road, there will be fewer instances of vehicles crossing into the opposing lane while negotiating the roadway's curves. . Traffic signs, markings and signals: All signing to be added will comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. There will be no work involving markings or signals. . Intersection Control: No changes will be made to intersection controls. . Roadway lighting: No street lighting changes will be made. . Access control: No changes will be made to existing access. . Speed zoning: No changes will be made to the existing speed zone. (b) Standards, limitations, and rules promulgated by the Oregon Transportation Commission or the Oregon Public Utility Commission or their successors. . No applicable standards, limitation, or rules apply. (c) Other recognized traffic control standards. . Signing will comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. (d) The city's adopted transportation-related plans and policies. . Lorane Highway is shown as a collector street on the Draft Functional Classification Map, and is one of the primary routes between Eugene and the Lorane Valley. Although streets on the Map would normally be expected to carry some through truck traffic, Lorane Highway would not be the first street on the Map to have a through truck prohibition. (e) Existing state and local laws regulating use of public ways. . The Eugene Code grants the City Traffic Engineer the authority to regulate the use of streets by designating streets where trucks are prohibited and restrict the use of certain streets by any class or kind of vehicle to protect the streets from damage. (f) The efficient use of the public way by the public. . The through truck prohibition will inconvenience some truck movements. Through trucks will be required to use Chambers Street. Depending on origin and destination, travel time for trucks may be increased. (g) The use of abutting property. . Use of abutting property will be not be affected, as the prohibition only applies to through truck traffic. (h) The intensity of use of the street by vehicles and pedestrians. . Traffic volumes will decrease slightly, as truck traffic will be reduced. A perceived increase in the street's safety may lead to an increase in pedestrian and bicycle traffic. (I) The physical condition and characteristics of the street and abutting property. . Lorane Highway is a two lane roadway 18' to 22' wide with gravel shoulders. The wider section is generally west of Whitbeck Boulevard. It has an asphalt mat surface that is in poor condition. The area bordering the street consists of low density single family houses. G) Emergencies. . Emergency vehicle services won't be affected by this project. (k) The public health, safety, and welfare. . The public health, safety and welfare won't be affected. (1) Special events of community interest including parades and public gatherings. . Not applicable. (m) Construction within or adjacent to the street. . Construction within or adjacent to the street will be unaffected. (n) Establishing conditions upon the use of parking. . Not applicable.