HomeMy WebLinkAbout180919 WSMINUTES – Eugene City Council September 19, 2018 Page 1
Work Session
M I N U T E S
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
September 19, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Claire Syrett, Chris Pyror
Mayor Vinis opened the September 19, 2018, Work Session of the Eugene City Council.
1. WORK SESSION: Transportation Planning Engineer Chris Henry and Lane Transit District Senior Project Manager Sasha Luftig provided a MovingAhead update including policy direction, project history, process and engagement, and upcoming decision making. Council Discussion
• Questions asked about whether LTD is working on other long-range planning scenarios that don’t involve large buses.
• Concerns expressed that the City and LTD are investing money in something that may become obsolete. Support an analysis of the likelihood of the disruption of technology and when that may happen.
• Request made for an explanation of the difference between “enhanced corridor” and “bus rapid transit.”
• The Coburg Road transportation corridor is the most problematic and deserves attention.
• Concerns expressed about how lack of transportation options or trip rate can contribute to economic fatality when businesses start being affected by it.
• Support increased frequency of service which will help get people out of cars and onto buses, and help the City meet its CRO goals.
• The ultimate goal of transportation corridors is to increase safety and cut transit time.
• Need to be able to show how transit corridors are affecting all modes of transportation.
• Information requested about how much the City saves when people stop using their cars.
• Improvements are being seen on Highway 99 and River Road, specifically around pedestrian safety.
• Questions asked about bike improvements in Coburg Road corridor, co-locating walking enhancements with bicycle enhancements and ways to cross the street safely.
• Concerns expressed about the MovingAhead and Transit Tomorrow processes occurring at the same time and how LTD will reconcile the two outreach processes if there happens to be contradictory input.
• Questions asked about when potential scaled projects would be available in order for the public to know what they would look like and be able to contribute to the conversation.
• The report is well done, the alternatives are clear, and the next step for public involvement is being coordinated.
• Public transit investments have many benefits including quality of life, more mobility, less time in traffic congestion, less individual cost, as well as reduced pollution and greenhouse gases.
• Not a single community has lamented its investment in transit, but many wish they had done more sooner.