HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/06/09 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
August 6, 2009
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
RECREATION SERVICES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HOST MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL
SUMMER IN THE CITY IN FULL SWING
RISK SERVICES RECOVERS COST OF DAMAGES TO CITY PROPERTY
TECHNOLOGY COMES TO SCAVENGER HUNT
CEREMONY TO MARK GROUNDBREAKING ON I-5 WILLAMETTE RIVER BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
CITY AWARDED FUNDING FOR NEW PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
PAVING, PAVING EVERYWHERE
PEDIATRIC TRAUMA DRILL TESTS MEDICAL RESPONSE SYSTEM
AROUND THE CITY
Recreation Services and Community Partners Host Multicultural Festival
This year’s free Multicultural Festival includes live music and
entertainment, food from around the world and free, fun
activities for the entire family on Thursday, August 6, from
5:30-9:00 p.m. at Sheldon Community Center and Park.
The event is presented by Recreation Services Division, in
partnership with more than 30 community organizations.
Headliners at this year’s event are Deb Cleveland and her
band, hip hop dance performances by King’s Krew, and the
ever-popular magician, Dr. Delusion.
The festival also includes the Creative Kid Zone, and a variety
of other fun activities such as a large bouncy obstacle course,
dunk tank, portable challenge obstacles, face painting, craft
making and cultural activities. For more information, call
Sandy Shaffer at 682-6338.
Summer in the City in Full Swing
There was a great turnout for the Satin Love Orchestra, which performed at Broadway Plaza last week as part of
the City’s continuing Summer in the City events. In partnership with community organizations, the City is
presenting the entertainment as part a multi-faceted, proactive
approach to making downtown livelier, safer and more inviting.
The featured entertainment at the Farmers' Market at the Park
Blocks next Tuesday is Brian Cutean, who performs modern folk
music for “mindheartsouls.” Then, on Wednesday, August 12, The
Valley Boys will perform from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Broadway
Plaza. A part of the Eugene/Springfield area music scene for
more than two and a half decades, The Valley Boys play an
eclectic blend of '50s and '60s rock, disco, blues, top 40, and
basically anything that will keep an audience moving and having
fun. For more information, contact Laura Niles, 541-682-2697.
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August 6, 2009
Risk Services Recovers Cost of Damages to City Property
Risk Services staff was successful in recovering $149,012 in damages to City property caused by third parties in
FY09 - a record year. Over the past five years, Risk Services has recovered an average of $90,978 per year,
while spending only about $14,000 per year in staff time to pursue these claims. Risk Services has recovered
almost $1.5 million over the 20-year history of the recovery program.
Risk Services receives notice of these accidents/incidents from the affected City work units, members of the public
or by review of police reports routed to Risk Services by the Police Department. Risk Services then pursues a
claim for the City’s cost of replacement or repair
against the person who caused the damage,
against his or her auto insurance, or through the
court system if it involves a violation or crime.
The funds collected are returned directly to the
affected City work units to offset expenses for
the damage.
Common types of City property damaged include
City vehicles, fire hydrants, trees, street lights,
traffic signals, traffic signs, and City facilities.
Over 50% of the monies recovered were
attributed to accidents involving damage to City
vehicles, fire hydrants, and street trees. For more
information, contact Claims Coordinator Jan
Bergquist at 682-5662.
Technology Comes to Scavenger Hunt
It’s just like an old-fashioned scavenger hunt, except that instead of randomly seeking specified neighbors and
friends, participants in geocaching events use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to take them anywhere in the
world to locate hidden “treasure.”
On Saturday, August 8, Recreation Service’s Outdoor Program will conduct two classes on how to use GPS to find
hidden treasure at sites right here in the community. That afternoon, the program will conduct a free geocaching
event, starting at the River House Community Center, and using GPS equipment to navigate to hidden treasure.
For more information, call Roger Bailey at 682-5329.
Ceremony To Mark Groundbreaking on I-5 Willamette River Bridge Replacement
Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Reresentative Peter DeFazio will be joined by local and state officials on Tuesday,
August 11, to commemorate the groundbreaking of the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge replacement. The
event begins at 10:00 a.m. along the bike path on the south side of Franklin
Boulevard and east of I-5, about a half-mile east of Walnut Street. Parking
and shuttle service are available at the former state motor pool office near the
corner of Franklin Boulevard and Walnut Street. Brief presentations will be
followed by a short reception.
The I-5 Willamette River Bridge is the largest project in the OTIA III state bridge delivery program. Linking the
cities of Eugene and Springfield, the new bridge will improve a critical segment of the primary north-south
commuter and freight corridor for the West Coast. For more information about the groundbreaking event, contact
Transportation Planning Engineer Chris Henry at 682-8472. The project details are available at
www.willamettebridge.org.
City Awarded Funding for New Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
In the fall of 1974, Eugene’s first ever Bikeway Master Plan was released to a community committed to developing
a comprehensive network of bicycle facilities. Over the past 35 years, many of the projects and policies described
in that plan were implemented, helping to define Eugene as one of the most bike-friendly communities in the
nation. Eugene’s current planned bicycle and pedestrian projects are contained in TransPlan, which serves as
Eugene’s Transportation System Plan or TSP. The community will soon have an opportunity to revisit and
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
August 6, 2009
Master Plan
prioritize future bicycle and pedestrian projects and policies.
Later this year, Public Works Transportation Planning staff will
begin public outreach for Eugene’s Pedestrian and Bicycle
Master Plan; the first component of a comprehensive update of
Eugene’s TSP. Development of the Pedestrian and Bicycle
Master Plan is being made possible through grant funding in the
amount of $157,000 awarded by the Transportation and Growth
Management (TGM) program, a partnership between the Oregon
Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Department of
Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). The new
Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan will encompass the entire
City and will incorporate the South Hills Pedestrian and Bicycle
1974 ad for public hearings on Eugene’s original Bikeway
Master Plan process that began in 2008.
For more information, please contact Associate Transportation Planner David Roth at
david.f.roth@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5727.
Paving, Paving Everywhere
Road repair work is in full swing in Eugene, with almost a dozen active projects currently underway and six more
scheduled to begin within the next week.
The road projects fall into the following three major categories:
those funded by the 2008 street repair bond measure, those
done through the City’s pavement preservation program
(funded primarily by Eugene’s local gas tax), and those paid
for in part through assessments to abutting property owners.
Four bond measure projects are being done this summer.
Overlay paving is underway on Goodpasture Island Road
(Norkenzie to Delta Highway) and Railroad Boulevard (Van
Buren to Chambers streets). Repairs on the Amazon Path are
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ongoing between 24 and 31 avenues and are scheduled to
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begin next week on the section between 19 and 24 avenues.
Work on Bailey Hill Road began in late June, with completion
scheduled for September 4. The work there includes
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reconfiguring the roadway between 18 Avenue and Warren
Median being installed on Bailey Hill Road earlierthis week
Street and overlaying the section from Warren Street to
Bertelsen Road. Funding for the Bailey Hill Road project includes an ODOT bicycle and pedestrian safety grant
for $380,000.
The pavement preservation program is projected to fix more than 63 lane miles of streets this year. A big slurry
seal contract wrapped up in late July, and completed overlay projects include Country Club Road (Willagillespie to
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Southwood), Crescent Avenue (Shadow Wood to Coburg Road), Danebo Avenue (Royal to 11 Avenue), Fox
Hollow Road (East Amazon Drive to Donald Street), Royal Avenue (Terry to Waite streets) and Roosevelt
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Boulevard (Maple Street to Beltline). Overlay projects starting in about a week include 6 and 7 avenues (High to
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Washington streets), 11 Avenue (Garfield to Tynin streets), Bertelsen Road (11 to 18 avenues), McKinley
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Street (5 to 11 avenues), and Seneca Road (Roosevelt Boulevard to 7 Place). The work on 6, 7and 11
avenues will be done at night to minimize disruptions to motorists and businesses.
Three assessable street improvement projects are in full swing: Elmira Road (Maple to Roosevelt) and Maple
Street (Roosevelt to Elmira Road); Crest Drive (phase 1 scheduled to be completed in October and phase 2
scheduled to be done next year), and Chad Drive extension (scheduled to be finished by late October).
In addition, Public Works recently completed full-depth reclamation paving projects on Cross Street (Garfield to
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Cleveland streets) and Riverview (16 Avenue to Floral Hill). On Riverview, a final treatment called a fog seal is
scheduled to be applied in early September.
Also starting up this month are two projects that include federal stimulus funds. Improvements in the vicinity of the
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August 6, 2009
Eugene Train Depot began earlier this week, and construction of the Delta Ponds Bridge is scheduled to begin in
mid-August. For more information about these projects, contact Principal Engineer Paul Klope at 682-5246.
Pediatric Trauma Drill Tests Medical Response System
Emergency response and medical personnel from the Fire & EMS Department, LifeFlight Air Ambulance, Sacred
Heart Medical Center, and the Oregon EMS for Children (EMSC) Program teamed up last week in a drill to
improve the education and training of emergency
services and hospital personnel in the care of
seriously injured or ill pediatric trauma victims.
The Oregon EMSC project focuses on improving
the system of care children receive from the
scene of an emergency to the hospital emergency
room by facilitating pediatric trauma
simulations.
The simulation began at the Eugene Fire & EMS
Training Center where first responders arrived at
a staged car accident with two pediatric
“patients.” The “patients” were wireless,
computer-controlled pediatric mannequins with
life-like features including simulated heartbeat,
breathing, blood pressure and voice response.
The mannequins react based on the medical
treatment they receive, giving caregivers real-
time insight into handling a pediatric trauma case.
After being treated on-scene, the two simulated pediatric patients were transported, one by Life Flight Air
Ambulance and one by ground ambulance, to the region’s Level II trauma center at Sacred Heart at RiverBend,
where the hospital’s trauma team took over care for the two critically ill patients.
Exercise evaluators said the drill went well overall, with a few unanticipated circumstances adding to the
educational experience. For more information, please contact EMS Training Coordinator Karen Anderson at 682-
7134.
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