HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem A: West Eugene EmX
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GENDA TEM UMMARY
Joint Public Hearing: West Eugene EmX
February 8, 2011
ISSUE STATEMENT
This is a joint public hearing before the Eugene City Council, Lane Transit District Board of
Directors, and the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) acting as the Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) Policy Board. These three bodies will ultimately choose a locally
preferred alternative (LPA) for the extension of the EmX bus rapid transit system into west
Eugene. This is the only scheduled opportunity for oral testimony before all three decision-
making bodies together.
No decision is requested at this meeting. This meeting is established for public testimony and,
time permitting, to allow the decision-makers an opportunity to identify information that will be
needed before a decision is rendered. Separate work sessions and meetings for decisions are
scheduled for each decision-making body at a later date (see schedule below).
BACKGROUND
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The Eugene City Council voted on October 9, 2006, to identify West 11 Avenue as the City’s
priority for the next EmX corridor study. The LTD Board of Directors endorsed the Eugene City
Council action. Based on this direction, a plan for the West Eugene EmX Extension was
developed. The initial plan identified 58 alternative routes and design options. Preliminary
environmental analysis and further public review led to elimination of all but 12 routing options.
During the public review period, LTD developed plans that incorporated measures to mitigate
many of the impacts to adjacent properties, primarily by finding segments where the EmX
vehicles could travel in mixed traffic, thereby eliminating the need for widening the street in
those segments.
A Joint Locally Preferred Alternative Committee was established to make a recommendation to
the three deciding bodies. The members of the Joint LPA Committee are Mayor Kitty Piercy
and Councilors Andrea Ortiz and Chris Pryor from the Eugene City Council; Mike Eyster, Greg
Evans, and Gary Gillespie from the LTD Board of Directors; and Lane County Commissioner
Sid Leiken and Sonny Chickering, Oregon Department of Transportation, both representing the
MPO. The Joint Locally Preferred Alternative Committee has been further reducing the number
of acceptable alternatives.
Joint LPA Committee Preliminary Recommendation
The Joint LPA Committee’s preliminary recommendation as of January 31 is the subject of two
public open houses. The open houses will be held on February 1 and 8, the latter being
immediately before this public hearing. The Joint LPA Committee’s preliminary
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recommendation is to forward the 13/11 Alternative with Mitigation (3-MC) into the public
review process along with the No-Build option.
Agenda Item Summary - Joint Public Hearing: West Eugene EmX
Page 2
SCHEDULE
The West Eugene EmX Extension project development process includes two decision points.
The first is the current decision on selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative based on the
October 2010 Alternatives Analysis and subsequent analysis. With that decision, LTD will
proceed with the development of the federal environmental review process, which will prompt a
second decision focused on selection of either a build or no-build option. LTD also will begin
the preparation of a Small Starts grant application. In order to remain on schedule for the
remainder of this process, LTD is seeking approvals of the locally preferred alternative from all
three decision-making bodies in March 2011. The current review and approval schedule is:
Joint LPA Committee Preliminary Recommendation January 31, 2011
Open House February 1, 2011
Open House February 8, 2011
Joint Public Hearing February 8, 2011
MPO Work Session February 10, 2011
Joint LPA Committee Final Recommendation February 14, 2011
Lane Transit District Work Session February 16, 2011
Eugene City Council Work Session February 23, 2011
Eugene City Council Action (if not on previous date) March 9, 2011
MPO Action at MPC March 10, 2011
Lane Transit District Action March 16, 2011
RELATED CITY POLICIES
From Eugene-Springfield Transportation System Plan (TransPlan):
Transportation System Improvements Transit Policy #2: Bus Rapid Transit
Establish a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system composed of frequent, fast transit service
along major corridors and neighborhood feeder service that connects with the corridor
service and with activity centers, if the system is shown to increase transit mode split along
BRT corridors, if local governments demonstrate support, and if financing for the system is
feasible.
From Adopted Growth Management Policies:
Growth Management Policy #11
Increase the use of alternative modes of transportation by improving the capacity, design,
safety, and convenience of the transit, bicycle, and pedestrian transportation systems.
RECOMMENDATION
None. This item is for public hearing only.
Agenda Item Summary - Joint Public Hearing: West Eugene EmX
Page 3
SUGGESTED MOTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
None. Materials from the Joint LPA Committee and open houses will be distributed at the
hearing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Staff Contact: Rob Inerfeld, Public Works Engineering, City of Eugene
Telephone: 682-5343
Staff E-Mail: rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us
Staff Contact: Tom Schwetz, Planning and Development, Lane Transit District
Telephone: 682-6203
Staff E-Mail: tom.schwetz@ltd.org