HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/25/12 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 25, 2012
City of Eugene
thnd
125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS EDITION
SHARED-USE PATH SYSTEM REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED
GRANT BOOSTS BICYCLE SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM
NATIONAL BESTSELLER FRANCINE PROSE AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
HOLIDAY BAZAAR AT CAMPBELL CENTER ON NOVEMBER 3
AROUND THE CITY
Shared-Use Path System Repairs and Improvements Substantially Completed
Work is substantially completed on a series of projects designed to repair and improve Eugene’s shared-use path
system.
North Bank Path
The between DeFazio Bridge and Leisure Lane has been reopened and repair work is completed
except for the installation of light poles. The path was closed for about six weeks as Kipco Inc., replaced slippery
aggregate and root-heaved path segments, widened
narrow sections of path to the 12-foot-standard width,
installed rail along new vertical edges and updated old
path lighting to new lights that meet current park
standards. The construction costs to repair and upgrade
the 1,800-foot path section were approximately
$410,000, paid for primarily with federal grant funding.
Fern Ridge Path
Grass is sprouting up alongside the
between Chambers and Arthur streets. This section of
off-street path was realigned to move it away from
Amazon Creek to address slope stability issues. Due to
clay soils that expand and contract seasonally, the path
was constructed using fiber-reinforced concrete. The
path was also widened to 12 feet, new path lighting was
installed, the Arthur/Garfield bridge underpass was fitted
Pedestrians use the new Rasor Park connector between River Road
with a retaining wall to stabilize a creeping slope,
and the newly repaired West Bank Path.
pedestrian railing was installed at both ends of the path
and a bike counter is being installed to report path usage and to help in future bicycle facility planning. The contractor,
Wildish Construction, completed the 1,500-foot project in about 15 weeks. Construction costs were approximately
$385,000, paid for primarily with federal grant funding.
West Bank Path
The from Greenway Bridge to Stephens Lane has also been completed after a six-week closure.
Brown Contracting resurfaced the existing 3,200-foot-long asphalt path with concrete, and a number of benches were
added along the path. The primary source of funding for the estimated $425,000 project was the 2008 voter-approved
bond measure to fix streets and bike paths.
Meanwhile, the City received state grant funding to improve connections at three locations on the Ruth Bascom
Riverbank Path and one location on the Amazon Path.
Merry Lane connector
On the riverbank system, the is a concrete surface approximately 430 feet long and includes a
bridge crossing a Willamette River side channel. The bridge installation is scheduled for later this week, weather
Rasor Park connector
permitting, with the connection planned to be opened by early November. The is 700 feet long
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
October 25, 2012
Fir Lane connector
and constructed of concrete. improvements include the extension of existing sidewalk and the
construction of a roadside shoulder.
th
30 Avenue west of Hilyard Street
On , a 200-foot-long concrete connector provides easier access to the Amazon
Path.
General contractor 2G Construction has been working on the four connector projects since mid-July. Construction
costs are approximately $345,000, with funding coming from a state Urban Trails grant plus a City match from
transportation systems development charges (SDCs).
For more information about these and other transportation improvement projects, contact Acting City Engineer Matt
Rodrigues at 541-682-6036.
Grant Boosts Bicycle Safety Education Program
With the support of a grant from the Jane Higdon Foundation, the City of Eugene, in partnership with the Eugene Safe
Routes to School Program, and Eugene and Bethel School districts, will be able to expand the Eugene Bicycle Safety
Education program. For more than a decade, many local students have received 10 hours of bike safety education at
their school through the Portland-based Bicycle Transportation Alliance “Safe Routes for Kids” program. See a video of
one of the classes at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACMQXYlormo.
A $22,000 grant from the Jane Higdon Foundation to Recreation’s River
House Outdoor Program will pay for local instructors to teach the program,
greatly expanding its reach this year and next to more than 1,000 students.
Bikes owned by the 4J and Bethel School districts will be used for the
program. Unfortunately, the 40 bikes reported stolen on Monday comprised
one of those fleets.
The Jane Higdon Memorial Fund is dedicated to the dreams and
aspirations of Jane Higdon, who was tragically killed in 2006 when she was
struck by a truck while on a bicycle training ride on a rural road. For more
information, contact Colette Ramirez-Maddock at 541-682-5329.
National Bestseller Francine Prose at Eugene Public Library
The Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a talk by national bestselling writer Francine Prose on Sunday, Nov. 4,
at 2 p.m. Admission is free.
Francine Prose is the celebrated author of 16 books of fiction. Her novel, “A Changed Man,”
won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and another novel, “Blue Angel,” was a finalist for the
National Book Award in Fiction.
Prose’s most recent works of nonfiction include the highly acclaimed “Anne Frank: The Book,
the Life, the Afterlife” and the New York Times bestseller, “Reading like a Writer.” A former
president of PEN American Center, Prose lives in New York City.
Books will be available for sale and signing courtesy of the University of Oregon Duck Store.
For more information, please contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or
www.eugene-or.gov/library
Holiday Bazaar at Campbell Center on November 3
Campbell Community Center’s annual Holiday Bazaar is a great kickoff to the
holiday season. Items for sale include hand-made crafts, quilts, wooden items,
pies and baked goods, as well as books. There will be a silent auction, raffles,
preserves, and Campbell’s famous sweet, hot mustard. Breakfast snacks and
lunch will also be served.
The sale is a fundraiser for the City’s Adult and Senior Program. It is open to
the public and will be held on Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Campbell Center,
155 High Street. Admission is free. It’s a wonderful holiday shopping location
with great gifts for all! For information, contact Diane Sconce at 541-682-5318.
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October 25, 2012