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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem A: South Willamette Street Improvement Plan ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: South Willamette Street Improvement Plan Meeting Date: June 19, 2013 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Public Works Staff Contact: Chris Henry www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-8472 ISSUE STATEMENT The Eugene City Council will receive a progress update from staff and consultants about the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan. The South Willamette Street Improvement Plan will develop a complete street design plan for an active transportation corridor (providing for walking, biking, transit access, motoring and business access) that can be adopted and advanced as a capital improvement project for construction. The project team will share details of community involvement, what has been learned so far, a range of street design concepts resulting from that engagement, and the schedule for developing the plan. Councilors will have an opportunity to ask questions about street design elements, discuss community issues, provide feedback, and discuss their role in the process. BACKGROUND The South Willamette Street Improvement Plan is exploring options for people to safely walk, bike, take the bus, or drive in an eight-block study area of Willamette Street from 24th Avenue to 32nd Avenue. The City and ODOT have contracted with a consultant team of transportation engineers and urban design planners led by DKS Associates (with assistance from OTAK), which includes Cogito, locally based specialists to coordinate public involvement. The goal of this study is to help South Willamette Street become a vibrant urban corridor accessible by bicycle, foot, car, and bus. Today, Willamette Street is heavily used to reach many popular destinations, yet it is uninviting to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists alike. For years, many residents and business owners have shared complaints about the poor conditions on Willamette Street for walking and biking and the need to do something about it. The plan aims to support existing businesses and the commercial district’s vitality; create a balanced multi-modal transportation system; further City planning efforts to identify compact growth and redevelopment opportunities; and foster a well-informed and involved community supportive of the plan. The results of this project will serve as the street design portion of the South Willamette Concept Plan. The South Willamette Concept Plan is a pilot of the area planning process, an important strategy to accommodate growth through Envision Eugene. The Concept Plan creates a long-term S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130619\S130619A.doc vision and identifies tools realizing that vision in the South Willamette area. One important goal of the Concept Plan is to create a neighborhood where services for residents are available in a “20- minute” walk, and the street functions for a variety of users. The timing of the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan is good because it melds with the South Willamette Concept Plan, and needed pavement preservation work recently identified in the 2012 Bond Measure to Fix Streets and Fund Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects. In August 2012, the project team began by talking with stakeholders in small groups, including property and business owners, bicycle, pedestrian and transit advocates, and neighborhood leaders from Friendly, Crest, South Eugene and Amazon neighborhood associations. Based on knowledge gained, in September two robust focus groups were organized (one based on business; and another based on users of cars, walking, bus, and bike) to hear more about people’s concerns, preferences and flexibilities towards identified corridor issues. In October, traffic count data was collected (when UO and LCC campuses were active) and an Existing Conditions Report was prepared. In November, over 150 participants attended the first Community Forum where they heard the results of recent traffic studies, explored alternatives, and the project team listened to community priorities for future improvements. A second Community Forum was held in February 2013 to evaluate the alternatives that were prepared in response to earlier community conversations. Following the February Community Forum, the project team narrowed the number of alternatives down to three and performed more detailed transportation analysis. The third, and final, Community Forum was held on June 11, 2013. Participants were asked to help rank and refine the street design alternatives following a presentation of transportation analysis and group discussion. An online survey was also available between June 12 and June 18 to hear the preferences of those that were not able to attend the Community Forum. In the fall, a draft plan will be presented to the Eugene Planning Commission and a recommendation made to the Eugene City Council for consideration. The South Willamette Street Improvement Plan is being managed by the City of Eugene and is funded with a grant from the Transportation and Growth Management program of the Oregon Department of Transportation. More details of the project and public involvement process are available at: http://www.eugene- or.gov/SWillametteStreet RELATED CITY POLICIES Later in the fall, as the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan develops a preferred alternative, the Eugene City Council will have an opportunity to consider the policy context surrounding the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan. The council may choose to affirm existing policies, balance potential conflicts between policies, approve potential changes to existing policies or enact new policies. S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130619\S130619A.doc TransPlan (2002) System-Wide Policy #4: Neighborhood Livability Support transportation strategies that enhance neighborhood livability. Roadway Policy #1: Mobility and Safety for all Modes Address the mobility and safety needs of motorists, transit users, bicyclists, pedestrians, and the needs of emergency vehicles when planning and constructing roadway system improvements. Roadway Policy #2: Motor Vehicle Level of Service 1.Use motor vehicle level of service standards to maintain acceptable and reliable performance on the roadway system. 2.Acceptable and reliable performance is defined by the following levels of service under peak hour traffic conditions: Level of Service E within Eugene’s Central Area Transportation Study (CATS) area, and Level of Service D elsewhere. Roadway Policy #4: Access Management Manage the roadway system to preserve safety and operational efficiency by adopting regulations to manage access to roadways and applying these regulations to decisions related to approving new or modified access to the roadway system. Bicycle Policy #1: Bikeway System and Support Facilities Construct and improve the region’s bikeway system and provide bicycle system support facilities for both new development and redevelopment/expansion. Bicycle Policy #2: Bikeways on Arterials and Collectors Require bikeways along new and reconstructed arterial and major collector streets. Bicycle Policy #4: Implementation of Priority Bikeway Miles Give funding priority (ideally within the first 3 to 5 years after adoption of TransPlan subject to available funding) to stand-alone bikeway projects that are included in the definition of “Priority Bikeway Miles” and that increase the use of alternative modes. Pedestrian Policy #1: Pedestrian Environment Provide for a pedestrian environment that is well integrated with adjacent land uses and is designed to enhance the safety, comfort, and convenience of walking. Goods Movement Policy #1: Freight Efficiency Support reasonable and reliable travel times for freight/goods movement in the Eugene- Springfield region. Finance Policy #5: Short-Term Project Priorities Consider and include among short-term project priorities, those facilities and improvements that support mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly nodal development and increased use of alternative modes. S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130619\S130619A.doc Priority Bikeway System Project #296 – Striped bike lanes, Willamette Street from 18 th Avenue to 32 Avenue (unprogrammed). nd Eugene Pedestrian Bicycle Master Plan (2012) Policy 1.1: Make bicycling and walking more attractive than driving for trips of two miles or less. Policy 1.2: Increase pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between existing residential neighborhoods and nearby commercial areas, parks, and schools. Policy 1.5: Construct high-quality pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to provide safer, more appealing and well-connected facilities. Policy 1.6: Build pedestrian and bicycle facilities on new roadways, and retrofit older roadways to complete the pedestrian and bicycle system, using routes and facility designs identified in this plan. Policy 1.7: Construct bikeways along new and reconstructed arterial and major collector streets. Policy 2.1: Continually improve bicycling and walking comfort and safety through design, operations and maintenance including development of “low stress” bikeways to attract new cyclists. Policy 3.6: Improve the quality of the pedestrian environment by including facilities such as planter strips and street trees in the design or reconstruction of streets and consider preservation of existing trees whenever practicable. 20-Minute Neighborhoods Program: Development of a 20-Minute Neighborhoods Program is considered a key implementation step of the Climate and Energy Action Plan. 20 minute neighborhoods are places where people can easily walk or bike to key destinations such as grocery stores, other retail establishments, parks and schools. Coordination between implementation of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan and the 20 Minute Neighborhoods Program will be critical to the success of both. The 20 Minute Neighborhoods Program should be one factor that is considered when determining project funding priorities. Bike Lane Project #31 – Willamette Street from 17 Avenue to 32 Avenue. thnd Bike Boulevard Project #397 – Portland Alley from W24 Avenue to W27 Avenue. thth Bike Boulevard Project #458 – E 29th Place/Pearl Street/E 28th Avenue/High Street/E 27th Avenue from Amazon Parkway to Willamette Street. Envision Eugene (2012) 7 Pillars of Envision Eugene (partial list)  Provide ample economic opportunities for all community members S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130619\S130619A.doc  Plan for climate change and energy uncertainty  Promote compact urban development and efficient transportation options  Protect, repair, and enhance neighborhood livability  Provide for adaptable, flexible, and collaborative implementation COUNCIL OPTIONS Receive information and provide feedback to staff about the South Willamette Street Improvement Plan. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION None; information only. SUGGESTED MOTION None. ATTACHMENTS A. South Willamette Street Public Involvement Process Diagram B. Community Forum #2 Summary – February 27, 2013 C. Community Forum #2 Appendix – February 27, 2013 D. Graphic View of Design Alternatives FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Chris Henry, Transportation Planning Engineer Telephone: 541-682-8472 Staff E-Mail: chris.c.henry@ci.eugene.or.us Project Webpage: http://www.eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130619\S130619A.doc -4 0 Z u O Z ii 4S w yv wwv °,� Meeting Summary Community Forum #2: Evaluate the Alternatives th Wednesday, February 27,6:00-8:00 pm, South Eugene High School, Eugene, Oregon Overview At the second of three community forums, the public learned about six alternatives for thnd and 32 Avenues, asked questions, and redesigning Willamette Street between 24 shared views on which three alternatives should be chosen for further study. The study aims to help South Willamette Street become a vibrant urban corridor accessible by bicycle, foot, car, and bus. The area includes residential, commercial, and mixed uses, andhas six intersections being studied over about a mile stretch. The large cafeteria at South Eugene High School was filled to capacity with over 300 participants: almost double the number of participants that attended the first forum. The public listened carefully to the alternatives and was respectful and thoughtful in asking questions and sharing a wide range of opinions. After meeting in small groups to discuss the alternatives, participants completed Input Forms to indicate which three alternatives they prefer to forward for further study. The meeting ended with a large group discussion. When making the decision about which alternatives to study further,the City considers several elements, including: -Comments from stakeholder meetings -The results of Community Forum #2 -Email and phone comments to City staff -Technical issues and how each alternative meets the Project Criteria -Review and concurrence by the project TechnicalAdvisory Committee For more information, or to view the slideshow presentation or Forum #2Appendix, . The files are please visit the website athttp://www.eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet located in Project Documents, upper left section of the webpage. Results of the Public Input Forms 285301 People signed-in at the meeting and Input Forms were filled out (see the end of 114 this document for a sample Input Form).Of the Input Forms, checked off 187 alternatives without comments or adaptations, and included adaptations or written comments. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 1 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Question #1: Please check the 3 alternatives that you would like the City to evaluate in more depth. Results: Alternative 3:208 3-Lane with bike lanes ( preferences) Alternative 4: 142 3-Lane with buffered bike lanes ( preferences) Alternative 5: 139 3-Lane with wide sidewalks (preferences) Alternative 6113 : 2-Lane with bike lanes, median & roundabout ( preferences) Alternative 197 : 4-Lane ( preferences) Alternative 283 : 4-Lane with center left-turn lane ( preferences) There were 3 "I don't know’s” Question #2: Are there modifications you suggest to the above checked alternatives (such as width of lanes, sidewalk, etc.)? Results: For details, please review Forum #2 Appendix: Input Form Comments.Written commentsfrom the Input Forms were sorted into three categories: Modifications, Questions, and Comments. Then, the input was sorted according to topic. Following are reflections on the written input: Suggested Modifications AlternativeTotal Topics Addressed Comments 110varied 27varied 32319 suggestions on lane width or bike lanes 41710 on lane width or bike lanes, 7 on sidewalk issues 54524 on cycle track ideas, 7 on sidewalk issues 622varied Mixed22varied All10027 on pedestrian or sidewalk issues 16 on transit 9 on utilities 9 on parallel bike route Questions Topics varied widely. Comments Alternative 6 generated the most comments (16), perhaps because it was challenging to conceptualize. Bike and pedestrian issues were the most common comment topics (28%) Detailed Summary of the Meeting Kurt Corey, the City’s Public Works Director, gave opening comments of confidence in the team and gratitude for community turn out. Project Manager Chris Henrydiscussed funding and the decision-making process for the project, “Tonight we will look at six alternatives and then we will narrow them down to three.”Mr. Henry said that asking for public input will help the City be good stewards of public dollars by not wasting time Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 2 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 exploring alternatives that are not supported.Chris Watchie, Public Involvement Specialist,briefly reviewed 150 years of history of Willamette Street. She showed slides of old photos of the street illustrating its evolution.Robin Hostick, City of Eugene Senior Planner, described the long-range concept for the street. He showed a slide illustrating how street-side development may change in the future due to future redevelopment. Ellen Teninty, Public Involvement Specialist,asked participants to use this forum as an opportunity to think beyond their personal experience and more holistically about all users and broader considerations. Scott Mansur, Project Manager from DKS Associates, explained the framework for the alternatives that have been developed. He described the stakeholder outreach process, the first community forum, Technical Advisory Committee feedback, and elected official involvement. He described the alternatives screening process, the study corridor,and each alternative design option in detail.Peter Coffey, Principal of DKS Associates, reviewed the screening criteria evaluation and findings that have taken place so far and the screening that will occur for the next three alternatives. Questions on the alternatives: Audience Member: You said you would talk about capacities tonight. What capacities will these plans cover? Response: Capacity refers to the potential for each street design alternative to accommodate the demand for mobility from motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and bus riders. We won’t have those details until we perform more in-depth analysis. Audience Member: What is the measurement of the sidewalk right now? Response: Up to and less than 9 feet of width. Audience Member: Will you also be taking into account the traffic pattern changes on related streets? Will this be a part of your study? Specifically Lincoln, Jefferson and other streets located in that area. Response: It is beyond our scope to go into that level of detail. Audience Member: Are the traffic counts higher going South than North? Response: Yes (explains and includes discussion of traffic patterns). Audience Member: Do any of these plans address left turn signals at intersections? Response: Yes. Audience Member: Is there any standard for a sidewalk where pedestrians and cyclists use just the sidewalks? Response: Alternative 5, and a cycle track could do that. Audience Member: Who pays and how are they assessed? Response: There are multiple funding sources for any street improvement. (explains funding opportunities and sources). Audience Member: Will the 3-lane options hold the current capacity that the street does now? Response: It reduces the capacity, however, it should be adequate depending on the number and location of driveway accesses. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 3 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Audience Member: How are you measuring current capacity for bikes? How about for Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)? Response: Explains the measure and process. Notes that the trend is that people are driving less. Audience Member: Will businesses have to give up any of their parking spaces or any of their property for these alternatives? Response: Largely not. Audience Member: Can you describe these alternatives by comparing them to other existing streets in Eugene? Response: Somewhat.Describes comparisons for consideration, and the project team will try to find more examples. Audience Member: Regarding option 6, is it certain that eliminating traffic signals will reduce capacity? Response: Option 6 is the safest. The roundabouts have the capacity to accommodate the motor vehicle demand on the intersection. Audience Member: If driveways will have to be eliminated, who will cover the cost? Response: We are not at that level of detail yet, however that is an important consideration that we will look at in the future. The group moved to a 20-minute small group discussion. Group instructions: Review each alternative as a group. Ask questions. Talk to people with different points of view to understand perspectives. Table materials: x 11x17 copies of 6 alternatives x Half sheet input forms x Flip chart paper and pens to draw, record group ideas if desired We do not expect you to come to agreement as a group or record your conversation during this time. The goal is to help you make an informed decision about which alternatives you think the City should study further. The flip chart paper and pens are there if you feel inspired to draw or write ideas. This is an opportunity for each participant to study the alternatives, ask questions, listen to different perspectives, and formulate your own opinion. Participants then moved into a full group discussion: Audience Member: I was wondering why we are not looking at a 2-way cycle track like on Alder Street? Response: It was reviewed for the goals of the project and how it impacts the other modes.Other options were developed that provide a balance of access, mobility, and safety for users of the street. Audience Member: How does the number of trips per day affect the alternatives? Response: Thenumber of bicyclists is not a factor in calculating the level of service. Bicycle level of service (as well as the pedestrian experience) is dependent on the speed, volume, and proximity of adjacent motor vehicle traffic. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 4 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Audience Member: Cycle tracks would make it more difficult for cyclists to get to different destinations. Is there anything that is not a part of the pedestrian master plan? Response: T he Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (PBMP) identified the need for bike lanes and parallel routes in the corridor. The alternativespresented respond to the PBMP guidance. Audience Member: One of the primary problems is that the sidewalks are too narrow and the alternatives, except for number 5, all are going to require expanding beyond the necessary profile. Response: All of the options work within the public right of way. Audience Member: [During small group discussion] options 3 through 6 concerned our table about conflicts with busses. Could you talk about that? Response: We will look at opportunities for bus turnouts in next analysis. Audience Member: I’m concerned about your bike counts because many of us use the alleyways as an alternative. How is the planning for the northern section going to work with these alternatives? th Response: and The project to the north (pavement preservation between 19 thth avenues) provides the opportunity to connect the bike lane system on 18 Avenue 24 th Avenue. So, that and further north on Willamette Street to the bike lane system on 24 thnd project serves a need independent of what occurs between 24 and 32 avenues. Audience Member: What are your criteria for the number of driveways allowed? Response: Fewer are better. Reducing the number of driveway conflicts improves safety for all the users of the street and also improves the flow of motor vehicle traffic. Audience Member: What is the collision rate? Response: It is almost twice as high as we would expect for similar streets in Oregon (5.2 collisions per million vehicle miles travelled versus 2.91 collisions per million vehicle miles statewide). Audience Member: Are there plans that you have for Amazon Parkway to divert some of this traffic? Response: We don’t have specific plans for Amazon Parkway but we will look at what diversion may happen with the alternatives. Audience Member: When will there be an analysis of the economic consequences for any of these alternatives on the 120 businesses that rely upon the traffic? Response: In the refinement of the alternatives “tier 2 analysis.” Audience Member: Instead of having bus pullouts, the center turn lane could be striped to allow the traffic to pass the bus at stops. Response: Yes and they will look into that. It’s certainly possible. Audience Member: I did my own count and there were 250 cars and 1 bicycle go by in 15 minutes [within the study area on Willamette Street]. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 5 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Response: The project team is following established City policies to provide for a balanced transportation system that provides options for people to meet their mobility needs. Audience Member: How much would the gridlock be with option 6? Will it be a five- minute delay or a half an hour delay? Response: There will be a delay and we will look at the specifics in the next analysis. Audience Member: The street itself should cater to all modes since it is public money. Response: A balanced transportation system will serve all users. That is our goal and our policy guidance. Audience Member: I’m wondering if we could consider encouraging Eugene Police to enforce the rules on Willamette Street? Response: I shared with the police today that people have been concerned about the travel speeds on the street. Audience Member: Is there a difference between people commuting on Willamette or people stopping and shopping? Response: Our grant funding constrains our work but we will try to estimate that. Audience Member: If you build it, will they [bicycles] come? Response: We don’t have the ability to tell, however we could do some case studies with other communities to compare what happened to them and what they saw afterwards. Audience Member: I would be scared to go through a roundabout as a cyclist or pedestrian. Do the roundabouts have safety accommodations for them? Response: We will look at ways to make people more comfortable using them. There are two options for how a roundabout would be designed for bicycle use. Audience Member: There are a lot of things in our master planning processes over the years. Which one of these alternatives will point us in the direction of what we have already said we want? Response: The plans say what we want. They do not say how and that is why we are here. Audience Member: Why not have bikes on the sidewalks? Response: Typically we do not have bikes share where there are a lot of driveways. Pedestrians do not feel safe with bikes on the sidewalk. Cars do not see bikes when they are pulling out of driveways. Audience Member: Surveys should be done to talk to residents, asking them what should be done to make them want to walk it more. Response: We are looking at that information in some other ways. Audience Member: Concern over decline in availability of fossil fuel. How are you incorporating this into your study long term? Response: By giving people options for how they travel. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 6 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Chris Watchie wraps up the meeting by thanking participants for coming, reminding participants to leave their opinion forms on the tables for collection, reviewing the next steps, and taking final questions. Meeting ends at 8:00pm. Example of Public Input Form South Willamette Street Improvement Plan Community Forum #2: Evaluate the Alternatives 1.Please check the 3 alternatives that you would like the City to evaluate in more depth: 1: 4-Lane 2: 4-Lane with Center Left-turn Lane 3: 3-Lane with Bike Lanes 4: 3-Lane with Buffered Bike Lanes 5: 3-Lane with Wide Sidewalks 6: 2-Lane with Bike Lanes, Median & Roundabouts I don’t know 2. Are there modifications you suggest to the above checked alternatives (such If so, please describe on the back of this as width of lanes, sidewalk, etc.)? sheet. Suggestions that expand the project beyond the current right of way (60 feet) cannot be included in the short-term. Website: eugene-or.gov/SWillametteStreet. Contact: Chris Henry, 7 ,541-682-8472, Public Works Engineering, 99 E. Broadway, Chris.C.Henry@ci.eugene.or.us Ste. 400, Eugene, OR 97401 Alt 1. Suggested Modifications to Alternatives 1 With a turn lane. 1 At least reduce driveways, improve and widen sidewalks, add trees, do something about ugly utility poles; also add bus turnouts; designate /improve bike routes in study area. 1 Might work with consistent 9' sidewalks. 1 1 like the idea of one side 6'/ other side 12' sidewalks in this one. 1 Reduce sidewalks to maintain some parking lots. 1 With sharrows. 1 Include sharrow lanes 1 Add better bike accommodations/ sharrows/ or adjacent bike infrastructure. 1 Needs sharrows. Not optional. 1 I would like to see LTD bus turnouts on both sides. 2 Could you consider some center islands in left turn lanes so that crossing would be easier? For pedestrians? Not great for emergency vehicles. 2 It is important to consider aesthetics, like trees, street lamps. 2 With bike "lane" on sidewalk 2 Must have sharrows and lower speed limits. 2 With sharrows. 2 If two lane with center lane: Has anyone considered bus only lane in center with bus stops with proper pedestrian crossings from center point of stops (no bike lanes). 2 And bus pull out or center lane modified 3 Consider raised bike lanes. 3 j Needs soft hit posts to separate bikes from cars. 3 If option 3 was chosen I would want the bike lanes to be marked clearly, perhaps with different pavement coloring at driveways/ intersections or a different striping pattern. 3 Need bike buffer, less width sidewalk. 3 Need buffers - safety for bike. 3 Is there a way of having the center left turn lane be a variable lane so that during peak capacity times, the center lane becomes a traffic lane in the peak direction, with no left turn allowed during peak times? Overhead indicator lights could tell you whether you drive or turn left or not enter that lane. 3 Consider narrowing the bike lanes (or ped sidewalks) slightly to allow for 11' wide lanes. Or provide special design considerations where bus stops exist. 3 Create 11 foot travel lanes by reducing bike lanes to 55 and reduce sidewalks to 85. 3 With 11' thru lanes and 5' bike lanes. 3 Reduce bike lane to 5' and add back to travel lanes to get 11'. 3 Put 5' bike lanes and 11' travel lanes. 3 jAnd travel lanes at 11' 3 85 - 5' - 11' - 11' center turn -11' - 5' -85: Change the bike lanes to 5 feet, increase the car travel lanes to 11 feet to accommodate trucks. This would also require decreasing the sidewalks by 1/2 foot on both sides (only) to gain the extra foot width in the center lane. 3 Can the bike lanes be reduced to 5', giving back to the two travel lanes? 3 Possibly #3 with 5 or 5 1/2 ' bike lanes and 11' outside travel lane? 3 If you make the bike lanes 5 feet wide (standard width), you could either make 10' sidewalks or 11' travel lanes (better for transit vehicles). 3 8', 6', 11', 11', 11', 6', 8' Can sidewalks be 8'? Then we would gain more room for vegetation and bike lanes and retain 3 car lanes. 3 11' travel lanes and 8' sidewalks 3 Reducing the bike lanes to five feet and expanding the through lanes to eleven feet would seem to help transit without impacting bikers much. 3 I think it is important to have bike lanes and to have a turn lane. Alternative 3 best meets this, but has narrower than standard width. Meeting travel lane width standards could be met by shifting 6 inches from each of the bike lanes and sidewalks. 3 "Bike lane" on sidewalk possibility. 3 j Need bus turnouts! 3 Needs to have bus pullouts - narrower sidewalks or no center turn lane to allow traffic to pass. Sharrows in the 29th Ave vicinity. Limit restrict left turns during peak traffic periods to maximize through traffic capacity. 3 To minimize bus/ bike conflict, maybe sidewalk curbs could be lowered at the front and back of the bus stop so that if a bus is at the stop or coming in it, a biker could roll easily into a designated lane on the sidewalk to bypass the bus stop. Pedestrians could stay out of the bus - stop- bike - bypass designated area! Maybe could keep things moving. 4 Raised bike lanes. 4 Buffers not needed. 4 Don't need buffer. 4 Take option 4, eliminate 2' buffer give one foot to bike lane and one ft to sidewalk. 4 Reduce 11' lanes to 10' and increase sidewalk to 8' wide with 3' wide tree and light planters (rectangular) and 5' sidewalk. Keep or move telephone/ power poles into 3' planters -keep them out of sidewalks! 4 With 10 ft. travel lanes to allow for wider sidewalks. 4 j Make car lanes 10' wide or widen sidewalks. 4 Reduce car lane width to 10' to make sidewalks wider. 4 Maybe travel lanes 10' each, that will provide buffer for bikes as well as 8' sidewalks. 4 Lessen sidewalk widths. Why the need for 9' sidewalks? Not necessary. Lessen width, more space for bike lanes and buffers etc. 4 1 If neighborhood concept plan requires 5ft setback so sidewalks would eventually be wider. 4 IThis option would need to consider larger sidewalks to be viable. 4 Would like a wide enough sidewalk where bikers that aren't comfortable w/ the road are able to ride on. 4 lCould be almost 8' sidewalk by narrowing travel and turn lanes could happen. 4 Narrows the sidewalk too much. 4 I like this option because, as a cyclist, I would feel more safe and comfortable and less vulnerable to vehicles. However, I wish the sidewalks could also be widened to 9'. 4 1 like this option, but the space provided as a buffer could better be used to give more space on the sidewalk (where it will provide more value than the 2 -ft buffer). 4 How will busses be accommodated? 5 Could ther instead be a curbed single lane cycle track w/a 6 foot sidewalk? 5 j With cycle track. 5 Can there be wider sidewalk that has dedicated bike track on one side and narrower sidewalk o other? 5 jAdd or include raised bike track as medial part of sidewalk. 5 There should be a future plans for bicycle access using cycletracks in each direction. 5 That have designated bike ways on sidewalk 5 Isidewalk 9', car 11', center left turn lane 12', car 11', cycle track 8', sidewalk 9' 5 ICycle track. Cycle tracks is the only safe option for bicyclists! 5 jAdd cycle tracks. I like the sidewalks here but there must be a bike option. 5 1 Cycle tracks. 5 1 actually like number five too if it had a cycle track to accommodate bikes and reduce conflict with bikes and peds. 5 1 would also be interested in pirsuing a cycle track option. Perhaps a 2 -way cycletrack on one side of the street. I would not like cyclists and pedestrians to be on the same gradient. 5 IShow how bike/ ped separation might occur. 5 lWith designated bike lane on sidewalk. 5 Preferred alternative if cycle track will be included! 5 What about some kind of signage to facilitate sharing the sidewalk; no speeding bikes through groups, no groups blocking the entire pathway...? i.e. "cycle track "! 5 Is impractical for bikeways (cycle tracks) shared with pedestrians and stormwater treatment areas it seems. Or is 13' wide enough for both stormwater and cycle track? 5 Only if sidewalk includes cycle track to separate bikes from pedestrians. 5 Include space for bikes on sidewalks i.e. cycletrack. 5 1 really like the shared sidewalk idea -where the wide sidewalk has a lane in it for bicycles. 5 Allow bicycles on sidewalk -have a special lane. 5 Needs to consider options to improve bicycle options and access to businesses. Possible investment in Agate Alley/ Oak or shared sidewalk use with clear division between pedestrian and bikes. 5 Love the wide sidewalk with cycle markings/ tracks for shared ped/ cycle use. 5 Shared w /bikes and delineated with striping. 5 W/ devoted bike lane. 5 11.5' wide shared bicycle pedestrian sidewalk, 11' wide South Bound traffic lane, 10' wide South Bound traffic lane, 10' wide North Bound traffic lane, 11' wide North Bound traffic lane, 65 sidewalk 5 Sidewalk 13.5', travel 11', turn 10', travel 11', sidewalk 135: take 1 foot from the center turn lane, put it to the sidewalk. 5 Would only be good if sharrow are added to the lane. 5 With bike sharrows. 5 Do not plan on bikes on the sidewalk. What kind of signage possible to help vehicles understand bikes allowed full use of lane? 5 With shared pedestrian/ bicycle use of sidewalk 5 Discuss cycle use in sidewalk "realm." If we do not incorporate bikes into this realm, bikes/ peds conflicts could be a concern. 5 Wider sidewalks 13' are a big priority! 5 w/ sidewalks being mixed use (bike and pedestrian friendly as are the park and river bike paths. 5 Big sidewalks. Sidewalks should be used for bikes as well as pedestrians. 5 Could bikes and peds share? 5 I would like to be able to bike on the sidewalk. 5 Only if it can accommodate bikes. 5 Show options that accommodate bikes. Or perhaps have widened sidewalks only in the key 2 -3 block area (where good side streets for bike commuters exist hopefully). Or wide on one side only. 5 At least reduce driveways, improve and widen sidewalks, add trees, do something about ugly utility poles; allow bikes to share sidewalk, add bus turnouts or allow vehicles to pass bus when stopped. 5 Wider sidewalks, w/ bicycle parking in #5 with possible bus pull -offs makes most sense. Bicycles could (and possibly cars) use an alt. route if not visiting businesses/ locations in the area. Bike parking area & walk to businesses on wider sidewalks. Also cars could park in one lot and walk/ cross streets up and down to other businesses and locations = less car pull ins and outs. Less driveways for bikes, peds, less car turning to prevent backups. 5 jAnd bus pullouts. Get poles off the sidewalks. Bikes allowed on sidewalks. Fewer driveways. 5 All modes eventually are pedestrians - wider, obstacle -free sidewalks are a must. I am concerned that Option 5, despite the wonderful 13' walkways, doesn't adequately address bike/ ped/ sidewalk seating conflict. 5 lWith bike turnouts. 5 For bikes and peds. 6 4 lanes w/ roundabouts would be my first choice, moving bicycle traffic to alternative routes with some level of dedicated access. 6 Crucial to maintain cyclist safety at roundabouts - diverting cyclists onto sidewalks at roundabouts is unsafe in my experience. 6 Intrigued (but concerned about bike/ ped safety at roundabouts). 6 Make the median a little smaller for emergency vehicles to travel easily -maybe combine side- walk w/ bike lane. 6 No "raised" median: emergency vehicle access at risk. Raised medians scare me with regard to emergency vehicle access. And people get frustrated (road rage) w/ raised median inconveniences. 6 Six feet seems a bit wider than necessary for bikers. Maybe we could reduce it a bit to give more width to the vehicle lanes and sidewalks. 6 Sidewalks could be expanded to 10' (standard) if median was narrowed. 6 Could reduce the median by 1 -2' and add that width to the sidewalk. Also, the same could be done with the buffer and added to the bike lane while adding soft -hit posts. 6 Need to make safer pedestrian crossings since roundabouts can create accessibility option. 6 With round - abouts, would likely make it impossible for the blind to cross the street at those locations. It might work for vehicles but probably would add significant risk for pedestrians if there are no lights. 6 What about getting blind and disabled peds across Willamette? Without traffic lights...? 6 j No buffer, wider sidewalk. 6 To help with diversion of commuter traffic off of Willamette, put a roundabout at 24th and Amazon Parkway -I think this would encourage more people to use this route as now the lights are short and turning laborious. 6 If roundabout, then ped. Xing 150 away with signals. 6 I would like to know more about how roundabouts work and if there are safety concerns for peds and bikes. 6 lWould like to see what the roundabouts would look like. 6 11 like (after much thought) the roundabout idea for 29th and Willamette only. 6 I like this option, but the buffer could be used as more sidewalk space. Also I like the pedestrian crossings and roundabout. And I like that this is the safest alternative. 6 1 Put a roundabout on 29th and Willamette. 6 jUgly center median. 6 How about a wider sidewalk with a turning lane and a bike lane in the roundabout. How about busses routed to Oak or Portland Street or alley bus lanes. 6 1 Hybridize this option with 3/4. 1,2 IShared side walk, wider -less driveways. 1,2 4 lanes with combo walk/ bike path w/o poles and standards. 1, 2, 3 With bike lanes moved to Oak and Portland 1, 2, fornbine sidewalk and bike plus let bike use the lanes with autos. 1, 3, 4 Keep street trees and lights in 4' planter. 2,5 Include modifications to parallel streets for bicycles (a la Alder St. controls at 19th, 24th, 32nd) or include bike travel accomodation/ protection on sidewalk (plan 5). 3,4 Only if sharrows are going to be added. 3,4 We need bike lanes that work for people of all ages and ability levels -the only plan that allows that is alternative 4. Unfortunately, alternative 4 has the worst facilities for pedestrians. Why can't we have the car lanes and sidewalks from alternative 3 and the buffered lanes from alternative 4? I like the idea of 8' sidewalks, 5' lanes, 2' buffers, and 3 10 ft vehicle lanes. 3,4 Should have green paint to keep cyclists safe. 3,4 Is it possible to incorporate roundabouts in options 3 & 4? 3, 4, 5 Cycle tracks in sidewalk with three levels (2 curbs) like in Europe. 3, 4, 5 No to reduced capacity. 3, 4, 5 Clarify, in 3 -lane configurations, what the signalized intersections would be like -would there be protected turn pockets at intersections? 3, 4, 5 Pull outs for busses would be good in three lane options. 3, 4, Can we explore cycle tracks like on Alder? Or Pioneer Parkway? Why not. 5,6 3, 4, Any bike lane need not be wider than 5'. Rather have 11'vehicle lanes. Must have bike lanes! 5,6 3, 4, There is no bus consideration for slowing traffic on only three bike lanes. 5,6 3, 4, 6 Possible to make a 2 -way bike lane in one lane like on Alder? 3, 4, 6 5' Bike lanes, 10' sidewalks, reduce driveways. Common parking for bikes and cars to encourage visits to multiple businesses in a single trip. 3,5 Combinations of 3 and 5. Consider narrower vehicular travel lanes -wide sidewalk- buffered bike lanes. Consider a 2 lane bike section to gain safety not at the cost of pedestrian use. 3,5 Consider need to improve options for protected pedestrian crossing (islands) at inbetween intersections. 5,6 lConsider bus turnouts to reduce impact on blocking traffic flow. All Fixing (reducing) car turn access to businesses is critical for all alternatives and protected pedestrian crosswalks. They also have to be usable by bicyclists. All More police enforcement for the laws in the area, speed, rolling out of lots without stopping, passing cyclists safely. All Please consider vehicle- bike - pedestrian as in Amsterdam & Copenhagen All No reduction of traffic lanes. All Protected left turn lanes. All I like the concept of 2 -lane South bound. All Would bike lanes have significant markings? E.g. bike boxes, reflective approach lanes (similar to Portland ?), signage at driveways and intersections. All j Each alternative should use bicycle travel lanes as a buffer between pedestrians and vehicles. All Bike lanes are a must. All I liked one suggestion that sidewalk be enlarged in width to accommodate bicycles, i.e. 13th on one side and 5' on the other, perhaps with a divider on the 13' side to separate pedestrians. All Primary importance- If no bike lanes chosen, highly support making adjacent N/ S routes become most bike friencly and smooth connections to beyond. All jSave $ to ensure improvement to alternate routes for bikes for real improvement. All I Please consider side street corridors for bike riders. All ISide street bike route? All Evaluate potential alternative bike routes. Have to include bike lanes elsewhere. All Use parallel side streets for bikers. Way too much congestion already present with cars, etc. on Willamette. All Bike lanes and access on Portland and Oak. All Portland and Amazon for bike traffic. All Use Portland for bike lanes. All I want peds to be able to cross safely at intersections and midblock. All More mid -block crosswalks All More trees and plants close to sidewalks. All I like the consistent 9 foot sidewalks. All Any and all options should include signage at intersections explaining peds have R -O -W when crossing. All More signaled pedestrian crossings. All j Mid -block cross walks. All I would like to see sidewalk improvements for ped. Bikes can use other off Willamette Street paths. All I would like to see sidewalk improvement as the highest priority - widening and removal of utilities. We also need a stop light at Woodfield Station's East entrance. All Put utilities in alley? More ped. Crossings! F Improve lighting from highway corridor to commercial scale. Trees! All IMore trees for the health and beautification and safety of our community! All Would like sidewalks to be as wide as possible even buying a few of private property. A buffer would be the icing on the cake. All Pedestrians needs should get more attention. Is there some flasher crossings planned for ped. Xings. All Hide cars so people can see the building and sale items. All �Ind�en demand' cro ssings mid - block. All ! All IShow pedestrian -scale lighting! All I Mount street lights off of businesses instead of on poles. All jAccess to Woodfield Station on end of Portland for strollers and bikes. All I Keep sidewalks as wide as possible. All IDo not reduce sidewalks whatever you do. All lWide sidewalks like Amazon Park "multi -use" All More bike parking on every block in plain view! All Possibly take the sidewalk width on a block (or property by property) basis. Of course, there would be a minimum width -say 5 feet, but not a standard 9 foot throughout. All Sidewalks need to be wider in all schemes. Existing sidewalks are too narrow. All We should consider roundabouts in alternatives other than just the center median alternative. All jOption for sharrows. All jAdd sharrows on drawings with no bike lanes. All jBike sharrows are too dangerous for people on bikes. All Please fix drainage. All Make sure and fix drainage issues. All lInclude contemporary stormwater treatments. All Previous re- paving projects have not included adequate drainage for heavy rain, viz flooding regularly on Hilyard St. Please create more drainage for ALL street projects. All Driveways need to be part of traffic flow plan. Some parking areas may have to be used differently to fit traffic flow on streets. All j Discourage thru traffic on Willamette; signs suggesting alternatives such as Amazon. All IYes to traffic signal at Woodfield Sta. driveway! All JWe need a traffic light for vehicles to/ from Market of Choice. All I I have a priority of slowing traffic on Willamette. All Perhaps a slightly raised intersection, and /or crosswalks with a different texture to get traffic to slow down in intersections where bikes and people are at greater risk. All Suggest adding in other traffic- calming, especially at intersections. For example, intersections and or crosswalks that are just slightly raised, different color, and or different types of pavement such as bricks. All How about a slight raising of the street grade at intersections to help calm traffic? All Bus turnouts must be included in all concepts. All IYes on LTD pullouts. All I am concerned about stops for LTD busses. It would be ideal if there were "cutouts" or "turnouts" to prevent busses from blocking bicycle and auto traffic. I don't see this in the proposals. All IYes to increasing existing R -O -W to allow bus turnouts. All I I would like to see cutouts along Willamette for busses for better traffic flow. All I Pull outs for busses seem critical in any alternative. All lWith all alternatives bus pullouts are critical to improving safety. All Build transit stops w/ pull outs and shelters and accommodate the other modes around those points - include prominent signage to yield to bus and pedestrians -good to co- locate zebra crossings with transit stops (e.g. sharrows in lane adjacent to stop). Get LTD and businesses on board! All I Bus turn outs. All I Bus turnouts such as at Woodfield Station would help the flow of traffic. All I Incorporate bus turn outs? All Bus pull outs? All Bus turnouts or better ways for cars to go around bus (without running into turn lane) could let bikes merge into travel lane and reduce sidewalk width at those spots. All Bus turn outs. Busses need turn outs not to stop in streets. All Bus lane pull outs. All ISome accommodation needs to be made for bus pullouts. All JPut utilities underground -safer all the way around (including during storm weather). All I Utilities underground. All JUnderground all EWEB overheads -just street/ stop lights. All JUtility poles need to be relocated to the outside of the ROW as far from the curb as possible. All Consider utility lines (telephone and electricity) in the alleys -would greatly improve look and feel of the entire corridor. All Bury utilities. All Put utilities underground. It will give an extra 2 ft to sidewalks. All Put phone/ utilities underground!! It creates space on sidewalk for bikes and peds. All Consolidate lighting poles with utility poles to reduce conflicts in sidewalks. All Non - buffered bike lane and 11 ft lanes for busses. All Bus turnouts. Divert through traffic to Amazon Parkway. Reduce speed limit on Willamette. All The selected alternatives for further study should increase accessibility to the business district and provide improved conditions for bikers and pedestrians, prioritizing those concerns above thru- traffic for p.m. commuters - Amazon Parkway serves that purpose, and by increasing foot and bicycle access and improving safety, business will be more supported. All Focus on creating a vital economic district that creates a positive experience and is accessible to all modes of complete street transport. Commuter vehicle traffic should be shifted toward Amazon Parkway (with roundabouts at 24th and 27th and 29th). All Concentrate on designs that enhance all user access to the businesses as opposed to catering to drivers that just are passing through. Same goes for cyclists - design lanes to enhance bike access to businesses -not bike freeway through the area. All Could there be a concrete barrier just North of 29th so people could not turn left across 3 lanes into the bank. This would be in middle of median. Not a whole wide strip, just a narrow 8" barrier. All Please use buffers, they are critical for safety and to attract new users who require the perception of safety. All Just repair or replace existing damaged roads and sidewalks or use effective striping and signage. All Left turn lanes and fewer driveways would be great. Removing utility poles would also be awesome All Add light traffic control at Woodfield Station. How about using light control that changes direction based on how busy the street get (South vs. North)? 2. Questions In option 5, would telephone poles etc. be put underground? Would roundabouts be safe for peds? Does option 6 need a median? Less concrete = less cost without decreasing safety. How will the Woodfield Station parking lot driveways be consolidated to reduce congestion at 29th and Willamette? Will bikes really stay off the sidewalks if they have a designated lane? What similarities does this stretch of Willamette Street have with successful re- designs with three auto lanes and two bike lanes? How have these re- designs changed bicycle use? And how have the re- designs affected business? What evidence exists from other communities that reducing the number of automobile lanes can improve automobile traffic flow and /or reduce accidents? What is the future of housing development on S. Willamette -then there is the Civic sound where are the traffic plans if a large store is put there? What is the "expected" demographic change (psu ? ? ?) for the affected residential neighborhoods? No young families are currently inbound. What are the anticipated multi- family structures that will be allowed? Is the middle turn lane in the 3 auto lane options safer for left turning cars than the current two lanes in each direction, especially when cars from each direction make lefts from the center lane at approximately the same spot? Capacity and street flexibility: If South bound traffic is peaking at a certain time and north bound at another time, why not have one way during the morning and the other way during the afternoon? Why isn't Willamette one way and Amazon Parkway the other way? What plans are being made to improve alleys for bike traffic and side streets and bike access from Amazon Parkway? And between Amazon Parkway( all the way to Hilyard) to Willamette Street. 24th Ave to 30th or 32nd. Why is the alley running from Capella parking lot South to Oak Street chopped up and not even fully accessible to any vehicle (not even emergency) and how will this plan remedy this even slightly? With the alts. w/o bike lanes what is the bike path? Would Portland and Oak be developed as bike boulevards? If there is reduced auto capacity, can alternate routes for bikes be different than auto alternate routes? What after -dark safety measures are in place for peds' safety at night? No mention of aesthetics -the current street is just ugly. While any change would be improvement, maybe some alternative would provide better aesthetics? Will any of the options require any properties or businesses along Willamette to give up any parking space or property? What are the safety factors that we are trying to fix? And I do mean -what are the statistics on accidents compared to other similar traffic situations? Please share this information widely. Due to the instability of Northbound traffic to turn West on 18th, lots of traffic turns West on 24th and 23rd through the neighborhood. Is there a solution using the Civic property to link Oak with Amazon? What plans best support bus stop improvements and bus turnouts? Which option might best accommodate EMX in the future? Is LTD going to get basements for busses? Could the utility poles be moved back from the pavement? Would that be cheaper than undergrounding? What physical design steps are being taken to prevent cars cyclists and pedestrians from "gaming the system" (ie. Cyclists going the wrong way, cars driving in parking lots, jay - walking peds) when frustrated? What is the life expectancy of the "project ": 10 years? 15 years? More? What is happening South of Willamette/ 29th? Does it matter? Are there any near term sewer, water, wastewater "projects" needed/ anticipated? Dig a ditch, fill it in, dig a ditch, fill it in... 3. Comments [The first alternative is] the only way! Maintain what works. Don't fix something that is not broken. #1 seems to be the least expensive project. [Option 3] Afraid of lowering people to business Alternative 3 is my highest priority, I think this is a reasonable design that provides access for everyone, regardless of their mode of travel. [Option 5] Sounds good for a far off future. Very concerned that roundabouts would be very dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. Roundabouts are different for pedestrian crossing. [Option 6] is too dangerous for emergency vehicles! Think Crest Drive. I disagree that roundabouts are safer in Eugene. It doesn't seem safer for pedestrians or wheelchair users or those with limited vision. [Option 6] Bad idea for such a stop and go traffic "flow." Roundabouts at small -scale intersections are ridiculous! Terrible for bikes and peds! How can this be safer? Needs more R.O.W. I think we need to be very careful to make clear how bikers/ cars should behave in roundabouts to keep things as safe as possible. I am concerned about roundabouts and their safety to the visually impaired. The roundabout idea is a good one but has been coupled with a raised median which seems like a deal- breaker due to emergency access/ business access issues. Consider roundabouts for some portion of the other alternatives in the next design phase. Option 6 is a terrible idea: Northbound from 32nd (pws) would need to travel all the way to 27th roundabout to "come back" to Woodfield Station. Narrows access South forever. Very expensive to return to higher capacity. No roundabouts. They stink. Roundabouts are dangerous for bikes and pedestrians. [Option 6 is] not great for businesses, emergency vehicles or neighbor streets. Option 6: This plan would be a disasterous waste of space. Roundabouts are dangerous for bicyclists (pedestrians also). Roundabouts are incompatible with slower, denser, more urban character and also with pedestrians and bikes. Leave the 4 lanes - traffic is bad going South or rush hour and not good going North. Bikes shouldn't be on road. The 2 -lane option is too extreme. Willamette is major route -like you said emergency vehicles would be affected and parallel streets would be significantly affected by traffic. No bike lanes. They are too dangerous. Bike riders should dismount and walk in pedestrian areas. Bike commuters should be required to use existing bike lanes and routes. 205 Cars, 1 bicycle: 15 min tally in the afternoon. 5 of 6 altern. Reduce travel lanes, not in favor, there should be more options including/ maintaining travel lanes. We really must have a discussion of what is going to happen between 18th - 24th because connections must be made. How or will 18th -24th be altered? Makes a big difference in future designs. I am very skeptical that the 3 lane options will have less capacity than existing conditions including the mess on Willamette between 24th and 18th. I would prefer any alternative with a center turn lane or similar (roundabout for example) to improve safety (for drivers, peds, bikes) and avoid the current "slalom" driving experience. The street is crying to be 3 lanes in my opinion. Options 1, 2, 5 do nothing to accommodate bicycle traffic on Willamette Street. The other options are better for all users. Too many driveways. Accessibility should also be considered -A turn lane provides greatly enhanced accessibility (don't just look at mobility). Restricting drive cuts and connecting businesses at rear could reduce vehicles on Willamette, Rear connectivity would be important. Intersection of 24th & Pearl/ Amazon is narrow for S.B cyclists "Detour" via Amazon Path adds more time and distance for cyclists. Plus no good access to west, i.e. S. Willamette. More safety and comfort for families with young kids to walk and bike. I ride an incumbent tricycle to many businesses along this segment of Willamette. I can usually get to anywhere I want to go, but bike parking is inadequate in all cases except Market of Choice and Capella. Bikes have to squeeze between cars and hop a sidewalk to get to bike racks. Parking is inherently the biggest deterent to cyclists use of Willamette Street. We should not consider any of these that don't include bike lanes. We should not consider any plans which don't ensure bike lanes. When you add bikes on the sidewalk or add a cycle track, 4 and 5 become almost the same. Bikes sharing sidewalks doesn't seem safe. Although improving parallel routes for through traffic is great, cyclists want to access the businesses on Willamette. It is important not to just consider "capacity of the road" being vehicles -what is the bicycle capacity? Bike lanes need signal change installed on street so bike can trip the signal to green. I disagree with the evaluation that all alternatives listed except for #4 are equal in social equity, because options 1 and 2 are unacceptable for cicyclists, offering no improvement whatsoever and maintaining current terrible conditions. I'm concerned that none of these options are sufficient for reticent cyclists to feel safe. Say, for parents with young kids to abandon their cars and bike with kids instead. Research shows they need to feel more protected to move forward in taking that step. And we want their activity, business, and inclusion on Willamette Street. We live near Amazon Community garden. We walk and ride bikes in this area for errands, etc.... We mostly use the side streets because of Willamette's condition. Through traffic that does not patronize any of the businesses could be "pushed" onto Amazon Parkway. Most automobile drivers and bus drivers know how to handle a bike lane on the right hand side so I don't think it should be thought of as a negative aspect for vehicle or transit access/ mobility. Need to make bike lanes visible to cars, sidewalks less ideal. Safe bike blvds. Or lane with buffer. This is difficult to choose as details of a potential "cycle track" on the wider sidewalks were not provided. Comparing the bike path and non -bike path plans is difficult with this info missing. First and foremost I believe we need dedicated bicycle lanes. But where the bike lanes are provided for, if lane widths can be narrowed to provide more sidewalk, that is my next personal priority. I cycle on this stretch of Willamette 4 -6 days/ week and do most of my shopping there, using a bicycle and a trailer. Please consider the needs of aging citizens. We walk, use the bus and our children and grand children bike and bus to work and school. The auto continues to be importat but is not the most important. Willamette between 24th and 29th has wonderful businesses who would thrive under improved conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bike/ ped infrastructure improvements = increased business! If you are looking at Portland for a bikeway, what happens southbound to get from 27th and 29th, no way you can expect cyclists to climb the hill on 27th to Linclon. Oak North doesn't get you to 24th either. Getting cyclists and pedestrians in the other area will increase business. Goal decrease cars, increase bikes and pedestrians. Top priorities in my opinion (in this order): Safety; bike lanes; cleaned up sidewalks, as wide as possible; fewer, wider driveways. Please become aware of your language use, it has real life consequences: capacity, volume are making yourdesigns but always refering to automobiles that then have to be accomodated. What about taking biking/ walking capacity as your guideline? Bike and ped only and public trans (bus). With a town as progressive as Eugene, start a greenway where cars have to go around. Pedestrians and bikes and trees will have the right of way. There would be space for parades, "street" performers, musicians, etc... Improve street trees. Improve bike ways in the area. Both as a driver and a cyclist, I prefer having a curb between cars and bikes. I have some concerns re: mixing bikes and pedestrians on the sidewalk, although that already happens on the existing 6 ft sidewalk. I believe left turn lanes would please businesses and car commuters to continue car flow. However, I am a pedestrian hoping to be a bicyclist visiting these businesses (already a bicyclist) if it were safer. Fewer lanes would make it so much better to cross. Wider sidewalks make a real visual impact that the area is being slowed down... also potential for beautification, which should be positive for businesses. Prevent driving on sidewalk with trees? Landscaping? Bicycle parking that doubles as preventing cars? Envision Eugene ideas for furniture, etc. I understand that VMT are decreasing, suggesting that we should weight non -auto needs higher than current usage to better prepare for the future. I own a not- yet - open business at 25th and Willamette and my customers (99% of them) drive to my bird seed and nature store to buy their bags of seed. So I'm concerned about a loss of convenience to drivers who are my customers. And I also ride my bike to and from work too! But I do avoid riding on Willamette. I am concerned about fewer people to my business area will make an impact in customers to my shop! This area of Willamette is not a great bike neighborhood to me the most important is to keep our special shopping area vital. I walk a lot to the shops - sidewalks are important. The section at Woodfield Station needs special consideration. Please question the need to have a left -turn lane. It takes a lot of the very limited avaliable space (percentage wise) for a benefit that is high conflict for lots of user groups includign competing left- turners from the opposite direction vehicle lane, In these budget crunching times, it is difficult to choose options without knowing costs. Budget consideration - Improved Willamette corridor will increase real estate prices enough to pay for it! The "cost effectiveness" screen for evaluating alternatives should consider the cost of operating vehicles -not just the cost of building the infrastructure. Police enforcement on 18th to 20th to keep bikes from riding wrong way (N) on the one -way street (I bike, but I also drive -don't want to fill anyone!) Compare design scenarios to similarly designed streets in Eugene with similar traffic counts. Compare lane widths for autos and bikes (and sidewalk widths) to help the public assess options. Carefully assess intersections and provide this data/ design. Use economic development research on different street redesigns and how the public investment drives market value. Look to PDX 2040 Growth Plan for examples. This would greatly diminish likelihood option 1 and 2 pens out for the Envision Eugene plan for long -term growth/ change. These should be considered jointly and not separately. Both in the Northern corridor, but especially in the Southern structures will be replaced! And they will be denser! (See SE corner of 24th/ Willamette) Also: a younger demo increase could substantially increase bike usage!! More energy needs to be spent on envisioning how these alternatives will affect the beyond - street realm: parking, business store fronts, residential, etc. Robin addressed this briefly, but if this is what we want, why not integrate it now? These are critical to discuss now not in the distant future. If we want complete streets, we need to think in a complete way. "Capacity" as a cup is a false analogy. The most important criteria are how attractive the area is for people to live, walk, work, etc. not how many cars and bikes it supports. Thinking about this project as a transportation project is a too narrow of a perspective. Reducing speed is a very positive outcome for most, if not all stakeholders. We should consider reducing travel lanes from 11' to 10' to slow traffic and increase sidewalk 1 width. At a first meeting on this subject, I and others on our table suggested using Willamette as a one way street (coupled with Amazon). No mention has been made of why this would not work. All plans were to be talked about tonight. Not so, I see. There should be talk and studies on future transporation needs on Willamette. The planned apartment buildings will add a great many cars to the road. Give us the future planning figures. We need to know the "capacity" of each plan. The side street bikeway idea will hopefully involve some way to get on Oak down the alley at the very North end and also how to get from Portland directly into Southtowne without carrying it down steps. I'd like alternate bike street option or improved alleys. Oak and Portland streets are viable routes for bicyclists. I am very concerned about bicyclists' safety if bike lanes are added in 3, 4, or 6. Bike lanes, parallel to Willamette St. would allow cars to drive to their businesses. The older generation living in the South area may not be biking as frequently as the University areas. I'm in favor of bikes on alternative routes or cycle tracks sharing sidewalk. The combination of cars and bikes on this opens a lot of safety issues, bikes and crossing each other, multiple driveways, etc. Concerns for economic loss, cost, and esp. safety -fire trucks? Police? Busses? Like the sidewalk width. Not sure 3 lanes can work in option 5. Although I support improving and increasing bike access and facilities, Willamette is a major arterial and I don't think there is adequate space to add safe, dedicated bike lanes. I support improveing bike routes on Oak and Portland and alleys. I also would like to see bus turnouts. If there was an option to get additional space beyond the 60 ft I would like to see sidewalks wider than 9ft. Definetly need to reduce number of driveways. When I bike, I prefer not to bike on busy streets anyway, even with bike paths. If Willamette was pretty, if people could walk and gather there, if businesees integrated smoothly w/ the pedestrians, the notion of cafe's, places to sid, accomodation of bicycle traffic are wonderful and Willamette would stop being a blighted, ugly, car motivated place. Raised sidewalks at In- Shape. As a business owner I am very much looking forward to the 'upgrading' of Willamette Street to make it an attractive -tree lined- no pot holes- area that attracts families, singles, students, etc. to come to our area. Lighting can be a problem. Wider sidewalks create safer space. If sidewalk next to traffic lane, maybe some form of protective buffer to protect pedestrians. Mid block crosswalks should be considered in front of Market of Choice and around the Holy Cow area. There are big distances between cross walk for peds to travel. The traffic light for Woodfield Station would be great for pedestrians, like across 29th coming out of Market of Choice and Asian Market. Please provide all background data prior to the next meeting/ decision. There seems to be a distorted representation of bicycle advocates. The general public is far less prone to use bicycles to shop or commute in this area when there are perfectly flat areas immediately to the east. It seems irresponsible to cater to the minority at a significant disadvantage to the majority -with a blind optimism as to the economic consequences, and a failure to tudey where traffic uses Willamette to get to and whose neighborhood it would congest if we lost lanes. Please take these surveys with a grain of salt at the "more" road biking community seems to be more represented at this meeting. Get Mark Gillem involved. A horse designed by a committee looks an awful lot like a camel. Evaluate alternatives for safety. How does it impact safety compared with the current reality. Safety has to be part of evaluation. Drainage is hazardous on many sections of the northern corridor) l I assume all alternatives would improve drainage and prevent water pooling at curb and pedestrians being splashed. Not mentioned. The transportation model to analyze alternatives should account for the trend of decreasing VMT -or at least not assume continued growth in VMT. We cannot give up maximum traffic capacity for this critical travel route. We do need to establish a plan that will extend R.O.W. as soon as possible in the future, so at least sometime in the future, space would be available to make bike lanes and sidewalks as it seems people want but we don't have room to do it safely now. Carefully account for changes in traffic patterns in nearby residential streets. Provide this data. Assess nearby auto routes to accommodate thru commuter traffic (similar to your assessement of alt. bike routes). Spend money to fix overall problem. I wish substantial traffic could be diverted from Willamette to Amazon Parkway. Amazon Parkway should be an alternative for traffic N and S. Suggest adding in other traffic- calming, especially at intersections. For example, intersections and or crosswalks that are just slightly raised, different color, and or different types of pavement such as bricks. Traffic needs to slow to support urbanization. The assumed 30 mph speed limit doesn't seem compatible with sharrows. Are there any studies on whether 3 lanes (one middle lane turn lane) slows over all traffic - otherwise I have concerns about people still going too fast (as they do now) when trying to "commute" through) with fewer lanes for traffic -hence more dangerous. Sharrows would depend on car speed and density work better if cars go slower and not so many of them. Clarify how much travel time would increase when stated. Is it significant? Roads should not be designed around enforcement issues -such as vehicles not letting busses pull back into lanes. Though it cannot be considered within the scope of this project, pullouts for LTD buses are desired. North bound bus stop across from Woodfield Station needs a pedestrian crossing: people are sprinting out into the roadway now. Make public transit more affordable/ desirable to reduce vehicular capacities. We're concerned about bus pull -outs. I have a big concern about bus stops. Big delays unless have a pullout, but how would that affect sidewalks? Option 3 is too narrow for busses. Transit pull out alley - utilities reduced traffic from more walking/ biking. Spend money now to bury utilities -it will cost more in 10 years! In the long term, the overhead "utilities" must be buried. Utility poles are a hazard for bikes and pedestrians. Left turn signals are very much needed. Although I am in favor of any option that fits the needs of many people -with safety at the forefront- I feel it must be said that bike and pedestrian traffic occurs mostly in the summer -the rest of the year is too cold and rainy for most people to walk or bike. I really like alternative 6 but am concerned about the through traffic volumes. Then again if we make it easier to walk and bike than drive, people will be more likely to choose those modes. This would be beneficial in lessening the traffic volume and improving the atmosphere. I imagine that would be the best environment for the businesses but more difficult for through traffic. The way I see it, someone who is new to town and has not decided how they are going to transport themselves, should be able to look at Willamette and see a representation of our community values and unbiased options of how to use the street -it needs to work equally well for vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians and busses! I chose [the options I did] because they are the only complete streets and consider the safety and social equity ideals that our community values. All businesses applying for permits to expand or reconfigure their buildings or parking facilities should be put on notice that in the future the City may choose to widen its right or way and would be unwilling to compensate the businesses for any losses resulting from design changes. Vr- Community Forum #3: Tuesday, ,June 11 4 -5:45 p.m. or 7 -8:45 p.m. South Eugene High School Cafeteria: 400 E. 19th Ave. SOUTH WILLAMETTE Street Improvement Ilan Rank & Refine the Alternatives The City of Eugene is gathering input on three alternatives for redesigning Willamette Street from 24th to 32nd Avenue. The results will be shared with decision makers. E1 Maintains existing No bike lanes 3 travel lanes Center turn lane offers 3 travel lanes 4 travel lanes Maintains 11' outside (southbound, opportunities for (southbound, Left - turning vehicles travel lane for buses northbound & center) design treatments northbound & center) block travel lanes 9' sidewalks Intersections and traffic 13' sidewalks 9' sidewalks Bike lanes signals would need to Wide sidewalks 10' travel lanes be reconfigured provide design are narrow for buses treatment options and trucks No bike lanes Maintains 11' outside travel lane Same design for all Transition area alternatives (South) from from 30th Ave 32nd Ave to 30th Ave to 28th Ave -•;� 1JI111111111� � 11 t/ Y Design for continuity in transition area near 29th Ave Accommodate peak direction traffic: maintain two southbound through lanes from Woodfield Station to 32nd Ave RF 7W I T ! '41, 1 Crass - sections apply as shown (North) t t' from 28th to 24th Ave Il�lllllliillllll�lllllllllll ►�� Center turn lane offers opportunities for design treatments With reconstruction, utilities should be relocated for ADA compliance Intersections and traffic signals would need to be reconfigured Bicycle routes are a key ingredient for future improvements. Bike routes parallel to South Willamette Street may be developed as a part of any of the alternatives. Alternative 1 Alternative 3 Alternative 5