The Transportation Committee met twice in November due to the holiday schedule. We will meet only one time in December to accommodate holiday schedules as well. Our next committee meeting is Wednesday December 14th at 1:00-2:00 via zoom.
New SEN board member Gerry Meenaghan is interested in participating with the Transportation Committee, especially on active transportation, which he said is a big passion of his. Gerry walks his children to and from school every day, is a regular user of the city’s active transportation corridors, and (with encouragement from the neighborhood association) has applied for the city’s Active Transportation Committee.
LTD and Public Transit
– Committee Member John Q Murray published the following articles regarding safety on LTD buses:
-12/14 is LTD’s next Board Meeting, neighbors are encouraged to attend (in person or virtually or watch on public access) and make public comment.
– The November LTD Board Meeting: Committee members Leo and Linda attended the November LTD meeting and took notes. Member Leo Folsom spoke on SEN’s behalf during public comment to welcome Mr. Auten and emphasize our support for drivers. Directors Michelle & Susan both stressed concerns for outreach w/the public. CEO Auten stated an External Committee will be formed w/stakeholders, & outside consultation. Then an External Steering Committee to address “Moving Ahead. New decisions regarding adding service, frequency, route changes, will be based on a comprehensive analysis in 2023. Regarding their Strategic Business Plan, their areas of focus now are: employee engagement, engage with community, comprehensive operations analysis, maintain financial health and customer satisfaction. “There is an organizational metrics scorecard that is aligned with the above goals.Community satisfaction dipped during Covid, but is improving again.”
Streets and Safety
– Committee Member Leo heard back from COE Transportation Department that 33rd Avenue speed study did not meet the requirements for further action. To qualify for traffic calming a street must meet all three of the criteria:
- More than 50% of vehicles are traveling at or above the speed limit (25mph on 33rd)
- Criteria not met: The 50% percentile speed on E. 33rd was 24.1 mph
- The 85th percentile speed is at least 5 miles per hour over the speed limits (25mph on 33rd)
- Criteria not met: The 50% percentile speed on E. 33rd was 28.8 mph
- Average daily traffic (ADT) volume is at least 600
- Criteria met: ADT was 3,274
– New Board member Kristin Allen hosted an Amazon walk to call attention to speeding and safety on 12/6:
– Ridgeline Montessori had contacted us in October expressing concern over speeders and safety of students on West Amazon; SEN Chair Dennis Hebert submitted the committee’s requests for speed trailers to be placed on E/W Amazon, and the EPD replied that those roads don’t lend themselves to the speed trailers because of the school zones. Sarah Mazze reports that “There were sign-mounted speed readers that were being deployed around town a few years ago that LCOG and the County were managing. I’ll look into that and see if they could be placed on East and West Amazon.” Jess sent a request to the principal at Charlemagne that he include messaging to parents regarding speed limits in the neighborhood.
– City of Eugene Street bond passed. The Committee will look out for ways that the City of Eugene plans to involve citizens on the active transportation funds ($3 million per year)
– When the Committee convenes next on December 14th, we will determine the top 3 streets to nominate for Spring speed studies that are conducted by the county.
– No new updates yet on the seismic inspections on the 30th Ave/Spring Blvd. Bridge.
-From Lane County regarding 30th Ave: “Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the East 30th Avenue design concept. The next step is to refine the design to address details such as: warning systems alerting drivers to yield to people walking and biking at the Spring Boulevard and Goneya Road on-ramps and off-ramps; pedestrian safety next to faster-moving bicycles; and wildlife crossings – or gaps in the concrete barriers. It’s looking promising that we will be able to begin that design refinement process in 2025 with the next round of federal funding from the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization.”
– Leaf Collection for SE is Dec 5-16th, depending on your location. Roads are very slippery with leaves at the moment and hazardous for bikers.
– Eugene’s Vision Zero plan will be updated this year. In the first plan, E/W Amazon were not identified as locations of the most fatal or life changing injuries and was left off the plan. Crash Data from a few years ago is here
https://www.lcog.org/thempo/page/crash-data, but last two years of accidents are not there yet. We hear from EPD that traffic accidents are up in the neighborhood in 2022 compared to 2021 data.
Sidewalks
The next Sidewalk Vegetation volunteer clearing day will occur in the Spring. Fall cleanup day was suspended due to rain, and did not have sufficient vegetation amounts to warrant a rescheduled day.
– Councilor Matt Keating has set up a meeting with BEST to discuss sidewalks and pedestrian safety, and representatives from the SEN Transportation Committee has asked to be included in that meeting.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jess Roshak
