EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- Major improvement plans are in the works for a well-traveled corridor in
South Eugene. The City Council met in a work session Wednesday to discuss ideas for the
South Willamette Street Improvement Plan.
Planners from the city’s Public Works Department presented quite a few ideas to the council Wednesday, all aimed to make the South Willamette Street corridor a vibrant place for the many businesses there to thrive and for traffic - car, bike and pedestrian - to flow smoothly.
The stretch of Willamette Runs between 24th Avenue and 32nd Avenue. It's less than a mile of road that contains seventy driveways and sees an average of over 16,000 cars per day. It's frequently congested, the road surface and sidewalks are beat up and there are no bike lanes. After a recent public forum, the team of planners are pleased with the input they’ve received so far.
“People are seeing the big picture and thinking about pedestrians, cars, cyclists, businesses and not simply taking the 'I've got mine club' point of view to this, which is very positive," says Ellen Teninty, one of the consultants on the project’s Public Involvement Team.
Council members discussed some ideas already on the table, like a road diet, driveway consolidations, the addition of bike lanes and better sidewalks. They also asked planners to consider emergency vehicles and ways to plan construction around the community's convenience.
About 170 people attended the first public forum in November and around 300 are expected at the second Public Forum. If you'd like to attend, it'll be held on Wednesday, February 27, from 6 to 8 PM in the cafeteria of South Eugene High School.
