EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- The city says there are a lot of improvement ideas on the table for the stretch of Willamette Street that runs from 24th Avenue to 32nd Avenue. Less than a mile long, that section of the street sees a lot of traffic and not just vehicles; there are also a lot of cyclists and pedestrians.
That's one big reason city planners say the area is in dire need of improvements. As it is now, there are four lanes of traffic for cars, two in each direction and no bike lanes.
With so many shops in the area, the city hopes to improve the corridor to accommodate the entire community.
Though nothing is official, community members have offered a few ideas.
"One of the ideas that has surfaced is the concept of a road diet, or reconfiguring traffic lanes on the street, having a single lane of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane. We'll consider that as one of many alternatives,” says Christopher Henry, a Transportation Planning Engineer with the City of Eugene Public Works. “In some cases, we may develop bike routes parallel to Willamette Street as well."
Another problem with the area is the condition of the road and sidewalks. They're riddled with cracks and bumps and the city wants to make it a smoother ride.
Henry says the city really wants to hear more ideas from the community. There's a public work session coming up on February 27 at South Eugene High School, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. There will be another public forum in May.
The city hopes to have a draft plan for the project by fall 2013.
