There are a some rumors floating around regarding the West Eugene EmX extension.  Last fall GEARs was active in gathering information and giving feedback on different alignments. LTD has gathered more information and is holding more community input meetings that we, as cyclists, need to attend to discuss how this transportation corridor affects us.  Having traffic (even nice bus ‘traffic’) along a stretch of ride that is currently quite and pleasant doesn’t sound very ideal and LTD has certainly heard that.  However, there are a lot of barriers to some of the other alignments they are looking at.  Some of those are coming from community members and some from the actual physical environment.   We need to be sure that our voices and concerns are heard.

If the best alignment is somewhere along 6th, 13th, or 11th rather than the Amazon creek area but the opposition to those areas are pushing LTD to look at Amazon because there is simply less resistance than we need to push back and have our voices heard as well.  If, however, it makes sense to have the alignment near the Fern Ridge Path then we need to make sure it makes that path a better path rather than a less desirable one.  How could it be better with buses near the trail?  That’s the discussion we need to have. Better crossings, bike priority, enhanced environmental quality for the creek, ped/bike access to commercial district along 11th, improvements to 11th, ped/bike access to neighborhoods across the Amazon, enforcement of loitering under bridges (where families and single people don’t feel safe already), etc.  If LTD is even going to consider an alignment along the Fern Ridge Path theses (and other) items need to be part of that plan.

To learn more you can see the LTD Project Page, the Overview Map, or the specific Amazon Path alignment (City View to Seneca) and Arthur to City View. These designs are at 8% so there is still time for input and changes to these.

LTD is also holding two open houses. The first one (tonight) is focused on the 13th Ave./Arthur Street Design.  The second is a review of all designs.

13th Avenue/Arthur Street Design Review- Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Berean Baptist Church, 1210 Chambers Street, Eugene

Review of all designs- Thursday, October 1, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., LTD Board Room, 3500 E. 17th Avenue, Eugene (map)

These are on the GEARs Calendar as well.

GEARs will work to have a speaker from LTD at the next meeting to update us on these designs.

Get involved now and have your voice heard.