Category: Advocacy

October General Meeting- Ped/Bike Master Plan Presentation

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Join us as Rob Inerfeld presents the Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. Rob is the city’s transportation planning manager and has a presentation that lists bike and pedestrian-related upgrades the city could undertake over the next 20 years. The plans range from creating bike lane along Willamette Street from 17th to 32nd avenues, connecting popular path systems with separated facilities (cycletracks), to building a bike and pedestrian overpass over Randy Pape Beltline.

The plan will show improvements that will help pedestrians and bicyclists travel safely and efficiently through the city. It will include shared-use paths to standard bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and tunnels and overpasses that will help getpedestrians and cyclists safely across busy streets. As quoted in theRegister Guard, Rob mentions “We’re looking to hear from people: Did we choose the right projects? Are we looking at the right kind offacilities?  What do people think about the policies we arerecommending?”

Join us for this very informative meeting. Tuesday, October 25, 6pm-8pm, Countryside Pizza, 645 River Road

Input On Our Future Transportation System

Posted on by RideCoordinator

This post was originally published in similar form on the EugeneSRTS site.

There are few meetings happening this week that will inform and influence our transportation system in the coming years and your input is needed.

On Thursday (Oct. 13th) from 11:30-1:30 the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) is meeting at the Eugene Public Library (100 West 10th Avenue) and will be discussing the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). It’s a good time to let the Commission know that active transportation options are important and that we need more facilities that allow more people feel comfortable walking and biking throughout our community. Public comments (limited to 3 minutes) are at the beginning of the meeting

This would also be a good time to indicate support for some of the projects called out for funding in the next round of Flexible Funding from ODOT. Those projects include the following (more information on each in these letters of support):

  • Blair/Van Buren Active Transportation Corridor
  • West Bank Bike Path completion
  • Regional Bicycle Wayfinding/Signage/Shared Lane Markings
  • Bob Straub Parkway/Mt. Vernon Road Pedestrian Improvements
  • A Bikeshare Feasibility Study
  • A Regional SmartTrips Program
  • Middle Fork Path Phase 2b
  • Highway 99/Roosevelt Pedestrian Improvements
  • Main Street Safety Improvements

Also on Thursday there is an Open House from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, at the Library to discuss the Regional Transportation Plan. The MPC will adopt the RTP in November and we need to make sure that facilities that make walking and biking just as easy (if not easier) than driving are a center piece of that plan. Go to the open house and give feedback on the importance of a great active transportation system. Connect the paths with a system more people will feel comfortable using (families, kids, and those currently not walking or riding as much as they want because they are not comfortable doing so). Continue reading “Input On Our Future Transportation System” →

Final Open House for Ped/Bike Master Plan

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Please come to the final Open House for Draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan on Monday, Sept. 26 where there will be an opportunity for public feedback on the plan from 5 – 7 p.m. in the downtown Eugene Public Library‘s Bascom-Tykeson Room. At the open house, copies of the plan as well as large versions of the maps will be available for review.Comment forms will be provided and City staff will be on hand to answer questions and take note of public comments.
City staff are seeking input on this draft plan through Oct. 14. The plan can be found at www.eugenepedbikeplan.org where feedback is also being accepted. Staff will present the plan to the City Council on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Please contact Transportation Planning Manager Rob Inerfeld at 541-682-5343 or rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us with any questions.

 

 

Fairgrounds Access- Meeting!

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Your chance to talk with decision makers about the Fairgrounds Gate Closures is coming up next week!  We need to be there to stress the importance of this connection and the issues with the current route that cyclists and pedestrians are having to take (poor pavement, not to code, narrow gate opening, potholed bridge, pavement gaps, parking lot traversing, etc.).

Please come to the Lane County Commissioners Meeting:

Wednesday, 8/17, 1:30pm
Lane County Courthouse, 125 E 8th Avenue, Eugene.

And if you haven’t done so already, please sign our petition to reopen the old route:http://www.petitiononline.com/Lec4all/petition-sign.html

Cheers and have a great week!
Anya

How Twitter Can Work as a Bike Advocacy Tool

Posted on by RideCoordinator

I’m not sure if this is the case with the example below but it highlights how Twitter can work as a bike advocacy tool.

Friday, August 5th:
@SuziSteffen posts this on twitter*:
“City of #Eugene, #WTF is this? OH HA! THERE’S A BIKE LANE THERE. http://twitpic.com/61lvjs”

The twitpic link leads to this photo:

EugeneSRTS tweets: “Yeah, try the grass strip plz MT @SuziSteffen: @EugenePW #WTF is this? OH HA! THERE’S A BIKE LANE THERE. http://twitpic.com/61lvjs”

SuzziSteffen, @btx91, and @eugenesrts exchange a couple tweets about the subject, including the point from @SuziSteffen “… The worst of it is that it’s in the counter-traffic lane! Not like one can MERGE.”

@EugeneSRTS emails link of TwitPic photo to Lee Shoemaker, City Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator, asking if he could contact the project manager about moving it to a better location.

Monday, August 8th:

@SuziSteffen tweets: “Thanks, @EugenePW @EugeneSRTS @btx91! Much better now! #Eugene #biking http://twitpic.com/634enj”

with this picture:

Much better!

Though, there is a car driving in the bike lane and that orange barrel seems to be blocking the sidewalk (for wheelchair users maybe), but still, better.

 

*Wondering about twitter? Check out their “Getting Started” page here.

Fairgrounds Right of Way Closure- Petition & Meeting

Posted on by RideCoordinator

As many of you know, the access way gates at the North and South entrances of the Fairgrounds are now closed to bicycles and pedestrians except when an event is in progress (KVAL story).

This closure cuts off a critical north-south connector between the College Hill/Friendly St. and  the Jefferson Westside/Whiteaker neighborhoods.

The County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to close the gates permanently and remove the current Fairgrounds right of way.

Anyone who wants to preserve this public right of way and keep the gates open should plan to be at this hearing. August, 17, 1:30 pm – Lane County Courthouse, 125 E 8th Avenue, Eugene.

Whether you attend the meeting or not be sure to sign the petition opposing this closure here: http://www.petitiononline.com/Lec4all/petition.html