News to Move You - August 2022
|
|
Updated Eugene and Springfield Bike Maps!
We all know Google and Apple maps can fall short at helping us choose the best biking routes. Luckily Eugene Transportation staff and partners have created an updated 2022 bike map for Eugene and Springfield, offering a useful navigation tool for your next bike ride.
You can pick-up a FREE physical bike map at any Eugene bike shop, the Eugene Library, Travel Lane County, or the Eugene Community Centers.
|
|
Eugene Riverfront Festival Success!
We had so much fun at the Eugene Riverfront Festival in July during the World Athletics Championships. Many locals and visitors tried brand new transportation options, like e-bikes, bike share, Arcimoto electric vehicles, adaptive bikes, and walking to attend the festival.
You may have noticed that car traffic downtown was less than expected during the 10-day festival. Perhaps it's because we saw:
- 4,000 bikes parked at Valet Bike Parking
- 9,000 trips made on PeaceHealth Rides
- Countless people walking to the event
- A dozen Bike Ambassadors sharing information and giving walk/bike directions
Thank you to everyone who attended the festival and made this once-in-a-lifetime community event a success!
|
|
|
Eugene-Portland Travel
"With gas prices being so high, we want to do all we can to provide an alternative to driving."
There’s great news for Willamette Valley travelers – just in time for the start of the busy summer travel season, ODOT’s POINT bus increased service on its Portland-Eugene route. Beginning Friday, July 1, the service added back two daily runs that had been suspended during the pandemic. These two runs are operating on an express schedule between Eugene and Portland, with only one stop at Salem each way.
“We found in our recent surveys a common desire for fewer stops and faster travel times. Fewer stops means less delay for our riders, especially when there is heavy traffic,” said POINT Project Manager Joel Manning. “Adding these two runs will almost bring us back to pre-pandemic levels of service. With gas prices being so high, we want to do all we can to provide an alternative to driving.”
Fares on this route were also recently lowered by 15% in response to the current economic conditions.
The new express bus routes will continue through the summer and potentially beyond, depending on ridership. The other buses on the route will continue to serve Tualatin, Woodburn, and Albany as normal.
Tickets are available from Amtrak. See the new schedule on the POINT website. For more information about the POINT service around the state, including service in northwest Oregon, southwest Oregon, eastern Oregon and more, visit the website.
|
|
|
Join the Springfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
The City is accepting applications for five or six voting member positions on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). Applicants must live with the City of Springfield Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The Committee advises City of Springfield staff and partner agencies on bicycle and pedestrian policies, programs, and facilities. The Committee meets approximately six times each year during even numbered months, with subcommittee meetings on the alternating months. Candidates will be appointed to serve a three-year term beginning in January 2023.
|
|
|
Join the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee (SRAC)
Are you passionate about the ability to walk and roll safely in the State of Oregon - and helping our children do the same? The Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee has identified expertise and experience that is missing in the current committee and is looking to add 3-4 new members! Ideal candidates will enhance the committee by bringing a younger perspective (ages 16 – 24), experience as a person with a disability and/or with different cultural or ethnic approaches, and/or perspective as someone in the health field.
Timeline and process: The application will be open August 1 through September 15. Staff will follow up with applicants in September. A sub-committee of the Safe Routes to School Advisory committee will recommend 3-4 new members to ODOT’s director in October. New members will begin their term in January of 2023.
Access the online application in English and in Spanish here.
|
|
|
Downtown Riverfront Park Plaza Design Review
Join Parks & Open Space for another pizza and planning party on Thursday, August 11 at the Campbell Community Center 🍕🍕🍕
Event Details:
Thursday, August 11 from 5:30 p.m - 7:00 p.m.
Campbell Community Center (155 High St.)
Family friendly, all ages welcome
Pizza and beverages provided
With feedback from the first meeting, the design team has refined the concepts for the Downtown Riverfront Park Plaza. They are ready to present two different designs and look forward to hearing your thoughts.
A survey with the designs will be posted online at engage.eugene-or.gov/plaza prior to the pizza party.
Plaza design will be completed in 2023, with one year of construction anticipated to begin in Spring of 2024. When the riverfront property is fully developed, the one-acre park plaza will be nestled between multi-family housing buildings and a restaurant.
Parks & Open Space will also be hosting an online open house on Tuesday, August 16 at 5:30 p.m. Register for the online meeting here.
|
|
|
E-BIKE REBATE FROM EWEB
EWEB is now offering a $300 rebate to residential electric customers with an active account or an authorized individual under the account. The E-bike rebate program was recently updated to allow for TWO rebates per household!
|
|
|
|
BEST NEWS BLOG
Better Eugene Springfield Transportation (BEST) has launched a news blog! Check it out at best-oregon.org/news. Visit the blog to learn about job and volunteer opportunities, local events, and current transportation initiatives.
|
|
|
|
REPORT HAZARDS
Report issues and dangerous hazards — such as broken glass, debris, leaves, potholes, parked cars, flooding, and non-functioning street lights — directly to City staff at the links below. You can also use the iBikeEug web-based app to quickly report bike lane hazards and issues.
ONLINE: eugene-or.gov/servicerequest
PHONE: 541-682-4800 (during regular business hours)
|
|
|
|
TRIPCHECK
TripCheck is a one-stop shop for information on traveling in Oregon, with the latest conditions via road cameras, continuous winter travel updates, year-round highway construction details, and other valuable tips to get you to and from your favorite places in Oregon!
|
|
|
TRANSPORTATION PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
|
|
|
|
8th Avenue Streetscape & Protected Bike Lanes
Great news for our protected-bike-lane-loving subscribers, 8th Avenue downtown is getting a redesign, and it includes protected bike lanes! After the Central Eugene In Motion community engagement process, final design and engineering is underway and the first phase of construction will begin in Fall/Winter 2022. Prior to construction, all adjacent property owners, businesses, and residents will receive advanced notification for construction and proposed schedule.
This project will include the following:
- Repaving of 8th Avenue (Lincoln to Mill Street)
- Two-way conversion of 8th Avenue (Lincoln to Mill Street)
- Protected bike lanes on 8th Avenue (High to Lincoln Street)
- Widened sidewalks and reconstructed sidewalk access ramps on 8th Avenue
- All-way stop signs at key intersections on 8th Avenue (Willamette, Olive and Lincoln Street)
- Removing parking on the SOUTH side of 8th Avenue
- Moving parking on the NORTH side of 8th Avenue away from the curb to buffer the bike lane
- New stormwater planters to clean runoff from city streets
- Tree removal, tree planting, and tree pit widening to promote tree health
- Raised intersection in coordination with the Farmers Market Pavilion design (along the park blocks)
|
|
|
For a full list of City transportation construction projects, visit the Current Projects webpage. For up-to-date travel impacts and road construction information, visit TripCheck.com.
|
|
|
|
Active Transportation
Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 11th
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Online
The Active Transportation Committee advises the City of Eugene Transportation Planning Team and community organizations and partners. Join ATC meetings with the Zoom link, or watch them live on YouTube. Meetings are open to the public: the public will be provided with opportunities to speak at the beginning of each meeting. Stay tuned for potential in-person (and livestreamed) meetings starting in May.
Agenda topics:
Sidewalk Infill
Pavement Bond Measure
Bicycle Parking Code Amendment
OR22 Track Championship and RiverFront Festival Debrief
E-scooter and bike share update
Join with Zoom
Meeting ID: 936 7151 8661
Phone dial in: 888 475 4499
International numbers: available here
|
|
Blackberry bRamble
Saturday, August 20th
7:00 a.m. - varies
Leave from Amazon Park
This event is multiple leisure bike rides in Eugene through GEARS (Greater Eugene Area Riders) on Saturday, August 20th. The rides leave from Amazon Park (22 Amazon Pkwy Eugene, OR 97405) and there are a variety of mileage options.
Go on a 101-mile ride, a 62-mile ride, a 38-mile ride or a 21-mile ride. Water and food stops are provided, and make sure to get some ice cream and cobbler after! You can register and find more info here.
Not interested in riding? You can also help volunteer at the bRamble instead: https://theblackberrybramble.net/volunteer/ |
|
|
"The Streets"
Multicultural Festival
Sunday, August 21st
12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
The Park Blocks in Downtown Eugene
This daylong event features artistic performances by members of Eugene’s BIPOC community in the form of dance, spoken word/storytelling, live music, DJs, contemporary artists, artistic demonstrations, craft demos, traditional cuisine and more. Join us to create an atmosphere that inspires community members to connect and dive into conversations and creations with people they might not otherwise have a chance to meet. Consider walking, biking, or taking transit to the festival!
Presented by Bailamos Latin Dance Network and City of Eugene Cultural Services. More info here.
|
|
#BikeToSchool
Tuesday, August 30th
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
With school starting in September, families may be wondering which routes are best for biking to school. This SmartTrips: South Central Eugene event will allow families to practice biking to the following schools:
- Spencer Butte
- Charlemagne
- Roosevelt
- South Eugene
Contact Jennette Kime for more information about the event:
541-682-5059
jkime@eugene-or.gov
|
|
|
|
Tuesday Farmers Market
All Month Long
Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Have you heard? The Lane County Farmers Market is now running a Tuesday Market in addition to their regular Saturday Market. The new bikeshare station located nearby makes it easy to access the market sustainably, and the bikes have a basket for all your fresh veggies! |
|
|
Movies in the Park
Fridays in August
9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Eugene Rec is offering only two more movies this summer, so grab your bikes and blankets and make it a bike-in-movie!
August 12, Churchill Sports Park, The Karate Kid (PG)
August 19, Monroe Park, Jumanji: The Next Level (PG-13)
|
|
|
|
Walk It Off with the Y
All Month Long
Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
Free walking events every Wednesday at Alton Baker Park through August 31 st from 5:30-6:30pm. These walks are to encourage fun and fitness throughout the summer. Themes include “day at the beach” and “crazy hat day” Meet at Alton Baker Park by the shelter and register ahead of time here: www.eugeneymca.org/events/walk-it-y |
|
|
Dirt Maidens Group Rides
All Month Long
Tuesdays and Thursday at 6 p.m.
The Dirt Maidens is an all-inclusive mountain biking group that does group rides every Thursday at Thurston Hills Natural Area at 6pm and every Tuesday at Whypass at 6pm. Rides are open to mountain bikers of all skill levels. Learn more about the Dirt Maidens on Facebook or Instagram. |
|
|
|
