As we discuss ways to maintain or improve the livability of existing neighborhoods along the proposed EMX West Eugene corridor, these are examples of problems and suggestions to encourage pedestrian travel rather than cars or bikes use as current policies and funding now do. Making it easy to walk to or between businesses, EMX or LTD stations will encourage foot traffic and public transportation use while reducing car traffic. Statutes need to be developed to have the true costs of Infill housing impacts be born by the projects themselves, not by the residents who are left with the increased vehicular traffic. I believe the EMX routing and Infill housing are intertwinded.

#1 Example: Over 20 years, within a west Eugene neighborhood, the City approved 13 separate new or expanded apartment complexes or dense single family dwellings and Acorn Park Road became their primary or secondary access. None of those developments were compelled to assist paying for sidewalks between their developments and Acorn Park itself or provide non-vehicular access to nearby businesses or LTD’s Seneca Station. Safe sidewalks could have reduced the impacts of additional the 300 vehicles gradually added to this neighborhood. Acorn Park Rd is the only vehicle access point north across the Amazon canal between Oakpatch and Bailey Hill road a distance of nearly 10 blocks. Each of these “Infill” projects on its own wasn’t a big problem but their total now is. The City’s unacceptable solution is for the 24 single family homes along the route to pay $125-150/ linear foot ($15,000 each) for those sidewalks as the current statute required 50% of sidewalks be done at the time the developments are approved. This is simply not fair and does not charge developers the true cost of developments.

#2 Example: Warren Street off Bailey Hill Road gives access to development of higher end homes up on top of the hill a mile away. Well-planned curved streets and cul-de-sacs etc are in the new development but the kids who used to walk down a quiet street to Kennedy Middle School or Churchill High School, now have to walk on the street and have to dodge construction vehicles on their way to school as there are no sidewalks. The developers have sidewalks or low traffic counts within the development, but why should the taxpayers along the route be forced to pay for sidewalks when the increase in vehicular traffic wasn’t their choice? It should be budgeted into the true cost for the developer who got approval to make the “infill”. How far does an infill’s impact go?

#3 Example: Home Depot built a store right next to Fred Meyer on W 11th. If a person wanted to pick up some lightweight plumbing fittings at Home Depot or walk to Izzy’s Pizza or Blockbuster Video after parking and shopping at Fred Meyers, there is no planned pedestrian access between these stores. Each has some sidewalks or painted pedestrian access in their parking lots, but nothing that makes it safe or encouraging. Each has great vehicular access on its own that contributes to traffic on W 11th and Seneca as there is no overall plan for customers that may not arrive in an automobile even though the Seneca Station of LTD is right there. From the bottle return area of Fred Meyers to Home Depot is a disaster and an accident waiting to happen. This type of access problem is common.

#4 Example. There are LTD stops on either side of W. 11th very close to the Adult and Family Services office near Garfield. Problem is if you get off or need to get back on the bus on the south side of W. 11th there is no crosswalk or pedestrian refuge on W 11th at Arthur Street. Handicapped or economically disadvantaged people without a car are expected to walk a block up to City View or back to Garfield to cross busy W. 11th at a crosswalk. Guess what? They don’t! They J-walk! With their walkers or canes, carrying packages or children they dodge the cars on W. 11th. Not pretty. The focus, the money, is on planning for cars and bikes not the safety of people or public transportation. A similar situation occurs between W. 5th Ave and Garfield along Hwy 99 over the railroad tracks. Considerable pedestrian traffic and no sidewalks. These are not folks you would see at a planning meeting.

#5 Example. Businesses along W 11th are at their capacity. Only way to increase business is to encourage pedestrian access. Shari’s Restaurant can’t get any more parking in their existing lot which is often full or near full. Neighbors would eat there if they could safely walk there. Other restaurants or eateries report similar issues.

#6 Example. Most utility poles along the south side of W 11th between Garfield and Bailey Hill are in the middle of sidewalk. Access for a person in a wheel chair or motorized chair or even a bike compels that person to go within 6 inches of W 11 traffic on one side of poles or up against planters or fences on the other. This probably doesn’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is downright dangerous even if you are in a car not to mention if you are not in a car.

Being a bike-friendly town is great, but who are the majority of bicyclists? They are generally a vocal 5% of our residents who are not the economically disadvantaged or physically challenged. Those with nice bikes and bike trailers are often of a similar income level as those in their nice cars talking on their cell phones. Bicyclists may make different choices but the point is they have choices. Bikes are vehicles too.

Eugene drivers or bicyclists don’t think about pedestrians as they hurry here or there. It’s time to take the initiative to make Eugene a leader in pedestrian safety and have a safe, truly fun, easy city to walk and take the LTD around in. What more accessible, green, sustainable, than the simple action of safely walking somewhere?

Measures other cities use? Police can ticket cars who enter a crosswalk while a pedestrian is in it. Erect more road signs warning drivers of pedestrians. Use radio or TV advertising campaigns to remind drivers to yield to pedestrians. Fund flashing-light crosswalks, brighter street-painting of existing crosswalks, putting crosswalks where pedestrians use them not where they are convenient for automobiles.

Suggestions for LTD’s EMX corridor planning and Infill Housing guidelines:

1) Develop statues to require housing or business developers to make non-vehicular access a higher priority and pay for the true costs of their development.

2) Provide alternative funding for sidewalks in existing neighborhoods.

3) Develop guidelines for pedestrian access within private businesses parking lots and to other neighboring businesses to encourage walking between them.

4) Map existing routes pedestrians actually use now. There are paths among bushes, between buildings and along streets with no sidewalks that are easy to recognize if you look for them. That’s where people walk and need to have future pedestrian access to be located. Identify where people do walk now.

5) Research what other cities have done and initiate public awareness using radio and TV advertising campaigns to alert non-pedestrians of the rights of people not in or on vehicles. We need more than these “Share the Road” signs.
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