How will roadway improvements be funded?

Final design and construction funding have not yet been identified for this project. Lane County continues to seek federal and state funding, with the potential to leverage some funding resources from future improvements to the Beltline Highway and an adjacent new Local Arterial Bridge as identified in Eugene’s 2035 Transportation System Plan (TSP).

Will local project owners be assessed for any of the construction costs?

Any future assessments of local property owners would need to be reviewed within the context of both city and county policy and practice (including an evaluation of equity). Even if initiated by the City, the Board of County Commissioners would need to authorize assessing properties that have not been annexed into the city (several along corridor). Any additional right-of-way needed for the project would involve compensation to the affected property owner consistent with state and federal laws. 

How will construction of this project potentially affect my parking, landscaping, fencing and building setbacks?

 Off-street parking: Future design efforts will evaluate ways to reduce the impacts to homes that currently rely on driveway parking within the right-of-way. When possible, the final project design team will look at ways to lessen impacts where possible. For example, transitioning sidewalks with landscape strips to curbside sidewalks may be possible in some areas.

On-street parking: There is currently no defined on-street parking. Area residents do sporadically use the existing right-of-way along the street for parking near homes. Current design concepts for corridor improvements do not include future on-street parking due to the significant property impacts it would have to current residents.

Landscaping: Recent public outreach has shown overall support for the conceptual landscape strip between the road and future sidewalk. Prior to making landscaping decisions, the project design team will need to develop a drainage plan that could affect where a landscape strip is located as well as its needed size. Future public input will be included as part of the final design solution.

Setbacks: During design phase of project, County will evaluate each property relative to the setback requirements and identify potential modifications to design (e.g., narrowing of landscape strip) for individual parcels. For those parcels where setback requirements cannot be met with the new design, the right-of-way acquisition process is required to compensate the affected property owner consistent with state and federal laws.

Will construction of this project help reduce the number of cars and trucks on the road?

Traffic volumes for the corridor are consistent with the current street classification. However, one of the primary purposes of this project is to improve the street design, including adding sidewalks and vegetative buffers, to improve the livability of residents along the corridor.  

Will construction of this project help reduce the speed cars and trucks?

Concerns about the speed of cars and trucks on the road have been a consistent message heard during public outreach. The design of a road has a significant effect on how fast cars and trucks drive. The final design of the corridor will include design elements to slow the overall speeds through this neighborhood and make biking and walking feel more comfortable.   

Is a new road connection between Beaver and Wilkes possible, and if so, would it help reduce crowded traffic conditions?

County staff analysis of a connection between Beaver and Wilkes showed that a new roadway outside the urban growth boundary (UGB) would most likely not be allowed with existing state land use laws. Further, traffic modeling showed that this new connection would have very little impact on the traffic volumes on River Road or on Beaver-Hunsaker. However, area residents have expressed support of a pedestrian-bicycle pathway between Beaver and Wilkes. A pathway is consistent with both state land use laws and city and county policies. 

Why does the conceptual design show narrower travel lanes, sidewalks on both sides, bike lanes, and a landscaping strip?

Since Hunsaker Lane passes through an existing neighborhood, any design changes need to be sensitive to the impacts of adjacent residents. The Corridor Study evaluated existing county and city road standards and looked for design flexibility when possible to reduce any impacts on neighboring properties. Sidewalks and bike lanes are needed on both sides of the street to allow people who walk and bike to safely access destinations on both sides. Installing a landscape strip between the sidewalk and travel lanes helps provide a buffer while also helping slow cars down. Narrower lanes will also help slow cars down but be wide enough for buses and emergency vehicles to safely pass.  

Why does the conceptual design only include a multi-use path on a portion of the corridor?

The multi-use path on Beaver Street is intended to connect the existing bike path on Division Avenue and to a future bike path extension to the north. Further, the multiuse path on the east/north side of Beaver Street limits the impact on adjacent properties. Including a multi-use path on other portions of the corridor would have significant effects on adjacent properties. Sidewalks on these other portions provide a balance of creating a safer walking environment while also limiting property impacts.    

How will the intersection of River Road and Hunsaker Lane be affected?

The final design of this intersection will be determined as part of LTD’s future transit station in the southeast quadrant of the intersection as well as future phases of the Beltline project. The final report for the Beaver-Hunsaker plan will recommend that both future projects consider pedestrian improvements and left-turn improvements as well as local access impact at this intersection.

How will the intersection of Division Avenue and Beaver Street be affected?

The final design of this intersection will be determined as part of future phases of the Beltline project.  The concepts considered to-date as part of the Beltline Facility Plan include a complete reconfiguration of the intersection (including the potential for a roundabout). The final report for the Beaver-Hunsaker plan will highlight resident concerns with the existing configuration for consideration as part of later design efforts for the Beltline.  

Will there be pedestrian crossing improvements made along Beaver Street and Hunsaker Lane?

Yes, there will be several pedestrian crossing improvements made as part of the project. Public input and technical research shows that the top three desired locations are Summer Lane, Ross Lane (to connect with a potential new north-south path), and Division Avenue. The County’s future design will evaluate the specific locations of the crossings relative to storm-drainage, utilities and property impacts.

Can trucks be prohibited from Hunsaker Lane?

Trucks account for approximately 6% of the vehicle traffic; this translates to about 200 trucks a day. There are limited instances in which the County restricts truck access, usually related to weight restrictions of bridges. While some trucks currently use Hunsaker Lane, the new corridor design will help encourage truck drivers to use alternative routes.