City of Eugene, Lane County partner to make safety improvements at River Road and Beacon Drive
City of Eugene and Lane County transportation planners are working together to enhance safety features at the intersection of River Road and Beacon Drive in the Santa Clara neighborhood.
"This is a challenging area where we have higher speed, rural roads meeting densely populated suburban streets," said Lane County Senior Transportation Planner Becky Taylor. "We're working closely with the City of Eugene's transportation staff to identify opportunities to enhance safety at the intersection."
Staff from both Lane County and the City of Eugene have been working closely together to identify both changes that can be made now and longer-term solutions.
"The City and Lane County agreed that adding eye-catching displays to remind drivers of the speed and the upcoming intersection would be beneficial," said Chris Henry, Traffic Operations manager with Eugene Public Works. "It's a start while we investigate larger possible changes."
Current Changes
- Lane County has added Red Flashing Beacons and reflective tape on the stop signs on Beacon Drive.
- Lane County has ordered the equipment needed to install solar-powered LED stop signs and a speed-feedback sign for the southbound lane of River Road north of the intersection with Beacon Drive. Installation will occur once the needed hardware arrives.
- Lane County is evaluating whether supplemental warning signs for drivers traveling on Beacon Drive toward River Road (on both sides) could be effective without being distracting.
Long-term Solutions
- City of Eugene and Lane County have started the process to work with the Oregon Department of Transportation on an evaluation of the posted speed on Beacon Drive and will be doing so for River Road soon.
- City of Eugene will perform a preliminary engineering analysis of the viability of long-term safety improvements, such as a roundabout.
The City of Eugene and Lane County are committed to the safety of all road users and will continue to identify solutions that protect people traveling in our communities.