Posted by Kevin Matthews on February 01, 2004 at 15:54:48:
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here's a quick reminder that comments are due TOMORROW, MONDAY by 5PM
on the draft CATS (Central Area Transportation Study) which includes
approval of putting Highway 99 along the Willamette riverfront
downtown, as well as the possible foot-in-the-door for more bridges
across the river, as discussed in the testimony below submitted by the
chairs of the Citizen Planning Committee for the Alton Baker Park
Whilamut Natural Area.
Also of interest--this excellent article in the Eugene Weekly online
archive which document the long-standing efforts of some consistencies
in town to build up the riverfront and river crossings, despite
overwhelming and long-standing citizen opposition:
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_06_01/index.html
Please, if you haven't already, drop a quick email today to the City of
Eugene to show your opposition to Highway 99 along the Willamette
riverfront!
Thanks and best wishes,
Kevin Matthews
Friends of Eugene
--
Example Testimony:
Subject: Written Testimony on CATS
To: Chris Henry, "chris.c.henry@ci.eugene.or.us", Transportation
Planning Engineer
Allen Lowe, "allen.d.lowe@ci.eugene.or.us", Senior Planner
Mayor and City Council, "mayorandcc@ci.eugene.or.us
Date: (due by 5pm Monday, Feb. 2, 2004)
Dear Mayor Torrey and Eugene City Council,
Please do not approve the draft Central Area Transportation Study until
you have amended it to remove the plan to put lanes of Highway 99 along
the railroad tracks and Willamette riverfront. New lanes of state
highway are no way to connect downtown to the river.
Also, please remove any references to future river crossings. These
are outside the scope of CATS planning, and as such, have not received
adequate consideration for inclusion in the plan.
Sincerely,
Mary and John Citizen
----- Begin forwarded message -----
From: David Sonnichsen
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 11:01:08 +0000
To: matthews@artifice.com
Subject: CATS text Mr. Matthews:
FYI.
**********************
> Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2004 10:55:11 +0000
> To:mayorandcc@ci.eugene.or.us
> From:lita@efn.org (David Sonnichsen)
> Subject:CATS text
> Cc:allen.d.lowe@ci.eugene.or.us, chris.c.henry@ci.eugene.or.us
>
>
> We respectfully suggest deleting the second sentence under
> "Discussion" of Strategy 7.3 on page 39 of the draft CATS update. The
> sentence entirely concerns itself with an area outside the CATS boundary.
>
> The sentence reads: "A possible transit river crossing near Autzen
> Stadium could be considered for routing options for the second Breeze
> shuttle." The CATS document is not the place to attempt to establish a
> pretext, no matter how tentative, for a "river crossing" which would then
> enter city parkland on the north bank of the Willamette River. (The CATS
> boundary is the river's south bank.)
>
> Any proposed placement of a federally-funded bus route across
> parkland could be expected to result in an appeal citing section 4(f) of
> the U.S. Transportation Act. In addition, a proposed river crossing east
> of Leisure Lane would contravene the East Alton Baker Park plan. Goal 14.0
> of the plan states:
> "With the exception of the I-5 overpass, establish an environment free of
> motorized vehicles that will enhance the use of pedestrian and bicycle
> corridors and serve the needs of park users."
>
> CATS text language is not the proper venue to begin to seek
> consensus on present or future permitted uses of parkland.
>
> David Sonnichsen
> Bonnie Ullmann
>
> chair and vice-chair
> Citizen Planning Committee for the
> Whilamut Natural Area of
> Alton Baker Park
>