| West Eugene Parkway Project |
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| Introduction |
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ODOT in July 2006 suspended work on the West Eugene Parkway after determining the project lacked the sustained local political support to succeed. ODOT is now proceeding with a "no build" recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration. A no build Record of Decision, expected by the end of 2006, would officially end the project.
ODOT has been working for over 20 years with the City of Eugene and Lane County to develop the proposed West Eugene Parkway as the best way to handle growing traffic in the area. This homepage has been designed to be a repository for current planning efforts related to the project and will be updated with current information throughout the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement study (SFEIS).
The West Eugene Parkway would be an approximately 5.8-mile four-lane urban arterial road connecting Highway 99 to Highway 126 in Eugene.
The purpose of the West Eugene Parkway is to:
- Provide a major access-controlled east-west connecting arterial for intra- and inter-regional and citywide travel through the western half of the City of Eugene, between Highway 126 to the west and the I-5/I-105 corridor to the east;
- Improve access to the West Eugene industrial area via direct connections with only strategic crossroads, thereby supporting orderly and planned growth;
- Better link West Eugene residential areas with downtown, thereby supporting orderly and planned growth;
- Implement an important part of the area-wide roadway system as envisioned in the Eugene-Springfield Metro Area Transportation Plan (TransPlan); and
- Relieve congestion and improve safety on West 11th Avenue, by removing most intra- and inter-regional and some local traffic from the busiest and most hazardous section of West 11th Avenue.
The West Eugene Parkway would be an access-controlled arterial, meaning that access to businesses and residences would not front the parkway and that only a limited number of arterials and highways would connect to the new roadway. In general, connections to other roadways would be at signalized intersections, with the exception of Beltline Highway, which would be a full interchange. Some changes would also be made to the local street network west of Highway 99 to improve access to and circulation within the commercial neighborhood. The West Eugene Parkway would be constructed in several phases – it’s most likely that the first segment would be between Highway 99 and Beltline Highway.
Project Status
In November 2004, officials with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved a re-evaluation report for the West Eugene Parkway (WEP) that allowed the project to advance to a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS), the next phase of required environmental planning.
The purpose of the re-evaluation was to assess whether any changes have occurred in the project’s design concept or scope, the affected environment or proposed mitigation measures since publication of the SDEIS in 1997 that would require new or supplemental environmental documentation or if the environmental document and resultant project decisions are still valid. Within this context, ODOT reviewed the environmental impacts of the currently-proposed project (i.e., the 2004 Modified Project) and compared them to the environmental impacts of the 1997 Modified Project from the 1997 SDEIS. In summary, ODOT and FHWA concluded that the anticipated impacts of the currently-proposed project on the environment are essentially the same as those as outlined in the 1997 SDEIS, primarily because the design of the currently proposed project and the Modified Project in the 1997 SDEIS are substantially similar and the changes in design would not result in any new significant environmental impacts. While changes to both the natural, built and regulatory environment have occurred since publication of the 1997 SDEIS, these changes have not resulted in the identification of any new significant environmental impacts due to the currently-proposed project. Therefore, FHWA authorized ODOT to prepare a supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project based on the 2004 Modified Project.
The Re-Evaluation Report for the 1997 Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the WEP is based on the project’s updated travel demand and traffic projections (changed from 2015 to 2025), recent rare plant and wetland surveys and the project’s current proposed design. The report assesses anticipated benefits and impacts from the proposed Parkway, compared with alternatives, benefits and impacts considered in the 1997 SDEIS.
The project’s SFEIS will update the 1997 SDEIS to reflect changes in the project area over the past seven years. These changes include ODOT’s 1999 selection of the preferred alternative and updating the environmental analysis to reflect existing conditions and the project’s new design year of 2025. The analysis and documentation for the SFEIS will be conducted and prepared throughout 2005/2006 and will result in project commitments to mitigation and a decision regarding the future of the project. The SFEIS will then be ready for publication. The Bureau of Land Management and the US Army Corps of Engineers are Federal Cooperating Agencies for the West Eugene Parkway SFEIS.
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| WEP Acronym List |
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WEP Acronym List
The following list of acronyms describes some terminology associated with the West Eugene Parkway SFEIS:
BA = Biological Assessment
BLM = Bureau of Land Management
BO = Biological Opinion
DEIS = Draft Environmental Impact Statement
DEQ = Department of Environmental Quality
DSL = Department of State Lands
ESA = Endangered Species Act
FD = Final Design
FHWA = Federal Highway Administration
FR = Federal Register
IGA = Intergovernmental Agreement
IAMP = Interchange Area Management Plan
LOC = Letter of Consent
LRAPA = Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority
LWCF = Land and Water Conservation Fund
MOU = Memorandum of Understanding
NTP = Notice to Proceed
ODOT = Oregon Department of Transportation
PMP = Project Management Plan
R/C = Review and comment
RMP = Resource Management Plan
ROD = Record of Decision
SAC = State Agency Coordination
SDEIS = Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
SFEIS = Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement
USACE = US Army Corps of Engineers
USFWS = US Fish and Wildlife Service\
WEP = West Eugene Parkway
WEWP = West Eugene Wetland Plan
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| News Releases |
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November 5, 2004: Final Phase of Environmental Planning Begins for West Eugene Parkway.
click here to download pdf.
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| Presentation |
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This PowerPoint presentation was provided to the Eugene City Council at their October 26, 2005 work session (opens as a PDF file).
Presentation
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| Public Involvement |
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ODOT is committed to ensuring adequate public participation for the WEP. Meetings have taken place with potentially affected property/business owners, area neighborhood associations, interest groups, and elected officials. Anyone interested in scheduling a presentation about the project should contact Ken Kohl, ODOT Transportation Project Leader, at (541) 744-8080 or kenneth.l.kohl@odot.state.or.us.
A public open house will be held before the SFEIS is published to obtain public and agency comments. The open house has not been scheduled, but will likely be held in fall 2006 after the technical studies are complete and prior to the announcement of the SFEIS availability in teh Federal Register. Check back again for up-to-date information.
You can contact us by e-mail to have your name placed on the project mailing list to be noticed of the public hearing and to receive project information. Just put “WEP” in the subject line and send your name, affiliation (if any), and complete mailing address to kenneth.l.kohl@odot.state.or.us.
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| Project History |
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This section summarizes the WEP project history, which spans over two decades of technical analysis, documentation, public and agency participation and development, evaluation and selection of alternatives.
In 1978, the T-2000 transportation plan is adopted, which replaces the idea of building the proposed Roosevelt Freeway with a new east-west corridor.
In October 1985, ODOT and FHWA published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the West 11th Street – Garfield Street, Florence – Eugene Highway Project addressing the need to: improve east-west traffic flow between Highway 126 to the west and I-105/I-5 to the east; improve access to the West Eugene industrial area; better link West Eugene residential areas with downtown Eugene; to implement an important element of the Eugene-Springfield Metro Area Transportation Plan (TransPlan); and to help relieve congestion and improve safety on West 11th Avenue by removing through traffic from the arterial. The proposed project was a 5.5-mile major east-west connecting arterial on a new alignment, connecting Highway 126 and the West 6th and 7th Avenue couplet (i.e., Highway 99). The DEIS examined three alternatives in detail (as well as variations on those alternatives) and described the evaluation process leading to the identification of those alternatives for study in the DEIS. ODOT held a public hearing in December 1985 to receive comment on the DEIS.
A Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the project was released by FHWA and ODOT in June 1986, which addressed five additional project alternatives for the segment from Highway 99 to Seneca Road. A public hearing was held in July 1986 to receive comment on the SDEIS and ODOT released a compilation of the comments received and responses to those comments in August 1987 (ODOT: WEP Hearing Study Report; August 1987).
In 1986, a majority of voters (80%) approved the construction of the WEP to comply with the City of Eugene’s charter that no freeway or throughway may be constructed unless the route is first approved by a majority of voters in a City election. Opinions by the City Attorney, dated January 1989 and March 1994, indicated that relatively minor changes in the project design (e.g., shifting part of the alignment from the south side of the railroad tracks to the north side of the railroad tracks) did not invalidate the 1986 approval by City voters. Additionally, a January 1996 opinion of the City Attorney notes that an approval by the voters does not lapse over time.
In January 1990, FHWA and ODOT published the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which: identified the preferred project; addressed changes and corrections to the DEIS and SDEIS; summarized and responded to comments made at the project’s public hearings; and identified the list of mitigation measures to be included within the project selected for final design and construction. The FEIS selected Alternative 1 as the preferred alternative.
FHWA issued its Record of Decision (ROD) for the project in April 1990, concurring with ODOT’s proposal to design and construct a 5.5-mile extension of the West 6th and 7th Avenue couplet on a new four-lane east-west arterial. The Approved Design was described in the ROD as a combination of the 1990 FEIS Alternative 1 and Alternative 1B. The ROD described the major alternatives considered, measures to minimize harm, the project’s monitoring and enforcement plan and the mitigation measures to be included within the project.
In September 1994, ODOT, in cooperation with Lane Council of Government (L-COG) and the City of Eugene, published the West Eugene Parkway Supplemental Needs Analysis. The Supplemental Needs Analysis updated the project’s needs assessment based on the adoption of the 1992 West Eugene Wetland Plan (WEWP). In particular, the Supplemental Needs Analysis updated projected travel demand and traffic volumes to the year 2015 based on the WEWP’s policy to protect high value wetlands and to protect land for future restoration.
In 1995, ODOT prepared a request for proposals for the construction of Unit 1, Part A (generally between Bertelsen Road and Seneca). ODOT, in consultation with FHWA, withdrew and did not publish that request for proposals because additional analysis determined that the impacts of the project were greater that originally indicated and that design modifications to the project could be made to avoid, minimize and/or mitigate some of the project impacts. Further, while ODOT had received final federal environmental clearances for Unit 1, Part A, it had not received clearances for the remainder of the project and it was determined that environmental clearances were needed for the entire project before the first segment could advance into construction.
In February 1996, ODOT prepared the Environmental Re-Evaluation of the project’s 1990 FEIS, noting that the project had conducted a continuing effort to reduce the environmental impacts on the western end of the project, which resulted in proposed design changes for the project. The re-evaluation sited the Supplemental Needs Analysis and its role in providing a “detailed and updated supplemental analysis to the project need for the WEP as originally articulated in the Environmental Impact Statement” (ODOT: Environmental Re-Evaluation; page 2). Further, the Environmental Re-Evaluation described the proposed design changes, the reasons for those changes and the anticipated effect those changes would have on the impacts resulting from the project. ODOT requested FHWA concurrence with the two conclusions reached within the Environmental Re-Evaluation: 1) that no additional environmental work was required for the segment between Seneca Road and the Beltline Highway (i.e., Unit 1, Part A), which would allow it to proceed to construction; and 2) that a supplemental environmental impact statement would be prepared for proposed changes to the alignment on the west and east ends of the project. FHWA found the re-evaluation to be adequate and concurred with ODOT’s conclusions.
In August 1997, FHWA and ODOT published the project’s second SDEIS. ODOT prepared the 1997 SDEIS on the full project (including Unit 1, Part A) due to several factors: 1) changes were proposed to the project design for the segment between Seneca Road and the Beltline Highway; 2) changes were proposed within the western and eastern ends of the project to improve traffic operations; and 3) changes were proposed to the project design to reduce impacts to wetlands, listed species under the Endangered Species Act and other rare plants over the entire length of the project; and 4) the need to update the project’s existing conditions, including the need to address additional species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In all, the 1997 SDEIS was intended to reassess the impacts of the 1990 ROD Approved Design and to describe and assess the impacts of the Modified Project, which had been developed to address and minimize many of the impacts associated with the Approved Design. ODOT held a public hearing on the SDEIS in September 1997. Comments support the WEP by 3-to-1.
The 1997 WEP SDEIS includes a description and assessment of 22 alternatives that were developed and evaluated over the life of the project up to that point in time (see Chapter 2 – Project Description and Figure 2-5 Alternatives Considered). The 1997 SDEIS included a section within Chapter 2 that “focuses on alternatives that have been considered as a result of NEPA scoping, to fulfill the Statewide Planning Goals exceptions process, and/or to meet the requirements of a Section 4(f) Evaluation” (1997 WEP SDEIS; page 2-19). Further, the SDEIS noted that “in addition to the Approved Design and Modified Project, the other alternatives that are being evaluated through a local exceptions process parallel to this NEPA review are described [within this SDEIS] (ibid.). The SDEIS and the parallel exceptions process evaluated the following alternatives:
- Transportation System Plan Alternative, which included a wide range of non-structural changes, expansion of multi-modal systems and roadway expansion – with and without the WEP;
- West 11th Alternative, which included widening the existing roadway to meet the design and operational standards for an expressway;
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Alternative, which would construct the WEP between Highway 99 and the Beltline Highway, while retaining no-build conditions west of the Beltline Highway;
- EPA Optimized Alternative, which would follow the same design concept of the EPA Alternative, except that the facility would be designed to meet the operational requirements of a parkway (potentially requiring additional interchanges, frontage roads, street extensions and the widening of West 11th west of the Beltline Highway);
- Roosevelt Extension Alternative, which would widen Roosevelt Boulevard between Highway 99 and its current terminus and extend it west to the western terminus of the proposed WEP;
- Green Hill Road Alternative, which would use the Modified Project between Highway 99 and Green Hill Road, extending the WEP south of the railroad tracks via two optional alignments;
- At-Grade Option, which would terminate the WEP at an at-grade intersection at Green Hill Road, with “a sweeping curve” to connect Green Hill Road to West 11th Avenue out to the western terminus of the WEP;
- Flyover Option, which would use the Modified Project east of Green Hill Road and the Approved design West of Green Hill Road, connected over the railroad and Green Hill Road via a flyover structure.
Subsequently, ODOT prepared the Alternatives Considered – WEP Technical Memorandum (October 1999). The purpose of the technical memorandum was “to provide a record of background information and facts regarding the alternatives considered for the WEP” (Alternatives Considered – WEP Technical Memorandum; page 1). The technical memorandum notes that the “WEP Supplemental Needs Analysis of September 1994 demonstrates the continuing need for the Project. The transportation issues cited within this document are: improvement of mobility and access, relief from congestion and safety improvement” (ibid., page 2). The technical memorandum also provides a summary of the project’s evaluation framework based on constraints, goals and objectives identified by the project’s Technical Advisory Committee and Citizens Advisory Committee in 1983, noting that “over the course of the project, concepts and alternatives have been evaluated using this framework in one format or another” (ibid., Appendix D). Using that evaluation framework, the technical memorandum provides a more detailed and updated analysis of the alternatives described and assessed in the 1997 WEP SDEIS and the rationale for ODOT’s selection the 1997 SDEIS Modified Project as the preferred alternative.
In 2002 and 2003, ODOT initiated additional analysis to continue to advance the proposed WEP project. This additional analysis includes updating the following: wetland delineation and functional analysis; rare plants and noxious weed surveys; and wildlife habitat assessments. Further, in order to comply with FHWA’s recommendations for a 20-year design year, this analysis included an update of the project’s land use, population and employment, travel demand and traffic forecasts from 2015 (used for the 1997 SDEIS) to 2025. The project’s traffic analysis was also updated to reflect 1999 and 2003 changes to ODOT’s Highway Design Manual. Lastly, ODOT and the project’s participating jurisdictions developed and analyzed several options and alternatives that would change aspects of the WEP’s design to respond to the new forecast year and resulting changes in forecast demand and traffic conditions. ODOT summarized the results of this additional analysis in the WEP Design Refinement Summary Report. This analysis concluded that the 1997 Modified Project (previously documented in the 1997 SDEIS and subsequently selected by ODOT as the preferred alternative and treated as Design Option A within the report), should be amended to reflect the relatively-minor design changes included within the report’s Design Option A – Mitigated. This current design of the proposed WEP is termed the 2005 Modified Project.
In fall 2005, the Eugene City Council and the Metropolitan Policy Committee approved resolutions leading to the development of a conflict assessment process which was conducted by the Osprey Group of Boulder, CO in the spring of 2006. The assessment was sponsored by the City of Eugene and the Federal Highway Administration. The Osprey Group interviewed 50 stakeholders representing a variety of viewpoints from throughout Lane County. The report acknowledged the long and difficult history of the WEP and suggested some options for the community to move forward to resolve west Eugene’s transportation problems. FHWA is currently working with ODOT and the City of Eugene to address the Osprey Report within teh context of the NEPA process.
The City of Eugene’s webpage is another source for background information (pre-2004) and documents related to earlier phases of the project. You can access this information at www.eugene-or.gov.
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| WEP Frequently Asked Questions |
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Q: Why did this project proceed with a SFEIS and not a SDEIS or a DEIS?
A: FHWA reviewed the project’s updated design and ongoing environmental analysis and concluded that ODOT could prepare the project’s SFEIS without having to first prepare another SDEIS or DEIS. FHWA’s conclusion was based on the close similarities between the current project’s design and anticipated impacts and those documented within the 1997 SDEIS. Prior to publication of the SFEIS, ODOT will sponsor an additional public hearing on the proposed project to help ensure continuity between the 1997 SDEIS and the forthcoming SFEIS and to provide the project’s cooperating agencies (i.e., the Bureau of Land Management and the US Army Corps of Engineers) the opportunity to receive public comment on the project.
Q: What does the re-evaluation report mean?
A: The purpose of the re-evaluation was to assess whether any changes have occurred in the project’s design concept or scope, the affected environment or proposed mitigation measures since publication of the SDEIS in 1997 that would require supplemental environmental documentation or if the environmental document and resultant project decisions are still valid. Within this context, ODOT reviewed the environmental impacts of the currently-proposed project (i.e., the 2004 Modified Project) and compared them to the environmental impacts of the 1997 Modified Project from the 1997 SDEIS. In summary, ODOT and FHWA concluded that the anticipated impacts of the currently-proposed project on the environment are essentially the same as those as outlined in the 1997 SDEIS, primarily because the design of the currently proposed project and the Modified Project in the 1997 SDEIS are substantially similar and the changes in design would not result in any new significant environmental impacts. While changes to both the natural, built and regulatory environment have occurred since publication of the 1997 SDEIS, these changes have not resulted in the identification of any new significant environmental impacts due to the currently-proposed project. Therefore, FHWA authorized ODOT to prepare a supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project based on the 2004 Modified Project.
Q: How would the WEP be funded?
A: The WEP is included as a priority project in the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which was updated in December 2004. At that time, the Metropolitan Policy Committee of the Central Lane MPO included the project’s costs and proposed funding sources in the RTP update. The WEP will likely be funded in phases, with the first phase between Highway 99 and Beltline Road. $15 million in state funding has already been earmarked for this section.
Q: How much would it cost to build the West Eugene Parkway?
A: Cost estimates for the WEP were prepared based on the current proposed design of the WEP, which now includes an interchange at the WEP and Beltline Highway (instead of an intersection) and widening of Beltline Highway from two lanes to four lanes between West 11th Avenue and south of Roosevelt Boulevard. Based on the RTP, the current design of the WEP would cost $169 million and this figure will be updated as an element of the SFEIS.
Q: What local and regional planning requirements have been addressed for the WEP?
A: Between December 2003 and February 2004, Lane County, the cities of Eugene and Springfield and Lane Transit District and the Lane Council of Governments amended four plans that will allow the WEP to move forward:
• Metro Plan (http://www.lcog.org/metro/default.htm)
• TransPlan (http://www.lcog.org/transplan/default.htm)
• West Eugene Wetlands Plan (http://www.eugene-or.gov) (Search WEWP)
• Rural Comprehensive Plan (http://www.co.lane.or.us/Planning)
The proposed route for the WEP was considered in planning the proposed locations of recreational access and environmental education facilities in BLM's West Eugene Wetlands Recreation, Access and Environmental Education Plan (July 2001). Further, the WEP is included a top-tier priority project by the Lane Council of Governments (L-COG – the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization), based on its ability to address the region’s project screening criteria.
Q: What kind of support has there been for the West Eugene Parkway?
A: The City of Eugene’s charter requires that no freeway or throughfare may be constructed in the community unless the route is first approved by a majority of voters in a City election. The idea of a West Eugene Parkway has received majority support for more than 20 years:
- 1978 – The T-2000 transportation plan is adopted, which replaces the idea of building the Roosevelt Freeway with a new east-west corridor.
- 1986 — Eugene voters approve the West Eugene Parkway by an 80 percent majority.
1992 — The West Eugene Parkway southern alignment is included in the West Eugene Wetlands Plan.
- 1997 — The West Eugene Parkway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement is published. Comments support the WEP by 3-to-1.
- June 2001 — Meeting held with local elected officials and citizen interest groups, resulting in a "No Build" recommendation.
- August 2001 - Eugene City Council passes Resolution #4687, which refers the project to a vote of the full citizenry.
- November 2001 — In a special election, Eugene voters reaffirm the 1986 decision to build the WEP by a narrow margin and widely defeat a measure calling for the continued study of alternatives to the WEP.
- 2002 — The Eugene City Council votes 7-to-1 to authorize amending the West Eugene Wetlands Plan and local transportation plans to include the West Eugene Parkway.
Q: How are the BLM and USACE working with ODOT and FHWA?
A: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have agreed to participate as cooperating agencies (as defined in Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations to implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), section 1501.6) during preparation of the project’s SFEIS. Both agencies, along with ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), are participating in an Executive Coordination Team that is meeting monthly throughout the project’s environmental process. ODOT and FHWA are working with BLM and USACE with the objective of ensuring the project’s SFEIS will satisfy the environmental, regulatory, and procedural needs of the cooperating agencies.
Q: When could construction on the WEP begin?
A: Construction can only begin after the project’s federal environmental process has been completed following publication of the SFEIS and issuance of a Record of Decision, which is anticipated in late 2006. The WEP will likely be constructed in phases, with the first phase between Highway 99 and Beltline Road.
Q: How can I stay informed about this project?
A: ODOT has an ongoing public involvement program to help you stay informed and involved in the WEP SFEIS:
- Public Open House – A public forum will be held before the SFEIS is published to obtain public and agency comments. The open house has not been scheduled, but will likely be held in fall 2006 after the technical studies are complete and prior to announcement of the SFEIS availability in the Federal Register.
- Community Briefings–Community and Agency Briefings are being conducted as needed or as requested during the SFEIS. These meetings provide an opportunity to meet with key stakeholder groups to discuss issues relevant to their interests while soliciting feedback about their specific concerns. Briefings have been held with neighborhood associations, community organizations, property owners, and other agencies not already working closely with the technical team.
- Mailings - ODOT will periodically mail newsletters to the project mailing list. To get your name on the list, send an email to kenneth.l.kohl@odot.state.or.us.
- Media Alerts - Watch for news releases and announcements about the project in the Eugene Register-Guard and other Willamette Valley newspapers.
- Web Page – This home page is being updated throughout the project. Please bookmark this page in your Web browser and check back for new project information.
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| Contact Us |
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For More Information Contact:
Ken Kohl
Project Leader
Oregon Department of Transportation
644 A Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 744-8080
kenneth.l.kohl@odot.state.or.us
Joe Harwood
Public Information Representative
Oregon Department of Transportation
644 A Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 726-2442
joseph.d.harwood@odot.state.or.us
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