By 2035, we expect to have 50,000 more residents in Eugene. If all those new residents drive cars, the road traffic we are already experiencing—and related greenhouse gas emissions and safety concerns—will continue to increase unless we make different choices as a community.
To accommodate the expected growth, reduce traffic, and meet Eugene’s climate commitments – City Council set a goal of tripling the number of trips made by foot, bike, and bus by 2035. Achieving this will require us to drive less and walk, bike or take the bus a lot more often. That's a tall order for some of us, so the City is looking at ways to make sustainable transportation more convenient and safe. A key element of the work the city is doing on this topic is called Transportation Options: Strategies for a Growing Eugene.
Currently, some apartment complexes are built with marked crossings for residents who need to cross the street to get to nearby shops and services, and some employers offer bike share memberships, transit passes, or prime parking spots for those who carpool. These are merely examples, but they point to potential strategies we could be using more widely to reduce traffic and emissions in Eugene. This project focuses on reducing single occupancy car trips as well as the traffic and safety impacts new development can have on people driving, walking and biking.
Such city-wide strategies are not new—just newer for Eugene. We’re learning from other Cities who have made headway in this area: Aspen, CO, Bellingham, WA, Pasadena, CA, Fort Collins, CO, Santa Monica, CA, and Boulder, CO. We’re also reaching out to the community through presentations and focus groups with stakeholders including employers, developers, nonprofits, community advocates, and agency partners.
If you’d like to receive updates on the development of this project, email Acting Transportation Program Coordinator Cas Casados at ccasados@eugene-or.gov.