Opportunity

Participate in Central Lane Regional Transportation Plan online open house by February 28

By Rob Zako
January 8, 2021
Map of Central Lane Area
  • The Eugene-Springfield-Coburg area is expected to grow by over 50,000 people in the next 25 years.
  • Updated every four years, the Central Lane Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) serves as a blueprint for the area’s long-term transportation projects.
  • Share your thoughts through an online open house by February 28th. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of four $25 Fred Meyer gift cards:
  • Comparta sus pensamientos sobre el transporte antes del 28 de febrero. Los participantes participarán en una rifa para ganar uno de cuatro tarjetas de regalo Fred Meyer de $25.

We want to hear from you!
¡Queremos escuchar de ti!

The Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is in the process of updating the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for the Eugene-Springfield-Coburg area, and they want to hear from you! 

The RTP serves as a blueprint for Central Lane’s long-term transportation projects and is updated every four years. It guides how we spend federal money on transportation projects in Eugene, Springfield, and Coburg and outlines how to proceed with ongoing projects and programs. These programs include expanding different types of travel options, as well as environmental, job growth, and equity initiatives.

With our area expected to grow by over 50,000 people in the next 25 years, it’s important that we create a plan that considers the community’s current and future transportation needs. Your input can help the Central Lane MPO better understand these needs so that they can create a transportation system that works for everyone.

Share your thoughts through an online open house. Complete the survey by February 28th to be entered into a raffle to win one of four $25 Fred Meyer gift cards:

Tell us what you think!

Comparta sus pensamientos sobre el transporte antes del 28 de febrero. Los participantes participarán en una rifa para ganar uno de cuatro tarjetas de regalo Fred Meyer de $25.

¡Comparta su opinión!

Help identify:

  • Areas in Eugene, Springfield, and Coburg where getting around is challenging.
  • Things you like about the current transportation system.
  • Types of transportation (roads, transit, bike and walking trails, etc.) you’d like to see more of.
  • Any new types of transportation you’d like to see.

(Sources: Central Lane MPO e-alert, InMotion)

Timeline

The overall planning effort will take approximately a year and a half, including public outreach and opportunities for public input. The RTP is expected to be completed and adopted by the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) in June 2021.

Below is a timeline of outreach activities that will be used throughout the project to inform a broad, diverse public audience and solicit input related to community needs and possible transportation improvement concepts. 

Project Timeline
Project Timeline

(Source: Open House)

Project outcomes

  • A single, regional document that outlines identified needs, goals, priorities, and opportunities for improved movement of people and goods around the region.
  • Identify strategies to increase access to housing and jobs through improved transportation options.
  • Identify strategies to improve transportation for all people, including vulnerable and low-income populations.
  • Integrate a range of transportation options and technologies.
  • Develop a sustainable transportation system and reduce CO2 emissions by increasing access to active transportation, transit, and cleaner fuel options.

(Source: Fact Sheet Spring 2020)

Related efforts

The Central Lane region is underway with a regional planning effort to integrate three plans as part of one cohesive effort. It will consider a range of transportation options to better connect people to where they want to go in Eugene, Springfield and Coburg:

  • Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)
  • Congestion Management Process (CMP)
  • Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) plan

What’s the difference between these plans?

The region’s quality of life and economic vitality is closely tied to demand for all types of transportation: roadways, transit, bikeways and pedestrian circulation, as well as freight movement and regional aspects of air, rail and inter‐ city bus service.

The RTP brings it all together, integrating changes in all these modes for the next 20 years.

In normal circumstances, the region’s roads are often congested.

The CMP:

  • Identifies causes of recurring and non-recurring congestion.
  • Develops methods to monitor and evaluate traffic of all types.
  • Creates and measures strategies to reduce congestion.

Intelligent transportation systems help transportation work smoothly. For example, an app on your phone can tell you how soon the next bus is coming. But what if the same app could give you that information for more than one bus system when you need to transfer?

The ITS plan:

  • Describes the current state of ITS in the region.
  • Identifies the region’s transit agencies and other stakeholders.
  • Creates a model and requirements for existing systems and subsystems to work with each other.

This new approach to regional planning incorporates system operations in parallel with other strategies, which provides the basis for applying emerging technologies to better operate and manage a transportation system.

These plans form a comprehensive project that will:

  • Create common regional transportation goals, objectives, and performance measures.
  • Ensure future transportation investment decisions consider the full range of tools required to meet community need and the region’s goals and objectives.
  • Outline long-term and day-to-day transportation operations/needs, and produce strategies/projects that consider a variety of transportation options.

(Source: Open House)

See also

Further reading

External links

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