Join GTFF in telling the Eugene City Council we need safe streets for all!
Before more tragedies occur, advocate for improvements to protect everyone, especially people walking, biking, or rolling.
Before more tragedies occur, join Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF) in telling the Eugene City Council we need safe streets for all!
April 13, 2026
Optional Gathering Before
ColdFire Brewing (263 Mill St, Eugene)
6:00–7:00 pm
Hammer out messages and mechanics.
Look for Jacob in the black and red GTFF shirt.
City Council Meeting
City Hall, North Building (500 E 4th Ave, Eugene)
7:00–7:35 pm
Sign up to comment — not accepted after 7:35 pm!
7:30–9:00 pm
Comment for no more than 2-1/2 minutes.
Invitation from GTFF
We at GTFF are mobilizing members to speak specifically to the one-way couple issue on Patterson street, but all are welcome to join and bring attention to other problem streets or the manner in which the city responds to road deaths generally.
The GTFF crew will be calling attention to:
- the inadequacy of lowering speed limits for an area (22nd and Patterson) which routinely sees drivers speeding in excess of 20 mph over the limit.
We will be calling for:
- street area reallocation to eliminate the one-way couplet,
- reduce on-street parking in areas that impair drivers’ ability to see pedestrians, and
- curb bump-outs to further increase visibility and reduce vehicle speed.
On the policy level we will be advocating for:
- decisions to be made to improve dangerous streets before anyone has to die.
If you want to join us, look for Jacob in the black and red GTFF shirt at ColdFire Brewing between 6 and 7 pm where we will gather and walk over together.
In solidarity,
Jacob T. Schmidt <external.relations@gtff.net>
VP for External Relations, Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, AFT local 3544
Ph.D Candidate, History
Tips for speaking
- Ask for WHAT you want to see happen.
- Say WHY it is important.
- Speak from your personal experience.
- Prepare your comments in advance as 2-1/2 minutes go by really fast!
Rules for public comments
According to the City of Eugene: Individuals may sign up to provide in-person public comment by completing the Request to Speak form on the day of the meeting. Per City Council’s operating agreement, speakers at the public comment period will be limited to two and a half minutes and the total time will be limited to 90 minutes total. Speakers will be randomized, with persons who did not speak at the previous Public Comment prioritized ahead of persons who did speak at the previous Public Comment. Official representatives of Boards, Commissions, and Neighborhood associations will be prioritized during Public Comment ahead of other randomized speakers.
Why now?
Since August 2025, people driving and dangerous streets killed three people bicycling in Eugene: Elizabeth Cardenas Figueroa, Merle Dean Sheffield, and Erick Munene Njue. Despite Vision Zero efforts to eliminate fatalities and life-changing injuries, Eugene is seeing the total number of traffic deaths increase, mirroring experiences across the country.
Now community members and local organizations are coming together to envision and push for a safer and better transportation system for everyone.
At the Transportation Safety Community Forum on February 12, 2026, over 200 people gathered at Roosevelt Middle School for an evening of connection, reflection, and discussion to transform recent tragedies into collective work for a better future. The event was organized by BEST, Greater Eugene Area Riders (GEARs), Lane Transit District (LTD), Shift Community Cycles, Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO), Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF), LiveMove, and University of Oregon Transportation Services.
