Better Streets » River Road » Government Plans
River Road: Government Plans
MovingAhead, a partnership between the City of Eugene, Lane Transit District (LTD), and other regional partners, has been exploring what transportation investments are needed in some of our most important streets over the next 10 years. In Spring 2022, local policymakers selected EmX bus rapid transit as the “locally preferred alternative” for River Road and directed staff to undertake further study. In Spring 2024, policymakers reconsidered and switched to Enhanced Corridor.
Learn in detail what the City of Eugene and LTD are planning for River Road.
Key resources
Key documents and public meetings about River Road:
- MovingAhead (offline). Archived from the original on 2/5/24.
- Eugene City Council Work Session (6/10/24)
Consider changing the Locally Preferred Alternative for River Road from EmX to Enhanced Corridor, matching the action recently taken by the LTD Board of Directors.
- LTD Board of Directors Meeting (5/15/24)
Changed the Locally Preferred Alternative for River Road from EmX to Enhanced Corridor.
- Metropolitan Policy Committee Meeting (5/5/22)
Approved EmX bus rapid transit as the Locally Preferred Alternative for River Road.
- Eugene City Council Work Session (3/14/22)
Approved EmX bus rapid transit as the Locally Preferred Alternative for River Road.
- Eugene City Council and LTD Board of Directors Joint Work Session (7/15/19)
Approved amended MovingAhead investment packages for a public hearing.
- Eugene City Council and LTD Board of Directors Joint Work Session (2/19/19)
Approved MovingAhead investment packages for public review.
- Eugene City Council and LTD Board of Directors Joint Work Session (4/25/16)
Reviewed MovingAhead alternatives.
- Eugene City Council Meeting (10/12/15)
Approved further study of MovingAhead alternatives.
Supporting plans
Other plans and programs relating to River Road:
- River Road Corridor Study
- River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan at City of Eugene
- River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan at Engage Eugene
- Envision Eugene
- Transportation System Plan
- Vision Zero Action Plan
- Climate Action Plan
- Complete Street Design Standards
- Bond Measures to Fix Streets
- Regional Transportation Planning (Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization)
- Capital Investment Program (Federal Transit Administration)
Further reading
News stories and views about River Road:
- City of Eugene to present new plans to River Road community (KEZI, 9/10/24)
- What’s That? Road work, possible delays on River Road (Register-Guard, 7/5/24)
- Eugene City Council reverses course on bus expansion, walks back River Road EmX plan (Register-Guard, 6/11/24)
- On the Agenda: MovingAhead revisit, Lane County Budget and public policy recommendations (Register-Guard, 6/9/24)
- Citing rising costs, Lane Transit District nixes River Road Emerald Express plans (KLCC, 5/16/24)
- Lane Transit District officials vote not to provide EmX service to River Road (KEZI, 5/16/24)
- LTD Board votes ‘No’ on EmX service on River Road (KVAL, 5/15/24)
- LTD Board votes ‘No’ on EmX Service on River Road (LTD, 5/15/24)
- Eugene is building its first ‘protected’ intersection. Here is how it could improve safety (Register-Guard, 5/15/24)
- Another road work project gets underway in construction-fatigued Eugene (KLCC, 5/12/24)
- A long time coming: Eugene adopts River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan (Register-Guard, 5/12/24)
- Proposal for River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Adoption Package Goes to City Council (KVAL, 2/21/24)
- May General Meeting (RRCO, 5/10/23)
- Eugene residents meet to discuss ‘Moving Ahead’ project (KEZI, 11/10/22)
- What a Eugene City Council recall says about hopes for transportation reform in Oregon (BikePortland, 10/13/22)
- It’s official: Recall against Eugene councilor Claire Syrett successful (Register-Guard, 10/4/22)
- Claire Syrett exits the Eugene City Council (KLCC, 10/4/22)
- Cycling smarter: Bike advocates strive to keep Eugene/Springfield community safe (Register-Guard, 9/30/22)
- Eugene City Council bids farewell to Claire Syrett after recall vote (KEZI, 9/27/22)
- Left Behind by MovingAhead (Claire Shanley, Medium, 9/10/22)
- Community petition sparks recall process for Eugene city councilor (KEZI, 8/4/22)
- Eugene councilor preparing for recall election after city validates petition signatures (Register-Guard, 8/2/22)
- Recall on City Councilor (Eugene Weekly, 8/2/22)
- Recall on City Councilor: City Council President Claire Syrett, Who Represents Ward 7, Will Face a Recall Election (Eugene Weekly, 8/2/22)
- Recall effort against city councilor moving ahead (KVAL, 8/2/22)
- River Road-Santa Clara neighborhood plan moves towards adoption (Whole Community News, 7/26/22)
- CAITLIN VARGAS: As MovingAhead studies safety corridors, residents encouraged to learn, weigh in (Register-Guard, 7/24/22)
- Petition to recall Eugene city councilor Claire Syrett delivers 2,000 signatures (KVAL, 7/21/22)
- Moving Ahead opponents: We have over 2,000 signatures to recall Councilor Syrett (Whole Community News, 7/20/22)
- Recall Claire Syrett campaign launches with signature drive May 7 (Whole Community News, 5/7/22)
- Clare Strawn on local planning: ‘What gets lost is any opportunity for critical inquiry’ (Whole Community News, 4/28/22)
- LTD: MovingAhead River Road plan will impact 112–132 trees, cannot use electric buses (Whole Community News, 4/12/22)
- LTD public engagement ‘lies’ inspire neighborhood opponents (Whole Community News, 3/27/22)
- LTD: EmX approval was decades in the making (Whole Community News, 3/17/22)
- Eugene, LTD approve key step forward in MovingAhead, but it’s ‘not an approved, done deal’ (Register-Guard, 3/17/22)
- LTD approves MovingAhead plans; Project moves to next phase (City of Eugene, 3/17/22)
- Eugene City Council approves MovingAhead recommendations (City of Eugene, 3/17/22)
- City, LTD approve MovingAhead plans (Whole Community News, 3/16/22)
- LTD approves MovingAhead plans; Project moves to next phase (LTD, 3/16/22)
- Eugene MovingAhead project inches closer to getting green light (KEZI, 3/15/22)
- Eugene City Council approves MovingAhead recommendations (LTD, 3/15/22)
- Eugene City Council approves MovingAhead recommendations (KVAL, 3/14/22)
- Citizens go door-to-door on five corridors, collect 500+ petitions urging City, LTD to reject EmX (Whole Community News, 3/11/22)
- Officials will vote soon on MovingAhead concept plans, but there are still chances to weigh in (Register-Guard, 3/7/22)
- River Road Community Organization endorses MovingAhead: ‘Most neighbors’ support EmX (Whole Community News, 3/4/22)
- ALEXIS BIDDLE, BRITTANY QUICK_WARNER: Eugene, Lane Transit District plans seek improved public transportation, streets (Register-Guard. 3/3/22)
- META MAXWELL & CHARLINE ROJAS: MovingAhead opponents launch petition drive, collect 500 signatures (Whole Community News, 3/3/22)
- MovingAhead update—South Eugene edition (Whole Community News, 3/1/22)
- Eugene City Council, LTD meet regarding ‘Moving Ahead Project’ (KEZI, 2/28/22)
- Some Eugene property owners unhappy with proposed MovingAhead street changes (KVAL, 2/26/22)
- MovingAhead: Future changes to River Road met with some resistance (KVAL, 1/20/22)
- City, LTD staff recommend EMX for River Road (Whole Community News, 12/4/21)
- LTD to identify, use five levels of public engagement (Whole Community News, 11/7/21)
- Neighborhoods assess 13th Avenue bikeway, MovingAhead (Whole Community News, 11/6/21)
- MovingAhead’s Moving Ahead (Whole Community News, 6/13/21)
- Eugene looks for public input on future plans for LTD and local transportation (KVAL, 10/21/19)
- Eugene, LTD weigh where to go next—if anywhere—with EmX (KVAL, 10/21/19)
- MovingAhead: Eugene and LTD tackle transportation safety and access (KVAL, 3/15/19)
- EmX opens new route in west Eugene (KVAL, 9/17/17)
- MovingAhead: Eugene studies EmX expansion (KVAL, 4/26/16)
- West Eugene EmX receives massive, $75 million federal grant (KVAL, 9/11/15)
- Rabid Transit: The drive toward West 11th EmX heats up (Eugene Weekly, 9/13/12)
See also
Related information from BEST:
- LTD steps back from EmX along River Road (5/22/24)
Lane Transit District recently withdrew its support for EmX bus rapid transit along River Road. Before moving ahead, BEST sees a need to ensure the public is along for the ride.
- MovingAhead: Frequently Asked Questions (BEST, 8/22/22)
What is MovingAhead? Who is behind it? What will it do? Who will pay for it? BEST answers some frequently asked questions we are hearing.
- Metropolitan Policy Committee approves MovingAhead; next phase is to refine designs (BEST, 5/5/22)
Today, the Metropolitan Policy Committee approved MovingAhead, ratifying what the Eugene City Council and Lane Transit District Board of Directors had already decided in March. The next phase is to refine the design along each “build” corridor (River Road, Highway 99, Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Blvd, and Coburg Road), with input from potentially affected property owners and other key stakeholders. Staff will also seek funding for construction, likely starting with River Road and Highway 99. Full buildout could take a decade or longer.
- With support from BEST, Eugene and LTD give green light to MovingAhead (BEST, 3/17/22)
This week with the support of BEST and our partners, the Eugene City Council followed by the Lane Transit District Board of Directors gave the green light to pursuing investments in “complete streets” to improve safety for everyone and to encourage more people to walk, bike, or ride the bus, thereby reducing traffic for those who drive.
- BEST outlines next steps for success of MovingAhead (3/9/22)
BEST recently provided Eugene and Lane Transit District officials with an analysis of what has changed with MovingAhead since the public hearing 2-1/2 years ago and offered recommendations for next steps to ensure success.
- BEST, Eugene Chamber support MovingAhead (2/28/22)
Everyone needs safe and convenient ways to get where they are going.
- Enhanced Corridor PLUS (1 page, PDF, 10/21/19)
We support our community’s vision for complete streets, Vision Zero, and compact urban development to advance the triple bottom line of people, prosperity and planet.
- MovingAhead Analysis and Recommendations (20 pages, PDF, 10/14/19)
BEST finds there is broad community support for complete streets that enable people to walk, bicycle, or use a mobility device in safety; to access frequent and useful transit; or to drive. Such complete streets support Eugene’s vision for compact urban development. To varying degrees, members of the community see that such better transportation is good for the triple bottom line of people, prosperity and the planet. Moreover, taxpayers want to see a return on investment to benefit the community more with limited public dollars.
Last updated 9/25/24.