Cycle of Change » Walking

Cycle of Change: Walking

“I want to move the needle by advocating for complete and safe sidewalks in the Eugene-Springfield area, with a revised funding model.”

The CoC Walking working group is also known as Citizens United to Repair Broken Sidewalks (CURBS).

To get involved, subscribe to the coc-walk@best-oregon.org Google Group:

City of Eugene

On June 25, 2025, at a City Council work session, staff provided an update on the city’s sidewalk improvement program, including progress on options for increasing sidewalk repair and construction in the community and exploring potential actions for City Council consideration.

• A smoother path ahead? Eugene staff present strategies to ramp up sidewalk repairs (Lookout Eugene-Springfield, 6/26/25)

Guest viewpoint

On June 13, 2025, Cycle of Change Walking published a guest viewpoint:

• ‘Time for Eugene to treat sidewalks as essential public infrastructure’ (Sue Wolling & Larry Craig, Lookout Eugene-Springfield, 6/13/25)

CURBS petition

On February 22, 2024, CURBS launched a petition:

• Make Eugene Sidewalks Safe, Clean, and Hazard-free! (Change.org)

Our city government knows the importance of sidewalks: “Safe sidewalks benefit pedestrians, people in wheelchairs, joggers, and others who use sidewalks to travel around town. Safe, clean and hazard-free sidewalks promote mobility and livability for the citizens of Eugene. The community and citizens benefit from having pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and driveway approaches as part of the City’s overall transportation system.” 

Sadly, we residents of Eugene find that our sidewalks are clearly NOT safe, clean and hazard free. Many are in poor and deteriorating condition, and pose a significant risk for tripping and falling.  

We call on City Leaders to: 

1. Develop a plan to substantially improve the condition of Eugene’s sidewalks over the next 10 years.
2. Devise a stable, adequate and equitable funding mechanism for ongoing sidewalk repair.  

We agree that: 

• 100% of Eugene residents are pedestrians some of the time; everyone uses our sidewalks! 
• Many depend on walking to meet basic needs because of age, ability, and to save money.
• Walking is an important component of our health and neighborhood life. Walking supports our local economy.  
• Many home and business owners in our neighborhoods cannot afford to repair their sidewalks. It is expensive!
• Sidewalks are transportation infrastructure, just like streets and bike paths.  
• There does not appear to be an effective plan for fixing the sidewalks. Indeed, they are steadily getting worse.  

We urgently call on city leaders to develop a long-term funding mechanism to fix Eugene’s sidewalks.

We will present the petition—with these individual and organizational signatures—to the City Council.

• Watch your step: Should Eugene change the way sidewalks are built and repaired? (KLCC, 5/1/25)
• Curb (non) appeal: Eugene’s sidewalk problem (Oregon on the Record, KLCC, 2/25/25)
• Where the sidewalk ends: One Eugene neighborhood finds a way to fill in the gaps (KLCC, 2/18/25)
• Sidewalk grinder joins Maintenance division’s repair resources (City of Eugene, 12/23/24)
• New sidewalk? (r/Eugene, 11/25/24)
• Eugene sidewalk neglect poses safety risks, property owners responsible (KMTR, 4/18/24)
• Frustrated by our cracked and broken sidewalks? (r/Eugene, 4/14/24)
• Concerned citizens launch petition for better sidewalks (Whole Community News, 2/29/24)
• Better sidewalks in Eugene are possible (r/Eugene, 2/28/24)

External links

• Sidewalk Quality (LiveMove)
  • Eugene Sidewalk Inventory (presentation to Jefferson Westside Neighbors, Anne Brown, Ph.D., Feb. ’24)
  • Meet the LiveMove Sidewalk Quality Team
• Sidewalks (City of Eugene)
  • Density of Sidewalks
  • Sidewalk Safety
    • Reporting a Broken or Hazardous Sidewalk
    • Reporting Vegetation Blocking the Sidewalk
    • Identifying Hazards and Making Repairs
    • Sidewalk Maintenance and Liability in Ice/Snow
    • Tips on Keeping Sidewalks Clean and Safe (1-page PDF)
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Are City-performed sidewalk repairs guaranteed?
      • Are there standards for repairing or constructing sidewalks?
      • Do I need a permit to do sidewalk repairs?
      • If a street tree’s roots are damaging my sidewalk, can I remove the tree or cut the roots?
      • What authority does the City have to require that property owners fix deficient sidewalks?
      • What if there are utilities under the section of sidewalk that needs to be repaired?
      • What is the City’s Safe Sidewalks Target?
  • Eugene Code 7.360–7.390: Sidewalk, Curb and Access Connection Requirements
• Sidewalks (City of Springfield)
  • Map Hub
    • Bicycle & Pedestrian Service Request
      • Handout
      • Portal
    • BPAC Sidewalk Inventory and Assessment
    • Springfield Interactive Map — select ADA Curb Ramps layer
  • ADA Transition Plan (20-page PDF)
  • City Council Work Session on June 2, 2025, re transportation priorities (YouTube video)
  • Springfield Code 3.300–3.310: Sidewalks
• Corvallis Code 3.07: Sidewalk Maintenance Fee (City of Corvallis)
• Repair or Report Damaged Sidewalks (City of Salem)
• Resolution to Construct and Maintain Sidewalks (City of Portland)
• Sidewalk Repair (City of Portland)
• ORS 368.910: Owner to repair sidewalks and curbs along road (State of Oregon)

Further reading

• Billion dollar sidewalk funding program passes council committee (BikePortland, 3/24/25)
• New sidewalk funding effort comes into focus (BikePortland, 3/21/25)
• Councilors to float $100 million sidewalk funding plan (BikePortland, 3/20/25)
• Who Should Pay to Fix the Sidewalk? (Bloomberg CityLab, 2/20/25)

See also

Related information from BEST:

• Cycle of Change
  • Biking
  • Public Education
  • Legislation
  • Steering

Last updated 6/26/25.