What the public thinks of Franklin Boulevard today
BEST asked: How safe, practical, and attractive is Franklin Boulevard adjacent to the University of Oregon for everyone today?
Here is what they wrote. The comments have been categorized by some topics that were frequently raised.
Pave the roads!
No problems
Really busy and car dominated. People constantly weaving so not super comfortable as a driver either
The paving is terrible and there are so many bumps
We need to dicincentive travel by car, and encourage walking, have a protected bike lane, and have businesses that people actually want to go to. More trees and shady, nice areas for people to walk and rest.
Guarded rails or medians for bikers. More shrubs and street art to enjoy and encourage walking and biking.
Make it safer
Franklin Blvd is a major arterial street so I understand its necessity to allow for maximum car flow, however the consideration to vehicle traffic flow has and will likely continue to be prioritized at the determent of other modes of transportation. Planning for maximum flow for just a couple of peak hours is discriminatory to not only the commuters driving outside of those peak hours (if I drive at 7am on Franklin, I don’t need massive lanes with light priority), but considerably discriminatory to all other non-car commuters because current design deters quality passageway by non-car users.
It’s mostly unattractive and a little bit complex to navigate
As the artery cutting through the UofO campus and connecting Eugene and Springfield Franklin is in need of safety, comfort and convenience upgrades.
I often see cars run red lights while crossing Franklin Blvd to get to UO campus on my bike. The length of the lights and width of the street seem to encourage people to gun it in their cars.
Franklin Boulevard, in my opinion, needs to make a choice – either connect the pedestrian walkways to the road, or separate them fully. I lean towards the latter. The current walkways feel unsafe and ignored.
I would love to see Franklin completely removed from a car-centric style. It would be best-suited as a rapid transit hub with EmX and LTD lines being the most prominent and most important, then tree-lined bikeways being the most important individual transpotation, and then protected, shady walking areas. Cars should have 1 lane in each direction and be the least-prioritized, or, ideally, completely non-existent in exchange for faster, safer methods like EmX or possibly a future eTram line.
I’ll be living on Franklin and really am worried about the noise and safety, so those are what I am most concerned about. It always seems so dangerous with everything moving so fast so close to the sidewalks, and I really don’t trust the barely-existent bike lanes. The EmX is creepy, too, so I don’t take it a lot.
The construction of campus apartments is not only unnecessary but has ruined Franklin Boulevard for the entire year.
i honestly don’t see a problem with it
They should add more crosswalks and also add an off ramp from I-5 north bound to save time.
I avoid Franklin Boulevard today because I get around town mostly by bike and on foot and the area’s current configuration feels inaccessible and unsafe. I’m excited about the planned multimodal transformation and how much more accessible, safe, pleasant, and all around better the area will become for everyone. I live 2-3 miles away and might actually consider visiting businesses and other destinations around here after the transformation. I support more efforts to facilitate safer multimodal transportation with roundabouts, BRT (and dedicated lanes), bike lanes, bump outs, wider connected sidewalks, protected multiuse paths, street trees, and more across town. Thanks for your work!
I think the accessibility to those on wheelchair and mobilized assistance technologies should be accommodated, the sidewalks are difficult a lot if the time for these communities- it’s difficult as is for those with scooters or walking. The pavement and sidewalk and lighting accessibility are issues.
Around the UO stretch there is a lack of distinctive sidewalks in certain areas
Walking along Franklin Boulevard does not feel safe. Almost no one bikes on Franklin either. There is no peotection from cars or the elements. The makeup of the street and sidewalk could be greatly improved to make it walkable and feel safe. The EMX is great and is the best way to travel on Franklin.
Would love to see more safe biking options. Right now it’s so fast and does not feel comfortable to bike on. I try to avoid this area and will take longer routes to not have to ride my bike along it. When I do ride my bike along Franklin I try to stick to sidewalks which is unfortunate because it slows my commute as well as creates hazards for walkers
The pedestrian crossing next to the 7-11, with the way it’s currently structured, does more harm than good
I really support the idea of Franklin being safer for walkers/bikers because I feel that is the most common form of transportation around UO.
wish there was more lighting