What the public thinks of Franklin Boulevard today

Biking on Franklin is unpleasant. I bike westward in the morning and have to be on the south sidewalk so I can turn left onto 13th. Being in the bike lane heading back eastward is terrifying. I’ve almost been hit and have seen other bikes almost hit by cars. There is glass and garbage in the bike gutters. If the larger sidewalk (once you get past Walnut heading east) were just extended up Franklin, biking and walking would be more pleasant. We don’t need a bunch of roundabouts on that street to fix the issues with it.

The proposed roundabouts will be a disaster for drivers and walkers. Anyone supporting them has not lived and travelled in this neighborhood; I have lived here for 30 years. The students will walk into the street while focused on anything other than traffic. Traffic will slow considerably to accommodate walkers. Franklin needs to stay a thoroughfare. Upgrade the condition of the street, make it more aesthetically pleasing, and increase safety for walkers and bike riders, but don’t put in roundabouts. The games and events at Matt Knight Arena, move in day, football game days, etc., cause total congestion and chaos. Imagine that area with no traffic lights…insanity.

As a bicycle commuter, I do not feel safe on Franklin Blvd currently. The overgrown bushes and closeness to fast-moving traffic result in Franklin being an area of anxiety for me that I really try to avoid as much as I can on my bike to and from work.

I recently took a green scooter along the south side of Franklin and it was inconsistent, inconvenient and unsafe. The other side is a little better, but both sides need better bicycle and scooter access.

I think it needs to be more bike/walk friendly. The quality of road way need improvement.

Franklin is like most of Eugene except people drive a bit faster. Eugene away from the river path is a terrible city to ride a bike safely. There are so many problems that could be addressed: Bike boxes, cushions between cars and bikes, education for motorists (all me how)…. just to name a few.

Not ped or bike or mobility device friendly!

It is difficult to come from the 5th street to get to the other bike lanes on high street and 13th. Or over towards downtown. I find between 10th/7th and high to be the most dangerous. I end up biking on the sidewalk, taking the alleys and cutting over through the Whole Foods Parking lot. Crossing broadway there is difficult and dangerous, you cross into a alley/parking lot towards the emx station. Then it’s sort of a dead end unless your clever like me and bike through more parking lots.

Franklin Boulevard seems extremely unsafe for bikers and pedestrians. Visibility is low and cars drive fast, due to the multiple lanes going in both directions.

Because there aren’t much housings around, it’s not generally a safe place. Cars are high speed and it’s not safe to bike in those narrow lanes. I also wish there were more trees around, and better sidewalks.

Last 2 yrs I’ve been consumed w/ a house I’d bought so I barely go off my Santa Clara property. Actually haven’t seen Franklin Blvd for awhile due to that. I also am living further away than I use to, especially compared to when residing in SE/E Eug. I actually use to bike to Springfield ~2x/mo, using EMX to avoid biking Franklin Blvd. Traffic on Franklin doesn’t seem to expect bikes. And the couple of times around the underpass, going towards/from Eug, I felt uneasy, especially at nite, when busses weren’t running anymore (I’m female & feel vulnerable & wary in those few blocks. It just seems like an area someone could knock you off your bike and…cause you harm, w/o there being any witnesses when traffic is low. It’s too isolated there, a place for opportunity for bad things to happen. My gut puts up red flags around that vicinity. The times I had to use that route, one was first trying it, the 2nd was at nite, when I had no other alternative. And I surely wasn’t going to jump on the bike path after dusk!)

Auto and pedestrian crashes are a serious issue. Pedestrian connectivity along corridor is a problem. Bike system is mainly non-existent. Need more frequent EmX including double tract. Safer pedestrian and bike crossings. Make Franklin better for all users.

I am excited about the idea to add more round-a-bouts to Franklin Blvd. I like the two round-a-bouts in Glenwood and I think they would improve traffic flow closer to campus. Making left turns off of Franklin on Villard St and Orchard street when going West Bound feel very dangerous. Particularly Orchard St – I avoid this left turn at all costs. The traffic in the Market of Choice and Hiron’s parking lot is also very uncomfortable. It is unclear if there are one ways and the visibility is poor especially when the sun is setting. I would like to see more trees on Franklin to improve the walking experience. I believe that the sidewalks and bike lanes could be made safer. I do NOT feel safe biking on Franklin, which is a real shame because there are so many PeaceHealth bike facilities in that area. The stores are so set back on Franklin making them feel inaccessible to pedestrians. This should be changed to promote more UO student foot traffic at local stores.

I recently tried to ride my bike from South Eugene to an event out in Glenwood. I had to cross the highway where it divides, with no crosswalk or light. I had to walk across a bridge on a narrow sidewalk next to fast traffic. And then I had to repeat that to return. I know there is a bike path on the other side, but couldn’t figure out how to access it from the south side of town. Also, it doesn’t go as far as I needed.

I wish the street was slower and had more biking/walking options as well as more trees and less concrete for a better sense of place. If these things were achieved, development of a better district could happen as opposed to just focusing on maximum care throughput.

Please prioritize safe, easy-to-use bike lanes!

Very unbikable on actual street, find myself using the sidewalk to bike on.

I occasionally have to cross Franklin Boulevard to get to Urban Farm from main campus and would rank it as one of the most dangerous streets I have to be a bike on in the city. I currently would never consider biking directly on that road next to cars despite it being a direct route to my apartment in down town.

It could really use some bike facilities

We have biked from Agate to downtown Springfield on Franklin. Not safe, noisy

Large gaps between crossings encourages pedestrians to cross in unsafe locations – especially for UO events. No bike lanes means bikes accessing businesses on north side of Franklin have to share sidewalks with pedestrians.

I’d love a bike lane/tunnel crossing Franklin going from the river to campus so you wouldn’t have to ride on Franklin itself which is very dangerous in every way for cyclists. Turn signals are short, traffic going fast, lots of it, many lights, complex bike lanes.

Franklin is a mess, and doesn’t work particularly well for anyone. Its especially difficult riding a bike with a child. I’ve had more than one close call crossing on a bike by the EmX stop near Walnut. Cars turn onto Franklin regardless of the pedestrian walk sign.

Would love to see it better for bikes and pedestrians

On a bicycle I avoid it as unsafe and unpleasant. Fortunately there are alternate routes that are not too bad, and when necessary I have used sidewalk from the Moon Mountain area.