What the public thinks of Franklin Boulevard today

Franklin Blvd is asked to do a lot, but wasn’t designed to do what it’s being asked to do. It is the primary means of traveling to and from events at the UofO and it is limited by the capacity of the adjacent streets to handle the traffic loads. Some restrictions on traffic flow have been implemented in the past that have made it safer for cars and EmX, but it is not a bike or pedestrian-friendly area. I hadn’t heard of the planned changes but am happy to hear that it’s being looked at. I only visit the area when traveling to and from a business in the area. If I were to attend an event in the area, I would consider a park and ride option on EmX, or shared ride such as a taxi or Uber.

It’s a state highway, and intended to be auto-focused. Other modes of transportation can use side streets if they don’t wish to be on the highway. This is easily accomplished in the campus area, so any improvements to Franklin should be focused on easing congestion and making automobile trips safe and efficient.

Today, Franklin Blvd is defined almost entirely by its value to car drivers. Drivers come from downtown or 11th St and are trying to get to Springfield or the highway as fast as possible; or they are going to other way and trying to get past the University as fast as possible. this leads to congestion and people going drastically different speeds. In addition, parking for the University or the Matt Knight is generally on the north side of the road but people are trying to get to the south side of the road, and there aren’t many crossings. I find myself often trying to get onto the river path behind the Dutch Bros riding my bike, but the pavement is broken up, cars are driving crazy in the west-bound lanes and into the Dutch Bros line, and there generally are tents or yelling people blocking access. Finally, there was a pedestrian path that came off of 15th near Fairmount that is the logical place to walk or run if you are coming from Hendricks Park and going onto the river path, but there is no pedestrian crossing there, so frequently people run across the car lanes where folks are driving 40+ mph. There’s some good things, too. I like the landscaping around the Emx, and the area down towards Onyx St is really starting to look cool. The mural at Agate & Franklin is fabulous, and I have hope for Agate St north of Franklin when the construction is done.

The lights are not synchronized properly, in either direction, which frustrates drivers thus potentially causing them to speed and/or run red lights. Traffic does not flow smoothly.

Not bike friendly, lots of UO congestion

I am all for making Franklin safer for the community. I worry, being a homeowner on Moss street. The University has encroached, and made life miserable many days of the year. I hope there is not increased traffic down my street or parking. It’s a double edge, sword, putting lots of resources towards college students, when they have no investment in the neighborhood.

U of O and MKA events turn it into a parking lot.

On a day-to-day basis as a commuter, Franklin is ok. But on events days at MKA or elsewhere on campus, Franklin doesn’t seem designed to handle that kind of traffic from vehicles, pedestrians and bikes.

Too much traffic. Cars going too fast. Drivers don’t pay attention to pedestrians and bikers. Drivers cruise through red lights when making right turns. Crosswalks are too far apart, especially with respect to the EmX stations.

Franklin Blvd is congested and road surface is poor, I think round about would be a good option as well as resurfacing.

I know you are trying to make safe but it is still a major road through town and traffic is already crazy especially when students back or sporting events. Cutting down on car lanes seems like it will make traffic worse.

Lowering the speed limit will only make matters worse. We will cause a lot of traffic congestion, increasing the chance of collisions. A good way to help pedestrian safety would be a bridge walkway over the street. Also, it would be nice to enforce traffic rules on bicycles. Too many bikes ignore stop signs and red lights, and many weave into traffic lanes with zero regard to cars.

Franklin boulevard is way too crowded, especially during game days, concerts, students and more.

It is so crowded. I like that route but new apartments make it so complex with increased usage.

Franklin Boulevard is acceptable if one is traveling via EMX and just okay by car, but is a nightmare for any other means. Traffic speeds are not enforced and it is not uncommon that I am passed by cars going 45-50 in the posted 35mph zones. The sidewalks are far too close to the streets with no buffer, forcing bicycles to ride on the sidewalk with pedestrians. In addition, there are apparently no regulations governing the “ride share” scooters that can currently be found dumped all over town; even though they have the potential to go much faster than a bicycle, the undergrads who use them frequently ride on sidewalks as well, adding to the congestion. Franklin could use a reduction in the number of car lanes; a dedicated two-way bike/scooter lane, better sidewalks, roundabouts to mitigate the flow of traffic, and pedestrian overpasses so that crossing the boulevard doesn’t feel like one is taking their life into their own hands. Events at the Matthew Knight Arena are an additional nightmare, thanks to the UO’s getting by without having to provide parking for events and offloading the burden of parking and traffic management to the surrounding neighborhoods (where I lived until May of this year). The Franklin/Villard intersection is a nightmare on event days, between the traffic and tour buses/touring semi trucks/etc. impeding traffic; I have many times been stuck behind a row of Uber/Lyft vehicles that have decided to simply pull over in the right turn lane on Franklin (approaching Villard from the west) to drop off passengers for especially large events.

Since they built Matthew knight arena, it seems too congested; difficult to get into P, C MARKET Of Choice , or Hirons; dangerous for pedestrians or bicyclists. Maybe we need more walkways overhead or underground methods of travel for bicyclists, pedestrians, people on skateboards, people on assistive devices The speed limit needs to be slower!!

I try to avoid shopping or driving in the area. It’s too congested and feels unsafe. Friends living near the university complain loudly about the 5 or so round-abouts they’ll have to deal with. They feel it will make it difficult to shop at Market of Choice, Hirons and WholeFoods. I must agree. I’ll stay away but I wonder how emergency vehicles will manage. Forget about going near Matthew Knight Arena if there is an event.

Traffic volume/congestion during event days is a big deal. Throngs of people crossing to and from parking is unsafe due to not obeying the pedestrian signals and 6+ lanes. It is unclear how are these issues going to be addressed by the mission statement.

I feel Franklin Blvd functions perfectly fine. There are multiple lanes which keeps congestion down. Plenty of pedestrian paths and safe crossing locations. Bus island for those who commute by bus to safely and efficiently travel. My engagement with planned changes for Franklin has been that I attended a city event where I learned about the proposed design changes that are coming. I must say, whoever designed this doesn’t spend much time in the area. The amount of round-a-bouts is asinine. The round-a-bout that is furthest east is completely unnecessary. I believe this design is only going to create a less safe, more congested Franklin Blvd.. ESPECIALLY during events at Matt Knight Arena. I genuinely believe the City needs to revisit the design of Franklin because what is proposed is bad for the area and is going to be loathed by residents of the city.

Congested and fast. Need to slow things down and allow for more pedestrian traffic

Franklin Blvd is the really the entrance to Glenwood, so changes need to contemplate the development of that area to keep traffic moving efficiently while allowing for easy biking to Glenwood. Currently, Garden Way, 13th, 15th and North and South Bank trails provide really good bike access to everywhere you want to go on Franklin or into Glenwood/Springfield, and helps separate the traffic. Trying to combine the bike and traffic streams onto one road will just make it worse for all forms of travel, particularly if you disrupt those areas. The plan I’ve seen looks like it will create more congestion, which from experience downtown encourages bikes to weave through cars and peds, and peds to simply cross wherever they feel like it. It would be nice to have one additional crosswalk where 13th ends at Franklin (at the crossing light there).

Congested, easy to get in wrong lane. I avoid if possible.

I think Franklin Blvd. is currently in good condition and is a safe travel route with almost zero traffic congestion. I can think of MUCH better used for public works/transportation funds than revamping Franklin Blvd.

The crosswalk with the red light that changes to a blinking red light by Broadway and Franklin is not safe. I see people try to cross without the light, I see one lane stop and the other not stop. People, often students whip down from Ferry St. bridge and drive to fast or try to merge around that light. Now with the new apartments there will be more congestion without parking. I try to avoid that area at all costs. Clearly the apartment buildings success is the main priority and not safe travel along Franklin.

Leave it alone! It works fine just the way it is, and the plans I have seen for changing it do NOT make sense. I believe the proposed changes will cause MORE congestion, not less – especially on days when there are special events at Matthew Knight Arena, Hayward Field, the University (i.e., Move In Day)… even home football games. (And there are, at my count, almost 90 such days a year – one in four!) A total waste of millions of dollars!