What the public thinks of Franklin Boulevard today

I avoid this area because it is hostile to me.

Synchronize the traffic lights. The light at Agate interferes with the flow of traffic.Too many drivers speed to “make the light” Scares / harms pedestrians, bike riders, other non-drivers.

From attending 5 city open houses and neighborhood presentations I have questioned and learned a lot about the Franklin Boulevard Project. It is excellent. Finally, Franklin Blvd will be safe to cross, bikeable and walkable. EmX service will vastly improve. Students and seniors will be much safer and better able to navigate the neighborhood.

Franklin Boulevard is very dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists. The sight lines from turning lanes, the speed of traffic, the number of lanes, the fact that people tend to drive well over the speed limit regularly, the confusing nature of the turning lanes onto side streets… I can’t even list all the ways is currently unsafe to those who are not inside a vehicle. Even though I have never been hit while walking, it has come very close a number of times and that is also traumatizing. I would never consider riding a bike or or other mobility device on Franklin because that is a death wish. I think the city’s plans are good, and that roundabouts are not as scary as people think they are!

Some of the turning lanes on Franklin are confusing, even as someone who is familiar with the area. I accidentally turned into the wrong lane from Franklin onto Villard the other day (luckily other drivers saw me error and gave me room to correct it!) I don’t love having to turn left/make U turns to access business on either side. I appreciate that the EMX runs along Franklin, when I have taken it before (I did moreso in the past when I lived near a place that was on the route) I found it convenient for accessing the UO and Downtown. As a pedestrian, Franklin just feels exhausting to me–loud and full of traffic and I feel like I have to be extra vigilant at crosswalks because of all the different turn lanes/vehicles/etc.

Not safe for bikes or pedestrians

Safety needs to be addressed. The merging issues at the beginning of Franklin to the east are an issue. More roundabouts or other solutions that lead to smoother traffic flow, but still allow access to ALL businesses and driveways while ensuring safety for walking and biking should be the priority.

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.

Turn it into pedestrian only and move the thoroughfare somewhere else. It’s already congested and dangerous enough- don’t add delays.

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.

Eugene is a horrible place to safely navigate.

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.

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

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.

Franklin is currently a terrible road. It’s unpleasant, loud and dangerous. It prioritizes cars at the expense of people and even motorist suffer because of its high speeds and dangerous driving.

Walking on Franklin near UO is awful, it seems outdated and pretty scary. The sidewalks are narrow as if they are original yet the roadbed used by cars has increased…so that the cars are inches from you and moving fast…a space buffer between pedestrians and the cars would be great. There are many community-wide evening events at the UO (i.e. Nordic Film series in the winter) where parking after hours in Franklin parking lots is permitted; As such more lighting would be great in the parking lots, and along the sidewalks used to get on campus, and along the cement footpaths on campus from the buildings to the sidewalks on Franklin.