Local Efforts
The cities of Eugene and Springfield, and other local governments and organizations are working to make our streets safer for everyone.
City of Eugene
In early 2015, Mayor Kitty Piercy accepted the Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets.
On September 30, 2015, the City Council (agenda & minutes) directed “the City Manager to work with BEST to draft a proposed resolution on Vision Zero for Council consideration and provide Council with additional information about the implications of adopting such a policy.”
On November 18, 2015, the City Council (agenda & minutes) adopted Resolution No. 5143 “setting as official policy the Vision Zero goal that no loss of life or serious injury on our transportation system is acceptable.”
- “City Council sets goal of zero traffic deaths on Eugene streets” (Register-Guard, 11/19/2015)
- “Eugene Adopts Vision Zero Plan For Traffic Safety” (KLCC, 11/19/2015)
- “Vision Zero: City of Eugene wants to eliminate traffic fatalities” (KVAL, 11/19/2015)
- “EDITORIAL: Unattainable but worthy” (Register-Guard, 11/21/2015)
Now the City of Eugene is assembling a Vision Zero Task Force to develop a Vision Zero Action Plan.
This fall, the city’s acting traffic engineer, Matt Rodrigues, will travel to Sweden & Denmark to learn more about Vision Zero.
- “Eugene Engineer Awarded International Fellowship to Study Vision Zero” (Eugene City Council Newsletter, 1/28/2016)
Getting Around Safely
Eugene offers many transportation options: driving a car, riding the bus, bicycling, walking, using a mobility device, etc. All transportation users are responsible for ensuring their safety and the safety of others around them. Obeying posted speed limits, stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks, and obeying all traffic controls, such as stop signs, prevents user conflicts and keeps the system working smoothly. To ensure the safety of all users, the City of Eugene relies on a variety of traffic safety devices and educational programs:
- Every Corner is a Crosswalk: Oregon law requires people driving cars or riding bikes to stop for people in all crosswalks, whether they are marked or unmarked. See Oregon Revised Statutes 801.220, 811.005–065. Understanding and following crosswalk laws can save a life. Failing to obey the law can lead to a lifetime of regret. Oregon’s crosswalk laws are written to provide a buffer of safety for people walking on the roadway.
- Traffic Safety Devices: To make streets safer for everyone, the City of Eugene uses back-in diagonal parking, bike boxes, stutter flashes, buffered bike lanes, green bike lanes, sharrows, bike traffic signals, pedestrian-activated red lights.
- Traffic Calming: Traffic calming techniques are used to address a variety of quality of life and traffic operations concerns. The City of Eugene uses a number of different techniques and devices to calm traffic and improve traffic flow throughout the street system. A neighborhood-wide traffic study should guide the placement and choice of traffic calming devices.
- Enforcing Traffic Safety: Traffic safety issues are a top community concern in Eugene, and the Eugene Police Department has responded to that concern with a focused, dedicated team of motorcycle officers to enforce traffic laws. The Traffic Enforcement Unit currently comprises seven officers and a sergeant.
City of Springfield
In early 2015, Mayor Christine Lundberg accepted the Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets.
- Safer Streets initiatives kicks off in Springfield (KMTR, 5/6/2015)
On April 27, 2015, the City Council (agenda, minutes) provided direction to staff concerning the Council’s priorities for short-term and longer-term traffic safety implementation actions in the Main Street corridor.