West 19th Avenue Pavement Preservation Begins

5/4/2019

Public process for planning traffic calming on Jefferson to start in 2019

The City of Eugene Public Works Department has started work on repaving West 19th and 20th Avenues in the Friendly. This work comes after months of construction in the area by Northwest Natural Gas to put their gas lines deeper underground to prevent them from being damaged during the roads reconstruction.

These streets have deteriorated pavement due to age and traffic loading and need to be repaved. Work will also include reconstructing sidewalk access ramps in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This project is primarily intended to repair the street pavement, but additional storm sewer work will be done to improve drainage.

ADA ramps are expected to be completed by mid-May. Concrete work will be done from May to June. 19th Avenue preparation and paving is planned for mid-June. The project overall is expected to be completed in early July. An exact timeline is not set in stone and could possibly change.

What's Happening at 19th and Jefferson?

Originally concrete curb bump outs were planned for 19th and Jefferson to reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians, constrict the traffic lane to reduce vehicle speeds, and make pedestrians more visible to drivers. However due to both the need for delivery trucks and buses to navigate the intersection and to accommodate the potential for separated bike lanes on Jefferson Street in the near future, temporary bump outs will be installed instead. This is a less expensive option that can demonstrate the effectiveness of its design. An example of this treatment is located at the intersection of Oak Street and South Park Avenue in Downtown Eugene.

Pan and zoom the Google Street View from May 2018.

Photos from May 2019.

Although the details are yet to be worked out, treatments could include marked crosswalks, street painting, planter boxes, reflective flap posts, and signage. The City will collaborate with FAN residents and businesses on the design, installation, and maintenance of fixtures or paint.

Additionally City staff have committed to launching a public process in 2019 that will look at constructing traffic calming on Jefferson Street in 2020. As part of that public process, the City will consider installing bike lanes on Jefferson. See details at the end of this article for how to stay informed and participate.

The City of Eugene Public Works Department provided the following in its Project Information Sheet for West 19th Avenue Pavement Preservation.

Work will occur on:

W. 19th Ave. from Tyler St. to Jefferson St.
W. 20th Ave. from Jackson St. to Adams St.

Traffic Impacts

Drivers should expect lane and street closures during construction.
On street parking may be restricted to accommodate construction activities.
Pedestrians should expect sidewalk detours during the sidewalk ramp work at the intersections.
Bicyclists should expect to merge with motor vehicle traffic depending on available lane widths during construction.
With any construction, drivers should expect equipment and workers in the roadway leading to congestion and delays during the work.

Project Funding
The major source of funding is the 2012 Street Preservation Bond.

For More Information
Project Manager: Ryan Essler, phone 541-520-9893, ressler@eugene-or.gov
Online road reports: www.eugene-or.gov/traffic
On Twitter: twitter.com/EugenePW

Sign Up to Participate

The FAN Transportation Team will coordinate and publicize the progress of this project through the Friendly Newsletter, Friendly Flyer, Google Group, and Facebook and Twitter feeds. Sign up or follow us to participate and stay informed.

FAN Transportation Team Meetings
First Monday of the month, except January and September.
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Billy Mac's Bar & Grill
605 W 19th Ave
Eugene, OR 97402
Map and Directions
The Transportation team meetings are open to the public.