EUGENE, Ore. — The City of Eugene has started construction on the Broadway Sidewalks and Paving Project. Planned as two phases, the project will improve safety for people who walk, drive and take the bus and enhance accessibility to support the area’s residential growth, the City said in a media release.
Phase one, which is now underway, includes widening the sidewalk and building a planting strip by removing one of the three southbound/eastbound lanes along Mill Street/Broadway. The reallocation of lane space will allow for wider sidewalks on the south side, additional street trees and new on-street commercial parking.
Reed Dunbar, transportation planner with Eugene Public Works Engineering, explains how these changes align with the City’s broader goals. “By reallocating space to the sidewalks, we can improve safety and promote walking trips,” Dunbar said. “Encouraging people to walk, bike and take the bus instead of driving enhances the livability of our city, particularly as new housing developments increase residential density in the area.”…