Drivers in downtown Eugene will see a major traffic control change by the end of the day Thursday.
Eighth Avenue between Mill Street and Lincoln will be a two-way street going east and west.
The project is called “the Eighth Avenue Streetscape project.”
It includes new stormwater planters, a pedestrian friendly and curbless-street along the Park Blocks, protected bike lanes from Lincoln Street to High Street and a fully repaved street.
City leaders hope the changes will result in greater access to downtown businesses and services for the entire community.
The city says the contractor will turn on the new signals for two-way travel one block at a time, starting at High Street and moving west towards Lincoln Street.
Since each traffic intersection needs to be reprogrammed it may take a little time for signals to work as planned. And the timing of the new signals may need refinement over time, according to a press release from the City of Eugene.
The city explains that although travel lanes appear narrow along Eighth Avenue, they are indeed 10-foot travel lanes, the City of Eugene’s standard lane width seen on other streets across town.
More from the city’s press release:
The Eighth Avenue project stems from extensive community engagement through the Central Eugene InMotion process of 2019, which gathered insight and feedback on improving transportation options, enhancing connectivity, and fostering sustainable modes of travel in the greater downtown area. The Transportation Planning team received over 1,600 responses from community members, businesses and stakeholders. The installation of protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and the conversion to a two-way street all align with the community's desire for safer and more accessible streets in downtown Eugene.
