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County Housekeeping Measure Transfers Sewage Treatment Plant to MWMC Now that the general obligation bonds for the region's wastewater treatment plant have been paid off, the Lane County Board of Commissioners, acting as the County Service District, on Wednesday approved a housekeeping measure to 3nsfer ownership of the plant to the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC). The County Service District was created in 1978 to serve as the governing entity for the sale and repayment of$29.5 million in local matching bonds to construct the regional wastewater treatment system. When the Eugene/Springfield Water Pollution Control Facility began operations in April 1984, MWMC leased the facility from the County Service District with an option to purchase it at some point in the future. Late last year the final bond payment was made, and the county board's action to execute the sale of the facility to MWMC for a nominal amount completes the financial transaction. For more information, contact Peter Ruffier, Wastewater Division Director, at 682-8606. ODOT Planning to Post Weight Restrictions on 1-5 Bridges in Eugene Over the past several weeks the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has held a series of meetings with City and County staff and trucking industry representatives to discuss rerouting heavy trucks off the Interstate 5 bridges over the McKenzie and Willamette rivers. Recent bridge inspections have revealed cracking which indicates a reduction in the ability of these bridges to carry the heaviest of trucks. These are the trucks which exceed the normal weight limits and require a special highway use permit. Potential routes are focused on keeping the trucks on the state highway system as much as possible, including Highway 97 in central Oregon as a bypass route. The local detour route currently being considered by ODOT would divert southbound heavy trucks from 1-5 at the Coburg exit, down Coburg Road to Beltline eastbound to 1-5 southbound to 1-105 westbound to the Washington-Jefferson Bridge to Highway 99 (Seventh Avenue and Franklin Boulevard) eastbound and back to 1-5 at the Franklin Boulevard on-ramp. A similar route using Sixth Avenue would be used for northbound heavy truck traffic. The only section of roadway that is a City-owned facility is Coburg Road from Beltline to the north city limits. 'tall expects additional details from ODOT to be released very soon, with weight limits posted this month on the two Kcal 1-5 bridges. For more information, contact Tom Larsen, co-AIC Transportation Division Manager, at 682-8450. New Skatepark Opens at Neighborhood Park in Bethel Skateboarders can now catch some air at a new neighborhood skatepark at Trainsong Park in Bethel. Strongly supported by area neighbors, the modular skatepark equipment was funded by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The foundation for the new skatepark was resurfaced earlier this winter by the Public Works Maintenance asphalt crew in preparation for installation, and the equipment was installed by V* the Park Amenities crew last week. �s Considerable volunteer and City staff effort and support from local businesses have been invested in this neighborhood park Aobt in the last year. Most recently, Trainsong Park was one of the sites of the United Way's Day of Caring work parties in September. Through the labor of volunteers and City staff, a bridge and connecting path from the park to the neighboring Red Cross facility were built. For more information about this project, contact Parks and Open Space Planner Carolyn Weiss at 682-4914. Arrowhead Park Neighbors Can Redesign Park at Public Meeting Next Thursday Arrowhead Park neighbors can help redesign their neighborhood park at a meeting with City parks planners next Thursday, February 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting,which will take place at the Irving Elementary School library, is EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 February 7,2003 cc020603.wpd