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<br /> i <br /> 'f' ~ <br /> -1 1~.. <br /> Au ust 24, 2007 <br /> g <br /> CONTACT: John Bonham, Project Manager, 682-5300, john.j.bonham@ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> From Public Information Section, 682-5523 or 954-2938 <br /> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br /> Monroe-Friendly Bikeway Project to Begin Soon <br /> Eugene will soon have a new north-south bike route. Work is scheduled to begin in early <br /> September on the Monroe-Friendly bikeway project. <br /> The project will create a bikeway from the West Bank Trail along the Willamette River at <br /> Owen Rose Garden down Monroe Street to 13th Avenue, past the east side of the Lane County <br /> Fairgrounds, and then up Friendly Street to 28th Avenue. When the route is completed, bicycles <br /> will share the roadway with motorized traffic. The bikeway route will be marked with informative <br /> signs at intersecting bike paths and major cycling routes. Reflective pavement markings will be <br /> installed in the travel lanes to indicate the shared use for both modes of travel. <br /> The $440,000 project is scheduled to start immediately after Labor Day and be completed <br /> by October 19. State and federal funds are the primary sources of funding for the project. <br /> Most of the bikeway work involves installing signs and pavement markings, which will not <br /> cause significant traffic impacts. The portion of the route between Eighth and 13th avenues was <br /> repaved earlier this summer, and at that time crews installed two "speed tables" to help slow down <br /> <br /> ' traffic. <br /> <br /> ' As part of this project the intersection of Eighth Avenue, Monroe Street and Blair <br /> Boulevard will be reconstructed, creating a much safer intersection for bicycles, pedestrians and <br /> vehicles. This work will require closing the southernmost section of Blair Boulevard and about 200 <br /> feet of Monroe Street north of Eighth Avenue for several weeks. Motorists are encouraged to use <br /> alternate routes to avoid construction-related detours and delays. A neighborhood matching grant <br /> was awarded this year for additional landscaping, art and other amenities at Eighth and Monroe <br /> for the new public space that this project will create. <br /> The need for abicycle-friendly route between south Eugene and the Willamette River has <br /> <br /> I, been identified since 1979. The Monroe-Friendly bikeway fulfills this need, offering an onstreet <br /> connection between the Fern Ridge Path and the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail and providing a <br /> much-needed north-south connection between southwest Eugene and the downtown area. <br /> ~I <br /> Eugene Public Works • www.eugene-or.gov/pw <br /> 858 Pearl Street, Eugene, Oregon 97501 • 541-682-5523 • fax 541-682-6826 • e-mail pwadmin@ci.eugene.or.us <br /> <br />