New Search
<br /> News Release <br /> September 19, 2007 <br /> <br /> Page 2 <br /> Despite the growing problem of congestion, the Eugene area fared better than average for <br /> urban areas with populations less than 500,000. For example, the 14 hours a year spent stuck in <br /> traffic in this area compares to a national average of 17 hours in similar-size communities, while <br /> the total estimated annual cost of congestion in the Eugene area at $32 million is significantly less <br /> than the $56 million average for small American cities. <br /> Among the factors that help relieve congestion in this area: extensive on-and off-street <br /> bicycle and pedestrian facilities that actively encourage walking and biking as alternatives to <br /> driving asingle-occupancy vehicle, awell-developed mass transit system, mixed-use (nodal) <br /> development designed to decrease the number of vehicle miles traveled per capita, and ongoing <br /> efforts to improve the existing transportation system. <br /> "We're not trying to build our way out of congestion," says Gary McNeel, a Eugene Public <br /> Works transportation analyst. "Our emphasis is focusing on other modes of transportation, <br /> encouraging nodal development and trying to eke out every bit of efficiency we can from our <br /> existing system." <br /> Eugene Public Works • www.eugene-or.gov/pw <br /> 858 Pearl Street, Eugene, Oregon 97501 • 541-682-5523 • fax 541-682-6826 • e-mall pwadmin~cl.eugene.or.us <br /> <br />