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Fec~era~Priorities 2007 <Trans~ortation <br />Alternatives Analysis for <br />Third EmX ...Corridor <br />Bus Rapid Transit <br />Request <br />Lane Transit District (LTD) requests $500,000 to conduct Alternatives Analysis for the third EmX <br />corridor. EmX is the name given to LTD's bus rapid transit system. EmX is a rubber-tired <br />system that uses exclusive transit lanes, signal priority, off-board fare collection, special <br />vehicles, and other transit priority techniques to emulate light rail. The first EmX line, the <br />Franklin EmX, is in service. Pioneer Parkway EmX, a Springfield extension of the Franklin <br />EmX, is expected to be in service in 2010. The third EmX corridor, which is expected to serve <br />West Eugene, could be in service in 2015. <br />Background <br />The Regional Transportation Plan identifies several future EmX corridors. The Eugene City <br />Council and the LTD Board of Directors have selected a West Eugene extension as the next <br />EmX line to study. EmX planning in this corridor will be part of a broader study of possible <br />transportation. improvements for West Eugene. There is a separate but related request from the <br />City of Eugene to fund a West Eugene transportation study. <br />The corridor planning work is just beginning. At this time, possible alignments and corridors <br />have not been identified. It is expected that there will be considerably more information <br />available in the next year with a project proposal for consideration in the reauthorization of the <br />Transportation Bill. <br />This is expected to be a significant project. While it is, of course, too early for detailed cost <br />estimates, per-mile costs for previous EmX corridors suggest that the third EmX extension could <br />cost $50 million or more. There is the possibility that the EmX project will be included as part of <br />a package of multi-modal transportation improvements for the West Eugene area. <br />Project Scope and Timeline Alternatives Analysis Only <br />1. General Alignment Development <br />• Develop public involvement plan <br />• Form and convene stakeholder groups <br />• Document existing conditions <br />• Describe potential impacts <br />• Develop alignment concepts <br />• Preliminary environmental screening <br />2. Analysis of Alignment Concepts <br />Completion Target <br />Summer 2008 <br />12 <br />