City/County Road Partnership & Proposed County Capital Project Partnership

New Search

r ., February 27, 2001 Lane County Roads Advisory Committee c/o Mr. John Goodson Director, Lane County Public Works 3040 North Delta Highway Eugene OR 97408 SUBJECT: LANE COUNTY 2002-2006 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Dear Mr. Goodson and Roads Advisory Committee Members, Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the draft 2002-2006 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). My first comment is that I am pleased to see that staff has included a continuation of the County/City Road Partnership funding over the five year period of the draft CIP. The continuation of this program is the City's top priority for County assistance and is absolutely essential if the City is to: 1. continue to adequately operate, maintain, and preserve its roads, including those 5.9 miles of collectors and regional roads which were transferred from County to City jurisdiction during the time of urban transition of services in 1987 and roads which have subsequently been transferred to the City; 2. continue to provide planning and building services to County residents living in the Springfield urbanizable area, as we have done since 1987, in lieu of the County. providing those services. However, my respectful request of you is to not only continue the Partnership funding but to try to find a way to increase it back towards the 19961evel of $5 million dollars per year. Without help from the County, and assuming no new gas tax increases at the State level, our ability to get the most out of our urban streets systems will be reduced and motorists will suffer accordingly. Other cities in the County are facing the same problem. Since almost 80% of the County's population lives in or near the County's cities, it makes sense to ensure that urban roads do not suffer relative to rural roads. This matter is the City's top priority for your consideration. I also ask that as you look at criteria for capital improvement projects on which to spend the additional road funds stemming from recent federal legislation, you make road preservation projects eligible. The County's own pavement overlay budget shows how important you consider preservation to be to the County's road system. We, too, believe that preserving the