EWEB/New Triad Hospital Relocation Transportation Analysis Report

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INKS ,~s,~~~i~tes 2.5 and 7 minutes.3 Due to the potential delays associated with the at-grade UPRR crossing at the 8th Avenue/Hilyard Street access point, a third access point to the site is desirable. This third access point should utilize the existing grade separated crossing of the UPRR tracks at Agate Street north of Franklin Boulevard (located to the southeast of the proposed site). The vehicle transportation system identified in the Riverfront Research Park Master Plan identifies a new roadway (Avenue "A") that runs along the north side of the UPRR tracks connecting the 8th Avenue/Hilyard Street intersection with Agate Street just north of the UPRR tracks. The construction of Avenue "A" would provide the reliable access (no closures due to trains) to the project site that a hospital facility requires. The underpass of the Patterson Street extension with HWY. 99W and UPRR alignment allows for enhanced multimodal operations by allowing a direct grade separated crossing of HWY. 99W and the UPRR tracks for a safer environment and easier access for pedestrians and bicycles to the riverfront area. Site configuration was assumed to work best with parking evenly distributed to the north and south areas of the site with an interior circulation (roadway), which allowed ingress/egress to all assumed access points (one to the north and two to the south). Future site planning should locate parking areas to be able to access the north and south areas equally to help promote an even trip distribution of vehicles to/from the site. During the PM peak hour in the northbound direction, and to a lesser extent the southbound direction in the AM peak hour, the existing Ferry Street Bridge has limited capacity available for future traffic volume increases. The 4th Avenue ramps to northbound Ferry Street Bridge and the 3rd Avenue ramps to southbound Ferry Street Bridge have limited ability to accommodate future growth and during peak hours potential vehicle queuing and delays could exist on the ramps. Traffic mitigation measures that the City should consider having in place coincident with the project opening by 2007 include: - Construction of the Patterson Street Extension/LTnderpass -This facility consists of extending Patterson Street northerly from Broadway. to pass under HWY. 99W and the UPRR tracks to join the extension of Avenue "A" at approximately the location between the existing EWEB steam plant and the substation. The roadway of 8th Avenue would "tee" into the Patterson Street extension. A graphic of this facility is provided in the Technical Appendix. The improvements at the Broadway/Patterson Street intersection consist of signalizing the intersection, relocating the crosswalk previously planned on the west side of the intersection to the east side of the intersection, and reconfiguring the southbound approach lanes to consist of a dedicated left turn lane and a shared through right turn lane. The eastbound approach to the Broadway/Patterson Street intersection is to consist of two through lanes and two dedicated right turn lanes plus a dedicated left turn lane. The westbound approach would also accommodate a shared through right turn lane to access Patterson Street from Broadway (this through lane exists today and would only require restriping) J s Memorandum dated April 15, 2004 from Gary McNeel (City of Eugene) to Kurt Corey, Mark Schoening and Michelle Cahill (City of Eugene). ` Eugene Triad Hospital Relocation Analysis Page 2 of 17