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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />September 16, 2009 <br /> <br />CONTACT: <br />Rob Inerfeld, Transportation Planning Manager, 541-682-5343 <br /> <br />From Public Information Section, 682-5523 or 541-954-2938 <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – 2-PAGE NEWS RELEASE <br /> <br />$18 Million Tiger Grant Seeks to Improve Highway 99, West Fifth Avenue <br />The City of Eugene and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) are seeking <br />more than $18 million in federal stimulus funds to help repair and improve a badly deteriorated <br />section of Highway 99. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) <br />grant request also seeks funds to improve a heavily traveled section of West Fifth Avenue. <br /> On Highway 99 between Garfield Street and Roosevelt Boulevard, the project calls for <br />reconstructing the roadway, curbs and gutters in 2011. A second left-turn lane will be added on <br />northbound Highway 99 at Roosevelt Boulevard to help reduce congestion at that intersection. <br />Driveway accesses along Highway 99 will be managed to reduce conflicts between pedestrians <br />and turning vehicles on the busy highway. Improved facilities will be constructed for pedestrians <br />and cyclists. Stormwater systems will be built to manage runoff, high-efficiency street lights will <br />be installed, and more street trees and other landscaping will be planted. As an additional part of <br />the work on the Highway 99 portion of the project, all the curb ramps on Sixth and Seventh <br />avenues between Washington and Garfield streets will be brought into compliance with standards <br />set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). <br />On West Fifth Avenue between Highway 99 and Bailey Hill Road, planned improvements <br />include new sidewalks, new bike lanes between Seneca Street and Bailey Hill Road, high- <br />efficiency street lights, pavement repairs including smoothing out a couple of abandoned rail <br />crossings, and a roundabout replacing the all-way stop at Fifth and Seneca, which handles on <br />average more than 20,000 vehicles a day. <br />The dual left turn from Highway 99 onto Roosevelt, the improvements to West Fifth <br />Avenue, and the recently completed paving repairs to Roosevelt Boulevard are all intended to <br />help east-west traffic flow more smoothly in the west Eugene area and are consistent with the <br />recommendations of the West Eugene Collaborative. <br />The current total estimated cost of the project is approximately $20.2 million. In addition to <br />the requested $18.3 million in TIGER grant funds, the project would receive $1.45 million from <br />Eugene’s pavement preservation program (funded primarily by local gas tax money) and <br />$500,000 from ODOT for design and engineering work completed prior to the grant application. <br />(MORE) <br /> <br /> <br />Public Works Administration ? City of Eugene ? 101 E. Broadway, Suite 400, Eugene, OR 97401 <br />Phone 541-682-8421 ? Fax 541-682-6826 ? www.eugene-or.gov/pw <br /> <br />