QuickTake:

The changes are in support of the city’s Vision Zero efforts, a plan to reduce traffic fatalities to zero, according to a spokesperson.

The city of Eugene announced speed limit reductions on four roads Friday, March 6 in an effort to increase traffic safety and eliminate fatal and serious crashes.

Four street sections will have their speed limits reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph:

  • Polk Street between Second Avenue and 18th Avenue
  • Oak Patch Road between 11th and 18th avenues 
  • Elmira Road between Highway 99 and North Bertelsen Road
  • Maple Street between Roosevelt Boulevard and Elmira Road

The Oregon Department of Transportation governs speed limits, and the city provided documentation to the agency to reduce the limits, city spokesperson Marion Suitor Barnes told Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

The roads were chosen for different reasons. For Polk Street, the city of Eugene is considering adding bike lanes to that stretch of the road.  

“If we do end up with bike lanes, we’ll end up with a reduced speed need there anyway, just for safety reasons,” Suitor Barnes said. 

A final decision on Polk Street design is expected this spring. The city is collecting input from residents via an online survey.

The speed reduction on Oak Patch Road was prompted by a recent motorcycle crash, she said. 

Elmira Road and Maple Street have had speed humps or other traffic calming methods installed and haven’t had their speed limits reduced since the change. 

“The speed reduction is bringing those two areas in line with what one would expect for a speed limit given the traffic calming measures that are in place,” Suitor Barnes said. 

She said speed limits will remain the same until new signage is up. Crews are expected to begin installing new signage starting next week. 

Vision Zero

The city adopted the Vision Zero Action Plan in 2019 to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero by 2035 by analyzing crash data, making infrastructure changes and slowing vehicle speeds. 

A report the city released last year showed fatal traffic collisions were trending upward for the years 2022 to 2024. Suitor Barnes said the city will be releasing more information soon about its work on traffic safety. 

“This is going to be a big year for a lot of infrastructure changes,” she said. 

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