QuickTake:

The stretch of road has seen a number of serious crashes over the last few years, one of which caused the death of a 13-year-old boy.

A joint panel of city, county and state officials agreed Tuesday, Dec. 9, to lower the speed limit on a 2.1-mile portion of River Road to 35 mph.

The affected stretch, from Azalea Lane to 100 feet north of East Beacon Drive, currently has limits of 40 mph and 45 mph, depending on the section.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Oregon Speed Zone Review Panel, which includes representatives of the city of Eugene, Lane County and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The review panel is also proposing a roundabout at the intersection of River Road and East Beacon Drive. The city says the roundabout could help slow speeding drivers as they enter the commercial areas of River Road from more rural areas to the north.

A 1,000-foot section of River Road north of the site of the roundabout will remain with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour. 

According to Eugene Public Works spokesperson Marion Suitor Barnes, the speed limit change won’t be immediate. The city still has to install new signs and obtain adequate permitting, a process that can take weeks.

Many people in Eugene have scrutinized the safety of River Road. In addition to securing a spot on the city’s high-crash list, a compilation of the 15 most dangerous streets in Eugene, various intersections on the road have also seen dedicated safety renovations. 

More recently, ODOT completed an investigation of River Road and found that 55% of drivers were speeding on sections of the road with 40-mph speed limits.  

According to ODOT data, from 2020 to 2022 River Road has had 38 crashes, with two resulting in serious injuries. Not included in the analysis, because it happened outside that time range, was a fatal collision in December 2024 at the intersection of River Road and Beacon Drive. That crash killed 13-year-old Easton Bounds and hospitalized four other teens. The vehicle that collided with car he was riding in was reported to be going 15 mph over the speed limit.

Sarah Mazze, Safe Routes to School coordinator for Eugene School District 4J, shared her concerns over River Road’s high speed limit during the review panel meeting, citing schools along the road.

“For high school students in this neighborhood who can’t or do not drive and who are walking, biking or busing, River Road is unavoidable,” Mazze said. “So we’re asking these students … to contend with a deadly street to get to school.”