P41049 – West ‘D’ Street Bike Improvements Project

The contract for this project has been awarded to Pacific Excavation, Inc. in the amount of $349,270. Construction has started and is expected to be completed by the end of July, 2024.

Since the adoption of the Springfield Bicycle Plan in 1998, the City of Springfield has sought to provide a safe, convenient, and attractive bicycle system that promotes community livability and prosperity. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the risks posed to bicyclists and pedestrians along West ‘D’ Street and install upgrades that address these risks by creating a safer, more comfortable, and more friendly facility for all users. The West ‘D’ Street corridor is the gateway from the Eugene/Springfield Northbank path to downtown Springfield and the highest-use bicycle facility in all of Springfield. On average more than 400 bicycles and 800 pedestrians make use of the path daily. Making improvements is vital to the health and safety of the community.

Map of West ‘D’ Street Corridor

Project Schedule

All dates, times and locations are subject to change

All questions regarding this project should be emailed to the Contracts Analyst at aclinton@springfield-or.gov or you can call at the number listed below. Contact with any other City officials may be grounds for disqualification of the bid.

Questions will be reviewed and responses will be posted to the Clarification Log at the link below. If, in the opinion of the City, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Invitation to Bid, an Addendum will be prepared, posted below and notifications sent to all bidders that purchased a bid book and those that attended a Pre-bid Informational Meeting and provided a valid e-mail address.

The City will make every reasonable effort to notify all bidders that have purchased a bid book or attended a Pre-bid Informational Meeting of Addenda, however, it is recommended that bidders routinely check the website for updated information. The City is not responsible for any explanation, clarification, interpretation or approval made or given in any manner except by written Addendum issued by the City.

Addenda will not be issued within 72 hours of the bid opening date and time as indicated in the Invitation to Bid without extending the bid opening requirement.

• Reduce average motorist speed on West ‘D’ Street between Mill Street and River Hills Drive
• Improve accessibility for visitors to Island Park
• Reduce conflicts between all users at the West ‘D’ Street/Northbank path transition
• Create a friendly and safe transportation corridor for all users
• Separate modes along West ’D’ Street from the West ‘D’ Street/Northbank path transition to the east

February 2024

Construction is moving forward on the West ‘D’ Street Bicycle Improvements project. Construction is expected to begin the week of March 18 and is scheduled to be completed no later than July 31, 2024.

Local access to residents will be available once construction begins.  Disruption to normal routes can be expected. For travelers commuting through this section of West ‘D’ Street, an alternate route will be in place. You may notice nuisance noise, dust, and heavy construction equipment during this time.

See project updates linked below for more information.

February 2022

To best address safety improvements in the short and long term with the funding currently available through the Walking and Biking Safety Improvement funding package, staff has been given direction from City Council on February 27^th to move forward with safety improvements in the following stages:

1. Move forward with the design and construction of the traffic calming concept that includes speed cushions (locations to be established during design), a raised crosswalk, installation of a new bicycle transition between West ‘D’ Street and the Northbank path, bicycle striping, and realignment of the existing transition.

Traffic Calming Concept

2. Return to Council to discuss work programs and funding opportunities to further study the separation of bicyclists from other modes on West ‘D’ Street.

3. During the next Transportation System Plan update, consider including an amendment to add a study project to evaluate the elevated multi-use path concept connecting the Northbank Path to Island Park. This would include a public engagement process specific to the elevated path concept.

May 2021

Diagram of concept for street calming measures shared with BPAC in June 2020.

In June 2020, City staff presented a concept to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) to calm traffic using raised intersections and speed cushions, to improve the existing North Bank Path transition on to West ‘D’ Street, as well as a new bike transition on the west end. Key themes we heard included the following:

• There is not sufficient space for automobiles to pass people riding bikes in the street without either passing dangerously close to the cyclist, blindly driving into oncoming traffic, or both. Because of this danger many people choose to ride on the sidewalks on either side of the street, which instead exposes them to the danger of being struck by a vehicle exiting one of the many driveways along the corridor or they themselves striking a pedestrian.
• Separation for bicycle and pedestrian traffic is needed.

Cross section of proposed cycle track sent to residents in May 2021

Staff took these concerns and developed a cycle track concept that was sent to adjacent property owners along West ’D’ Street that would be directly affected by the concept.  The key themes we heard included the following:

• Removal of on-street parking would cause great disruption to residents on West ‘D’ Street as well as residents on the side streets.
• The cycle track would cause issues for emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, hooking up boats, tradespeople, and visitors.
• The cycle track would impede garbage bins.
• West ‘D’ Street needs traffic calming.

Now that the project team has received feedback from the adjacent property owners regarding the cycle track concept and the BPAC feedback regarding the traffic calming concept, the team is taking all feedback and analyzing feasible solutions to improve safety and accessibility for all users while limiting negative impacts to property owners along the corridor. Once we have new concepts to share, we will reach out again for feedback from the community.