Timeline Extended for Main Street Safety Project

The City of Springfield is extending the timeline for the planning phase of the Main Street Safety Project. Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon has made this decision after considering the amount of information the Draft Main Street Facility Plan contains and wanting to allow community members and Council members enough time to review the draft plan before considering a decision.

“I want to give Council members and community members enough time to vet and fully understand the Draft Main Street Facility Plan as part of the planning phase for the Main Street Safety Project,” said Mayor Sean VanGordon. “Council needs more time to read and consume the material including the recommendations before making a decision, which is a significant one for our community.”

“Council needs more time to read and consume the material including the recommendations before making a decision, which is a significant one for our community.”

With this decision, the scheduled May 2 City Council public hearing will not occur. Instead, prior to the Council’s summer recess, they will hold Work Sessions to dive more in-depth into the Draft Main Street Facility Plan to increase their understanding of the recommendations, and their benefits and costs.

The Council will reschedule the public hearing for the project for a future meeting. The community will be notified once a date(s) has been selected.

• Who: Residents, Springfield business and property owners
• What: Extension of Planning Phase for Main Street Safety Project
• When:  Upcoming Work Sessions with dates to be determined; May 2 public hearing has been postponed to a future date to be determined
• Where: Dates and agendas for the upcoming work sessions will be posted once determined – https://springfield-or.gov/city/city-council-meetings/
• Additional Information: Contact PIO Amber Fossen at 541.520.4050 or the project page at mainstreetsafety.org

Project Purpose 
Springfield’s Main Street is consistently ranked as one of the most unsafe city streets in Oregon based on the severity and frequency of traffic crashes. The Oregon Department of Transportation and the City must address this problem to save lives, reduce injuries, and lessen property damage due to crashes. The purpose of the Main Street Safety Project is to select infrastructure solutions that will make Main Street safer for people walking, biking, driving, and taking transit. The selected safety improvements will provide for the movement of goods and people, support the economic viability of the corridor, accommodate current bus service and future transit solutions, and complement traffic safety education and enforcement.