Bike czar works to keep the wheels turning.Byline: CITY BEAT/EUGENE By Edward Russo The Register-Guard His work is connected to feet, but Lee Shoemaker's hands are full in his first year as Eugene's bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. There are bike, pedestrian and public transit projects to work on, all with the goal of getting more people out of their cars and onto buses, bicycles and their feet. His job also requires him to try to find money to maintain bike paths, plus build new ones. These tasks keep him busy enough, but this year Shoemaker and other transportation-minded public employees will help people find other ways to get around town during the reconstruction of Interstate in·ter·state adj. Involving, existing between, or connecting two or more states. n. One of a system of highways extending between the major cities of the 48 contiguous United States. Noun 1. 105 in Eugene. The work is supposed to start in April and take until August. People who want to avoid the expected hassles during the various off-ramp and lane closures can ditch their cars, Shoemaker suggested, and ride their bikes between Eugene and Springfield along the Willamette River Willamette River River, northwestern Oregon, U.S. It flows north for 300 mi (485 km) into the Columbia River near Portland. Oregon's most populous cities are in its valley. The Fremont Bridge, a steel arch with a main span of 1,225 ft (373 m), crosses the river at Portland. bike paths. "We can help people plan their routes," he said. Shoemaker, 58, began his job with the city in November, taking over for Eugene's longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective and well-thought-of bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Diane Bishop. She retired last year after 28 years with the city. "I'm not replacing her," Shoemaker said. "I'm doing similar duties to what Diane did." Shoemaker's career includes 11 years as a transportation planner with the Lane Council of Governments in Eugene. He became bicycle and pedestrian coordinator and parking manager for the city of Corvallis, a job he had for the past three years. He continued to live in Eugene, commuting to Corvallis on Valley Vanpool van·pool n. An arrangement by which commuters travel together in a van. tr. & intr.v. van·pooled, van·pool·ing, van·pools To transport or be transported in a vanpool. , so when Bishop's job opened up, he jumped at the chance to work in Eugene again. Shoemaker practices what he preaches by walking and riding the bus to work most days. He and his 13-year-old son, Alex, have a friendly competition. They wear pedometers to see who walks more each day. "How many steps do you have, Dad?" Alex regularly asks. Among other things, Shoemaker is working at improving routes for bicyclists and pedestrians on Monroe and Friendly streets. The project is intended to improve the bicycle connections between south Eugene, downtown and the Willamette River bike trails. Additional crosswalks, pedestrian islands and curb extensions A curb extension (or also kerb extension, bulb-out, nib, elephant ear, curb bulge and blister) is a traffic calming measure, intended to slow the speed of traffic and increase driver awareness, particularly in built-up and residential , for example, will help people traverse traverse - traversal busy cross streets, he said. Shoemaker is working with Lane Transit District A transit district or transit authority is a special-purpose district organized as either a corporation chartered by statute, or a government agency, created for the purpose of providing public transportation within a specific region. employees to put pedestrian islands and crosswalks at several bus stops. And he's devoting time to the resurfacing of the Fern Ridge Bike Path from City View to Chambers streets Chambers Street is a street in Edinburgh, Scotland, at south of the Old Town. The street is named after William Chambers of Glenormiston, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh who was the main proponent of the 1867 Edinburgh Improvement Act, which gave permission for the street's that will take place this summer. Shoemaker said people looking to break out of the commute-by-car routine can get ideas from Commuter Solutions, which is staffed by Lane Transit District employees. They can be reached at 682-6100. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , Shoemaker is getting ready to help people get around the anticipated traffic jams during the I-105 reconstruction project. "We think it will be very congested con·gest·ed adj. Affected with or characterized by congestion. congested ENT adjective Referring to a boggy blood-filled tissue. See Nasal congestion. both on I-105 and other streets as people look for alternative routes," he said. Shoemaker is referring people to a Web site, www.keepusmoving.info, for plenty of information about the road project and ways to decrease the traveling disruption. And he's happy to help people discover new ways to get around town without a car. "I would encourage anyone who has any interest in any of our bicycle-pedestrian programs, or who has any problems traveling by bicycle or walking, to give me a call at 682-5471," he said. Edward Russo can be reached at 338-2359 or erusso@guardnet.com. |
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