Lane County seeks volunteers for transportation advisory committee seats

West Lane and North Eugene residents have until June 30 to claim one of two Lane County seats that help steer road, bike and transit decisions before they reach county commissioners. The county is looking for volunteers to fill one Transportation Advisory Committee seat for District 1 in West Lane and one for District 4 in North Eugene.

The committee is small, with seven members total, one from each commissioner district and two at-large appointments. Lane County says the group meets on the fourth Wednesday of every other month, and members can join online or in person, a setup that makes it easier for people with work, family or transportation limits to stay involved.

This is not a ceremonial role. Lane County says the Transportation Advisory Committee serves as a forum for public input and a liaison between community transportation concerns and the Lane County Board of County Commissioners. The committee also represents board decisions back to the community. Residents are welcome to address the panel, and committee members serve in a public capacity subject to Oregon Government Ethics Commission requirements.

The practical stakes reach well beyond Eugene city limits. Lane County says its transportation system is essential to daily mobility and connectivity, linking county roads to jobs, health care, education, social services, recreation and the food supply. The county also says transportation planning helps it comply with regulations, compete for funding and influence policy, which gives the committee’s advice added weight when potholes, road projects, walkability, bike routes and neighborhood traffic concerns are on the table.

Lane County senior engineering associate Taylor Carsley said safety on the roads is top of mind and described the committee as a way for residents to help improve the system for everyone. The county’s current recruitment follows the same district-based process it used earlier this year for a District 5 East Lane opening, when applicants could verify their district by entering their address online. For people in West Lane and North Eugene who want a hand in shaping the roads they use every day, this is the opening to step in before decisions are made.