Springfield seeks public input on bike, pedestrian safety and access

Springfield residents with a dangerous crossing, a missing sidewalk or a bike-access problem will have a direct forum on June 9, when the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meets at Springfield City Hall.

The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Jesse Maine Room at 225 5th Street, with Zoom and phone access available for people who cannot attend in person. The city says the room is ADA accessible, and accommodations are available for those who need them. Emma Newman, the city’s transportation planning manager, is the listed contact.

BPAC is a volunteer committee established in 2011 that advises the Springfield City Council, Planning Commission and city staff on bicycle and pedestrian planning, policies, programs and projects. The committee has nine voting members and four ex-officio liaisons. Keith Dickey serves as chair and Elena Coleman as vice chair.

The posted agenda shows a meeting built for public input and day-to-day transportation concerns: public comment, approval of meeting summaries, BPAC protocols and ground rules, a transportation safety presentation, a transportation options update, work plan progress, liaison updates and city updates before adjournment. For residents dealing with poor crossings, hard-to-navigate intersections or unsafe bike links, that agenda offers a practical opening to push issues before projects are finalized.

Much of BPAC’s current work centers on Walk and Roll Springfield, the city’s effort to replace an outdated bicycle plan that dates to 1998 with a new Active Transportation Master Plan. The city says the project is meant to create a complete and prioritized pedestrian and bicycle system, refine connections, establish low-stress corridors and weigh trade-offs that could include reallocating parking or travel lane space. Springfield has also said the plan is meant to address east-west routes, improve safety and accessibility, support transit integration and strengthen economic development.

That broader work ties into the city’s active transportation goals, which aim to support walking, biking, busing and rolling while improving public health, reducing environmental impact and strengthening community connectivity. BPAC’s work plan also lists ADA compliance as one of its responsibilities, underscoring that accessibility is part of the transportation conversation, not a separate one.

Residents can join the June 9 meeting through Zoom or by calling +1 971 247 1195 and entering meeting ID 889 7761 5472. Agenda packets and materials are posted through Springfield Oregon Speaks. The committee meets on the second Tuesday of even-numbered months, keeping this June session part of a longer regional discussion that also includes the Eugene Active Transportation Committee and Willamalane Park & Recreation District.