DEVELOPMENT & PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTER - SPRING 2022
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Welcome to the Spring Edition of the City of Springfield’s Development and Public Works Department newsletter. It has been one year since we relaunched this newsletter and we hope you have been enjoying the content and feel more connected to the Development and Public Works Department of Springfield. Over the past year, our community has worked together to face the continued challenges of COVID-19. Our Development and Public Works staff remains as committed as ever to serving our community.
This week, May 15-21, is National Public Works Week (NPWW) and we’ve been sharing information through social media about our Development and Public Works staff and their role in making Springfield a great place to live, work and play. We also produced a video that we shared with grade-school students to show them everything we do. Click the button below to watch the video.
This year’s NPWW theme is “Ready and Resilient”, which showcases the superheroes that lie within each and every public works professional. Always READY to serve their community, and RESILIENT as ever! Please join us in celebrating our DPW staff and the services and programs they provide.
In this issue, we have updates on summer road construction projects, a before and after comparison of the Main Street lighting upgrades, an UpStream Art call for artists, and more.
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Main Street Lighting Upgrades |
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In the previous edition of this newsletter, we let you know about additional upgrades coming to streetlights on Main Street and South A. Now the project is complete and we’re showing you how big of a change the corridor underwent. This included 200 streetlights upgraded to LED fixtures and 100 LED streetlights added to existing poles.
This project was part of an emergency safety upgrade partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation. These lights improve visibility for drivers and aid them in seeing pedestrians and bicyclists along this corridor. See a before and after comparison from several locations on Main Street and South A at the link below. The before and after photos were taken with the same camera settings and have not been edited for exposure or lighting.
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In Case You Missed It - Spring Cleanup Canceled for 2022
We recently announced the cancellation of the 2022 Spring Cleanup. The Mayor and City Councilors along with City staff recognize the popularity of this event and are committed to holding a Spring Cleanup in the future. With the continued impacts of COVID-19 and circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to hold the event this year.
Our recycling partners contribute greatly to this event and due to staffing issues and budget constraints some of them are facing they are unable to assist this year. This event is focused on sustainability and recycling but without the involvement of these recycling partners, we can’t properly process certain items.
We are already exploring options including finding new partners and working with existing partners to help serve our community with future Spring Cleanup events. We look forward to the day when we’re able to hold Springfield's Spring Cleanup, thank you for your understanding. |
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Coming Soon to Selected Neighborhood Storm Drains
Every year, staff from the City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team visit a handful of neighborhoods to install round, silver-colored, storm drain markers that read: “No Dumping. Drains To River.” These markers remind neighbors that their local storm drain (and all storm drains) empty directly into local rivers and streams. That makes each of us responsible for preventing pollution, especially at home, by keeping it out of the streets and away from the drain.
“One of the biggest threats to our rivers and streams is pollution from urban runoff,” said Mary Healy, an Environmental Technician for the City who responds to complaints of water pollution. “Everyone in Springfield cares about clean water. We all need clean water to live.”
As rain washes over hard surfaces such as roofs, driveways, and roads, it collects contaminants including leaking vehicle fluids, lawn chemicals such as weed & feed, leaves and sediment, bacteria from dog waste, and litter such as cigarette butts.
“It’s our daily choices that prevent the pollution and that make a difference,” said Healy. “Every home and business in every neighborhood counts.”
Springfield’s Stormwater Team shares information about clean water year-round with students, individuals, community groups, and businesses. Everyone is encouraged to report sightings of pollutants in or near a storm drain or ditch at WaterResources@springfield-or.gov or 541.726.3694.
Thanks for all you do to keep stormwater clean!
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Calling all artists - apply for UpStream Art!
Between now and June 15, the City of Springfield’s Stormwater Team is looking for artists of all ages and from anywhere in Oregon to apply for this summer’s mural-painting project, UpStream Art 2022.
“This project is perfect for artists who paint and who care about the environment,” Peter Jaeger, project lead and Environmental Technician. Five artists will be selected to participate and compensated $1,000 each for painting murals around storm drains on A Street in downtown Springfield. Artists will paint their murals July 28-29, and the public will be invited to watch.
One of the biggest threats to the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers is pollution from urban runoff. The murals are a simple yet-important reminder that storm drains across the City provide a direct link from Springfield’s streets to our rivers. Because Springfield’s runoff drains into the Willamette River, which flows upstream to cities like Eugene, Salem, and Portland, actions in the City have impacts across the state.
“The goal for UpStream Art is to inspire community members to do their part in preventing pollutants from entering storm drains, especially at home,” said Jaeger.
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Starting at the end of May, work will begin on the final project funded by GO Bond 20-296. This year's project consists of pavement preservation of Centennial Boulevard from Aspen Street east to Prescott Lane. The project also includes the redesign and reconstruction of non-compliant ADA facilities to meet current standards.
RiverBend Construction, Inc. is scheduled on Tuesday, May 31 at 7 a.m. to begin the removal and reconstruction of the ADA ramps between Rainbow Drive and Prescott Lane. All ADA crossings on the south side of Centennial Boulevard. will be closed for approximately two weeks during this period. Once complete, work will shift to the north side of Centennial Boulevard for approximately the same duration and the southside ramps will reopen.
Traffic lane closures and construction operations will begin at 7 a.m. and end by 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The center driveway into Centennial Center shopping center will be
intermittently closed and there may be delays turning at Prescott and Rainbow Drive. Plan to seek alternate routes and allow plenty of extra time if needed to reach your destinations.
We'll post updates to the project page and TripCheck.com including traffic impacts during construction. We will also send out electronic updates through email. If you would like to receive these updates, please sign up using the button below.
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Construction Season Begins and Project Planning |
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Above: Centennial Boulevard - February 2022
Below: Slurry seal application in 2021
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We've contracted for repairs to several streets in neighborhoods in west Springfield. An asphalt mixture, known as a slurry seal, will be applied to the existing pavement to increase the durability and lifespan of the treated streets. Our Operations crews from Development and Public Works will crack seal streets in the coming weeks, then in early July, a contractor will begin the slurry seal process. Residents will be notified two days ahead of work of any parking restrictions via "No Parking" signs in order to make other parking arrangements. The project is expected to finish on September 1. Click the button below for a map showing the streets scheduled for slurry seal later this summer. |
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Design work is ongoing for the reconstruction of Mill Street between South A Street and Centennial Boulevard. Survey and geotechnical crews have completed their field work to support the design of the project. Field crews have found property boundaries, collected topographic information, verified the locations of existing utilities, and several borings have been collected to assess the condition of the soil underneath the roadway.
Field crews may be on site again to collect additional information as needed. The project team has also completed a study of on-street parking utilization on Mill Street between S. A Street and Centennial Boulevard. The data from the study shows that the existing supply of on-street parking generally exceeds the demand throughout the day, on both weekdays and weekends. To provide the needed width to accommodate the required new bicycle facilities, the project design will need to remove on-street parking from one side of Mill Street.
Our next step will include preparing a preliminary design concept which will include pedestrian, bicycle, and street lighting improvements, stormwater treatment, replacement of the wastewater line and lining of the lateral pipes. The concept will develop details for the construction work anticipated to begin in 2024.
Staff will provide updates of the reconstruction project on the project webpage. We will also send out electronic updates through email, If you would like to receive these updates, please sign up using the button below.
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Main Street Safety Project Timeline Extended
The timeline is being extended for the planning phase of the Main Street Safety Project. Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon provided this direction to the project team after considering the number of comments received from community members and the sheer size of the Draft Main Street Facility Plan. At the Monday, April 18, Council meeting, the Mayor cited a need to allow community members and Councilors additional time to review, comment, and examine the draft plan.
“I want to give Council members and community members enough time to vet 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.”
With this decision, the scheduled May 2 City Council public hearing will not occur. Instead, prior to the Council’s summer recess, the Council will hold a series of 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.
Draft Main Street Safety Facility Plan work sessions are scheduled for:
- 5:30 p.m., Monday, June 6
- 5:30 p.m., Monday, June 13
- 5:30 p.m., Monday, June 20
- 5:30 p.m., Monday, June 27
Please note there is no public comment accepted during work sessions. However, community members can still submit their feedback through info@ourmainstreetspringfield.org and it will be provided to the City Council as part of their public hearing process. The Council will reschedule the public hearing for February 2023. The community will be notified once a date(s) has been selected.
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Stay Connected with Springfield |
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From updates on affordable housing to news on the City’s Main Street improvement efforts to volunteer opportunities to help keep our waterways clean, we offer a variety of ways to stay connected with Springfield. Subscribe to any of these email lists using the button below.
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