Regional Transportation Planning

Transportation is one of the key contributors to the Eugene-Springfield region's quality of life and economic viability. Generally, the need for transportation stems from the need to access goods, services, and other people within and beyond the region. The ease by which citizens are able to get from home to school, to a job, to medical services, to shopping and back again is dependent upon the efficiency and effectiveness of the region's transportation system. There are two primary long range transportation plans that the Central Lane MPO is required to prepare, the Regional Transportation Plan and the Regional Transportation System Plan. 
 

Regional Transportation Plan

The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) guides planning and development of the transportation system within the Central Lane Transportation Management Area (TMA) (PDF). The federally-required RTP includes provisions for meeting the transportation demand of residents over at least a 20-year planning horizon while addressing transportation issues and making changes that can contribute to improvements in the region’s quality of life and economic vitality. It includes consideration of all transportation modes: roadways, transit, bikeways and pedestrian circulation, as well as freight movement and regional aspects of air, rail and inter-city bus service.
 

Planning Activities & Investments

The regional planning process thus ensures that the planning activities and investments of the local jurisdictions are coordinated in terms of intent, timing, and effect. Projects in the RTP are initiated at the local and state level:

• Planning processes of the cities of Eugene, Springfield, and Coburg
• Lane Transit District
• Lane County
• Oregon Department of Transportation - ODOT

Those projects that anticipate Federal funding or are regionally significant with potential impact on air quality must be included in the RTP.
 

Federal Compliance

The RTP is required by the federal government for all metropolitan areas with populations over 50,000. In compliance with Federal legislation, and with the Oregon Transportation Planning Rule (TPR), the RTP contains transportation policies and expected actions, and is financially constrained to revenues reasonably expected to be available over the planning period. The RTP also includes demonstration of compliance with federal and state air quality requirements.

The RTP must be updated at least every 4 years, and must include participation by the citizens of the region.

https://www.lcog.org/thempo/page/regional-transportation-plan

Regional Transportation System Plan

The RTSP serves a functional role as the "link" between the local Transportation System Plans and the RTP; it is a state-mandated transportation system plan that must be prepared for an MPO region.

TransPlan is the current RTSP for the Eugene-Springfield area.  It was adopted, updated and amended by the full governing bodies of Eugene, Springfield and Lane County.  It was most recently amended in July 2002.  TransPlan also served as the RTP for the MPO which at that time did not include the City of Coburg.  Since then, new RTPs have replaced TransPlan, the latest being adopted in 2017.

https://www.lcog.org/thempo/page/regional-transportation-plan