Ultimate Interstates:Eugene Interstate Spurs

Oregon-Washington Map

Eugene Metro Map

This 2 pronged plan to add additional interstate miles to the Eugene Metro area and ideally redesignate two sections of existing highway in the Eugene-Springfield Metro area. This would be accomplished by extending I-105 eastward along OR-126 to east of Springfield OR, and by redesignating the Beltline Highway (OR-569) as I-305 and upgrading the western segment to full interstate standards.

Ultimate Interstate 105 Extension

This plan would extend Interstate 105 eastward along the OR-126 freeway. The plan would not encompass any additional lane miles or construction and would simply add the interstate designation to the east of 5 connecting Springfield to the interstate system. Future upgrades or expansions of the highway are possible and could then be covered under federal aid interstate funds to provide financing assistance.

Ultimate Interstate 305

Ultimate Interstate 305 is an interstate highway corridor that is currently known as the OR-569 Randy Pape Beltline and travels across the northern part of the city of Eugene from I-5 westward to OR-99 as a 4 lane fully access controlled facility, then the highway curves southward and turns into a 2 lane expressway limited access expressway with at grade intersections and terminates at OR-126 on the west side of the city. If designated as an interstate western section would need to be upgraded to a 4 lane fully access controlled facility. Further extension to the south is unknown but possible as the highway abruptly ends at OR-126 which indicates that planners could have been looking to a future southward extension eventually leading back to I-5 somewhere south of the city creating a true loop highway. This seems unlikely at this time as no documents show any such plans.

Purpose and Need

These projects are largely designations only and would only provide route continuity to the interstate system if little else, however with interstate designations this could open the door for future development of Eugene's interstate system if congestion and growth become an issue.

Alternate Routing

There are no alternate routings proposed

Plausibility

Are these designations truly needed? That is debatable, however many other cities across the country have gone out of their way to secure interstate routes that direct interstate traffic to their cities for the purpose of spurring economic growth. It is entirely plausible that these designations could happen but that isn't highly likely.