City declares ice/snow emergency, closes parks; bus service suspended
3 min read
The City of Eugene has declared an ice/snow emergency, effective as of Jan. 13, 2024 at 11 a.m.
Due to the severe weather conditions, all city parks are closed. The public is advised to use extreme caution near trees.
After Lane Transit District initially announced that four routes would operate on snow and ice routes (routes 1 – Campbell Center; 24 – Donald; 81 – LCC / Hilyard; and 92 – Lowell / LCC), LTD subsequently decided on Sunday, Jan. 14, to suspend all service until further notice. For the latest service announcements, see the Service Alerts page on LTD’s website.
The city’s emergency declaration means all vehicles must be removed immediately from designated snow emergency routes so crews can sand and clear roads.
Additionally, community members are reminded NOT to drive around snow plows if they encounter them while driving. Passing plows puts everyone in danger, including city crew drivers.
The city incident commander for this weather event declared the emergency due to freezing rain and icy conditions. The city’s ice/snow ordinance prohibits parking along streets designated as snow emergency routes while a snow/ice emergency is in effect. Typically, emergency routes are collectors, arterials, and bus routes.
The ordinance gives the city the authority to tow vehicles parked or stranded along emergency routes. Then the City is able to ensure that emergency vehicles, buses, and other essential traffic can move safely around town, and that parked and stalled vehicles do not hamper ice treatment operation.
The parking ban will remain in effect until further notification. Listen to local radio and television stations for regular updates. If you have questions about which streets are emergency routes and subject to the parking ban, visit www.eugene-or.gov/snow to check the priority route map.
City crews are also prepared to address tree hazards in the public right of way. Anyone who sees a tree or tree limb presenting a hazard on a road or in a median should call 541-682-4800 to notify City staff. Please include details on how big the hazard is, where it is and how many lanes of traffic it is blocking. Trees that are not causing a hazard but still are in public areas can be reported online using the maintenance request form.
Residents are advised to avoid driving. If you are driving and come across a traffic light that is dark, remember that intersections should be treated as all-way stops.
Residents with welfare needs (food, medication, etc.) should call 2-1-1 for assistance. 2-1-1 is activated and taking calls for help with locating warming shelters and supplies throughout Oregon.
2-1-1 reports receiving multiple calls about carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper use of indoor heaters and generators. For safety information, see https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm.
This is a good time for checking your radios and making sure your batteries are fully charged and protecting your pipes.
Eugene Emergency Communications Net is up and running and ham radio operators are monitoring the repeater frequency 146.880 MHz with a tone of 100 Hz, and all FRS frequencies. The backup simplex frequency is 147.46 MHz.
In the event of power failure and emergency need from neighborhoods, please call 9-1-1 for all emergency needs.
For more emergency communications procedures, see the Neighborhood Radio Communication Response Guide.
For more, see:
