Lane Transit District opens Santa Clara Station
Santa Clara Station includes six bus bays, 55 parking spaces and three electric vehicle charging stations.
Posted: Feb 6, 2021 3:09 PM
Updated: Feb 8, 2021 1:13 PM
Posted By: Michael Cerullo
EUGENE, Ore. The Lane Transit District s Santa Clara Station began operations Sunday morning.
The new station is located on River Road between Green Lane and Hunsaker Lane in North Eugene. It replaces the River Road station that has served the Santa Clara and and River Road neighborhoods for 39 years.
“The completion of the Santa Clara Station is a community investment that provides more access for Santa Clara and River Road residents to travel throughout the District by bus,” said Aurora Jackson, LTD’s general manager. “We want to thank the neighborhoods for their important input that helped to inform the project and for their patience during the past year of construction.”
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 is asking the Oregon Legislature to give public transit workers the right to strike again. Under Oregon’s public employee collective bargaining law, they used to have that right, but in 2007 at the union’s urging lawmakers moved transit workers into the same public safety category as police and firefighters. Forbidden to strike, they have their contracts decided by a neutral arbitrator if union and employer can’t agree.
“What we’ve seen since then is that it wasn’t a perfect fit,” says Local 757 Executive Board member Bill Bradley. A Lane Transit District maintenance worker, Bradley is taking a leave of absence to lobby for SB 690, a bill introduced by State Sen. Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale) that would restore the right to strike.
Credit Elizabeth Gabriel / KLCC News
Residents who live along the McKenzie River can resume modified daily services from Lane Transit District beginning Sunday, Jan. 24.
Route 91 will not serve Blue River Drive or McKenzie River Drive. LTD will not charge passenger fares on route 91 until Mar. 1. But beginning Feb. 1, route 91 passengers will need to pay to transfer to or from other bus routes.
“Bus operators will pick up and drop off passengers only at the designated bus stops along the highway,” said Cosette Rees, LTD’s Director of Customer and Specialized Services. “Passengers should not try to flag down the bus between bus stops for pick up, so it is important for passengers to plan and to be extra careful walking to and from the bus stops along Highway 126.”
Credit Lane Transit District
Lane Transit District will resume collecting bus fare on all routes starting Monday, Feb. 1.
To encourage contactless boarding, TouchPass users will have a special February Rewards Pass available on Jan. 20. New users can download the TouchPass app, or purchase a $3 TouchPass card at the LTD Customer Service Center beginning Jan. 11.
Next month LTD bus riders will also see other changes. Passengers boarding LTD buses will notice three things on February 1, said LTD general manager Aurora Jackson. Passengers will again enter the bus from its front door, they will pay their fares with cash or the TouchPass mobile app or card, and the bus operator will be sitting behind a plexiglass shield to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.