Eugene, Oregon, earns global recognition for its transportation efforts.

• Author: Chen, Joy
• Position: Brief article

Eugene, Oregon, has much to celebrate in its first year of operating the new Emerald Express (EmX) bus rapid transit, or BRT, system. In January, the city received a 2008 Sustainable Transport Award "Honorable Mention" along with Pereira, Colombia,and Guatemala City (the two top winners were London and Paris). Eugene was the only U.S. city selected for the annual award, sponsored by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.

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In 1990, Eugene officials began to seek ways to effectively relieve traffic congestion. The Lane Transit District (LTD) conducted community workshops, reached out to businesses, and worked with the city council to materialize this vision. Drawing inspiration from the BRT system of Curitiba, Brazil, the district launched a full-featured BRT pilot project in January 2007. This corridor, the EmX Green Line, extends 6.4 kilometers between Eugene and Springfield. Its fleet of 19-meter hybrid diesel-electric buses operates in exclusive bus lanes for about 60 percent of the...