Blachly-Lane Service Area

Location

The neighboring Oregon cities of Eugene and Springfield are situated in the Willamette Valley, on the Interstate 5 corridor, 100 miles south of Portland and 500 miles north of San Francisco. The two communities make up the second largest metropolitan area in Oregon.

Climate

Eugene/Springfield's normal annual rainfall is 42.5 inches. This compares to that of Miami-59.7; Boston-42.7; New York-42.4; San Francisco-20.8; Seattle-38.9.

Education

University of Oregon, Eugene; Oregon State University, located 40 miles north in Corvallis; Lane Community College, Eugene.

Local public schools frequently receive honors for their quality of education, including three President's Awards for excellence. Oregon students have consistently rated second in the nation in SAT scores. Secular and parochial private education is also available.

Main Industries

The Eugene/Springfield area has several manufacturing industries, including lumber, high-tech, other wood products and food products. The major non-manufacturing industries are trade, government and services. There are 808 manufacturing companies in Lane County.

Main Attractions

Tourism is a major local industry. Eugene/Springfield blends metropolitan culture with the wonders of the great outdoors. Opera, ballet, symphony and theater are performed in the world-class Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The peaks of the Cascades, the beautiful Oregon coast, and local wineries are all within an hour's drive.

Eugene/Springfield is ideal for major conferences. Local facilities, including the Eugene Conference Center and the Lane County Convention Center, can seat between 1,000 and 4,500 participants. McArthur Court, on the University of Oregon campus seats 10,000. Nearly fifty hotels and motels serve guests in accommodations ranging from budget to deluxe. For more information go to Lane County.

Highways
Interstate 5 bisects Eugene/Springfield.

Motor Carriers
Major interstate carriers.

Air
Passenger services by major carriers.
Freight - 5 carriers, 42 fights/day.

Rail
Southern Pacific and Burlington Northern, Amtrak.

Bus
Interstate service by Greyhound and Trailways; local service by Lane Transit District and private charters.

Utilities

Electric
As a preferred customer of the Bonneville Power Administration, Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative retains first right to low-cost, federally owned hydroelectric resources. This locally controlled utility has a significant competitive advantage in siting new companies and is a member of PNGC Power, a power marketing cooperative, with the ability to go to the open market as rates dictate.

Gas
Natural gas is available throughout the area.

Telecommunications
For local information please visit the Telecommunications Section of the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department.

Water
Water in Blachly-Lane's service area is plentiful and pure, with a maximum pumping capacity of 90 million gallons per day.

Wastewater Management
Eugene/Springfield began operating its wastewater treatment plant in 1984. The sophisticated facility has an average dry weather capacity of 49 million gallons per day, and a wet weather capacity of 175 million gallons per day. Currently the plant is operating at about half its rated capacity. The system is designed to more than adequately serve the metropolitan area past the year 2000.

Labor Force

Local workers are productive and the work force is well-educated. One-third of Eugene's adult population has completed four or more years of college. One major manufacturer reports that its Eugene plant has the lowest turnover of employees of any of its facilities in the nation.