Area residents now have the chance to help steer the proposed 10-year road map for transit improvements in Eugene to its destination.

Local officials began welcoming online public comment on Monday for a preliminary analysis of the road map known as MovingAhead.

Lane Transit District and the city of Eugene are studying potential projects to improve transit service as well as biking and walking along five of the city's busiest corridors: 30th Avenue to Lane Community College, Coburg Road, Highway 99, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and River Road.

The preliminary analysis outlines the three possible alternatives for each of the corridors: "enhanced corridor," featuring transit service every 15 minutes; EmX, featuring transit service every 10 minutes; and "no build," or as-is. Each scenario also features a menu of smaller projects to encourage walking and biking on the corridor and making them more accessible. Currently, most busy corridors in Eugene have 30-minute transit service.

LTD has already opened three EmX lines connecting downtown Eugene and Springfield along Franklin Boulevard; to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend and employment centers near the Gateway area; and, most recently, to west Eugene along West 11th Avenue.

Officials say its more efficient to plan projects along multiple corridors rather than one at a time as the competition grows for the limited federal dollars that pay for the bulk of the construction costs.

"If we can be efficient, and we can show the federal government that we can be efficient, we have a better chance of getting our projects funded to the appropriate level that we need them to be," LTD spokeswoman Therese Lang said.

For the enhanced corridor and EmX scenarios for each corridor, the preliminary analysis pegs an estimated construction and annual operating cost, annual ridership increase, and displacement of existing homes, businesses and parking.

For example, the analysis estimates that extending EmX service along River Road would cost $78 million to build and $2 million a year to operate, shave eight minutes off the corridor's existing transit time and displace six homes or businesses.

Now officials are asking residents to weigh in on which corridors deserve investment and at what level through an online open house that launched Monday and is scheduled to close on Oct. 10. Starting later this month, officials also will hold in-person open houses at locations along the five corridors.

Local officials had been planning to make transit improvements along Main Street in Springfield, but they've delayed that work as they complete a separate study on safety improvements to the major thoroughfare.

So far, the city and LTD have not secured any money for any future construction. They said they'd look to federal and state grants to help pay for the projects.

Based on the public comment and technical data, officials will come up with a series of investment packages featuring the best alternative for each of the five corridors. The Eugene City Council and LTD's board of directors will select a preferred package next year.

Rob Zako, executive director of Best Eugene Springfield Transportation, said his organization looks forward to reviewing the analysis "to see what improvements might make the most sense for our community."

"We will be looking especially at improvements that meet demands today, as well as those investments aimed to improve travel in places where our community expects to see the most new residential and commercial development," he said.

The local group advocates for transportation options other than cars, safe streets and walkable neighborhoods.