River Road, designated Pacific Highway in 1923, was once the only major link between Portland and <br />California. This designation of River Road as a state highway greatly influenced much of the <br />development experienced in the River Road and Santa Clara communities. According to land use studies <br />from the 1930s and 1940s, the majority of the roads in the area were created to provide access to River <br />Road. Later, the completion of Beltline Highway (1970) and Northwest Expressway (1980) further <br />facilitated development; this development resulted in changes to the use of the land. Generally, land <br />uses shifted from being primarily farmland to an increase in subdivisions and the presence of homes. <br />Post -World War II growth brought with it the development of educational and religious facilities. In <br />1945, River Road and Santa Clara school districts joined Eugene School District No. 4, and five schools <br />were built in the River Road community. The area also experienced an increase in church construction <br />during the 1950s and 1960s. Though church construction had previously been limited to the downtown <br />core, over this period of rapid growth, construction of churches began to take place in areas outside of <br />downtown. <br />Figure 2: River Road and Santa Clara Historical Development Patterns <br />HistorieaI Development Patterns in River Road <br />16 <br />it +' <br />70 <br />' 16166 ti i <br />Wish Imandp <br />Mir <br />a <br />+ *: <br />4F f, <br />�rw�a,a i+at■.iarr <br />aa pirt4 *4 Oat• 5M ■ tOl -1 JU <br />1}},I' .1*} <br />i Hfil. MI <br />iM-M <br />MAN -20U <br />HistorlcaI Development Patterns in Santa Clara <br />__q <br />' .CYCI• 11,, <br />LJ <br />OIC <br />`JT Op <br />. <br />W <br />a WIN ate* Fr t <br />IRV <br />^ 'P <br />_ Mi;IF144aw <br />- <br />��s i1if71-two <br />DA5ndtea, Spwgi g+4 -■M <br />W-rw <br />mi. kwi <br />i IM - XOT <br />Page 24 of 122 <br />14 <br />