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 />Historical Development Patterns in River Road <br />NM <br />' �'`_•� 7^�..! .. tom, <br />1 <br />Exhibit A <br />Historical Development Patterns in Santa Clara <br />l <br />* r <br />04, <br />11. <br />11 <br />IV <br />R � <br />I�� <br />1 <br />AL <br />N� <br />E.jeane r0*104s41 FOM <br />