The former Mayor of Eugene did not "veto" the West Eugene Porkway in favor of bicycles.  

The WEP bypass was a federal project.  The funds were federal.  The No Build decision was federal.  In June 2001, the previous (Republican) Mayor Jim Torrey, Randy Pape and County Commissioner Bobby Green conceded it was not going to be approved, at the ODOT co-sponsored "West Eugene Charette."  The following month, then City Councilor Pat Farr also conceded this at a City Council meeting.  The tax and spend Republicans kept pushing for the WEP anyway, pressuring ODOT to spend more millions on studies and land purchases even while their managers realized the odds of construction were close to zero.

Mayor Piercy supported the I-5 / Beltline oversized interchange, widening I-5, the planned widening of Beltline / Delta -- far more expensive than some bike lanes.  

www.sustaineugene.org/nobuild.html has details.