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CLEAR Temp: 68 °F Wind: S at 6 mph Sunday, October 13, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 24, 2002 Urban renewal agency looks at new downtown street’s plan By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Should Medford’s new downtown road be a public street or a private street? That’s the question the Medford Urban Renewal Agency board will consider at tonight’s meeting as it talks about the proposed Evergreen Way. Medford Public Works Director Cory Crebbin said some elements of the street plan violate city ordinances for city street design. "Angled parking is not in our design standards," said Crebbin, who will be at the 7 p.m. meeting at City Council Chambers, 411 W. Eighth St., Medford. MURA has proposed the tree-lined roadway from Fourth Street to 10th Street, between Fir and Front streets, be a private street maintained by MURA. Agency Director Don Burt said the proposed new road, with about 60 perpendicular spaces, will be like a parking lot people can drive through. "On a normal street, with typical traffic volumes, you don’t want to back up onto a street," said Burt. "It would be owned by the (downtown) parking district," he said. "It would be essentially treated as a parking lot." The district was established after downtown businesses agreed to be taxed to purchase and maintain customer parking. Crebbin said he doesn’t see this as MURA trying to get around a rule but as a good idea. "I’m fine with it," said Crebbin. "I’ve even argued that a lot of alleys in Medford ought not to be public," he said. "The public at large ought not to be paying for those." Burt said Evergreen Way is about more than cars, though. "The primary purpose is to close that industrial gap on the east and west side of Medford that’s created by the railroad." Sprucing up that area will help businesses that border it. If the MURA board approves the proposal, the street will be added to the City Center 2050 Plan. Also on tonight’s agenda is the fa�ade improvement program project update, streetlight and streetscape standards for downtown, amendment of an agreement for the South Gateway Center and appointing a member to the budget committee. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S