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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency Services Happy Camp Complex smoke lingers Weed-killing crews will bear down on Bear Creek in Medford Coalition seeks minimum wage boost in Oregon Since You Asked: Changes coming at Cedar Links Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Happy Camp Complex smoke lingers Emergency Services Blaze erupts in mountains west of Grants Pass Emergency Services Politics and Elections Mark L. Hopkins: What the next election should be about Senate race could be expensive Talent to consider taxing recreational, but not medicinal marijuana Candidate files false statements Just one seat will be contested for Central Point council Education HOLA program helps Latino students ease into college Phoenix-Talent gets grant to create teacher-leaders Alert system kept parents in the loop during shooting threat Ink Out provides inexpensive tattoo removal for those trying to move on State tests show a mixed report card Environment New disease strikes Roseburg deer herds Dredgers might return to the Rogue next year Dubs' auction preview draws bidders and gawkers OR-7's pups are true wolves ODFW director Elicker will step down State news Nation - World Obituaries Wanda M. (Duval) Rasor Patricia Ann Navarro Lois Manley Thomas Jeanne Carol Coffin Homer Kaai Hayes Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Klamath Falls runner shows up the men in Pine to Palm Medford sweeps Churchill, Springfield/Willamette Gates’ three TD catches carry Bolts to 30-21 upset Raiders take hit on road Horschel caps amazing run with FedEx Cup Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders take hit on road Thompson leads Huskies to rout of Illini No. 2 Oregon pulls away from Wyoming Loyd nets emotional assist for Oregon No. 2 Ducks not looking past Wyoming Pro Sports Gates’ three TD catches carry Bolts to 30-21 upset Horschel caps amazing run with FedEx Cup U.S. cruises to FIBA gold; Irving MVP McIlroy, Horschel tied for Tour Championship lead (No heading) Community Sports Barry fires back into SOGC finals Super seniors strong at SOGC Crenshaw pulls off upset in SOGC Murphy claims victory in Stroke Play Championships South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Business Latest Stories Rogue Valley seeks to get on the map in search for new businesses Blog: Busy Week Survival Tips Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround Back-to-back 66,000-plus months puts 2007 passenger record within sight Historic building owners get lessons in restoration Real Estate News Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround Historic building owners get lessons in restoration Pleasant weather, stable interest rates spurred summer home sales People In Business Transportation Agriculture Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Weisinger's Winery has earliest crush on record Amy's Kitchen begins expansion in White City Opinion Latest Cover Oregon won't be mourned by many Ferguson tragedy becoming a farce? Letters to the Editor, Sept. 14 Manor residents give in many ways Transparency is essential in O&C debate Editorials Cover Oregon won't be mourned by many Balance needed in rules protecting streams Obama does what must be done in the Mideast Our View: Good riddance to Super PAC attack ads Fighting back against domestic violence Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Sept. 14 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 12 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 11 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 10 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 9 Guest Opinions Manor residents give in many ways Transparency is essential in O&C debate Hazardous fuel treatments vital to protection from severe wildfires Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch Lifestyle Latest stories Rogue Valley's latest aerobics craze is Insanity Wedding Why did the chicken cross the road? Zucchini abuse: a national shame Counting the reasons to keep your eating local Food Community blog: Rise to challenge of eating more local tomatoes Quail Run Vineyards expands into Talent drainage A cook's contest Community blog: Dukkah dresses up hummus, spreads and dippers Community blog: Middle East's 'peanut butter' on the rise in U.S. Home and Garden Counting the reasons to keep your eating local Medford gardens to be showcased Saturday Trees aren't always the best companions for plants Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden An August checklist for your garden Health Rogue Valley's latest aerobics craze is Insanity Community blog: Menopause: What's it Good For? Community blog: A Fish Tale Community blog: A Healthy Way to Enrich the College Experience Community blog: What's Wrong With This Picture? Hiking Faith Religion Briefs Religion briefs Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements Wedding New Arrivals Barbecue will support treatment for stricken skateboarder Ink Out provides inexpensive tattoo removal for those trying to move on Grange memberships going like hot cakes Columnist for a Day Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Jacksonville's Thai House is everything good Thai should be Creedence Clearwater Revival Jeff Fest to feature an all-star lineup of musicians ... named Jeff 'Cocktail Hour' shows at the Craterian Theatre Oregon Poet Laureate Peter Sears reads in Ashland Theater OCT's Ginger Rogers tribute sparkles 'Cocktail Hour' shows at the Craterian Theatre CultureFest at Oregon Shakespeare Festival Musical 'Backwards in High Heels' opens at Oregon Cabaret Theatre Ashland Contemporary Theatre gets dialectic with "Freud's Last Session" Music Creedence Clearwater Revival Jeff Fest to feature an all-star lineup of musicians ... named Jeff Live Music in Local Clubs Rob Zombie plays Lithia Amphitheater Jennifer Nettles plays Britt Community Events Oregon Poet Laureate Peter Sears reads in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists 5 Things to Do This Weekend From business professor to artist Shady Cove Tie Days Swap Meet Dining Jacksonville's Thai House is everything good Thai should be Ami Sushi serves up Asian dishes Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co. NW Raw Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Fire on Foots Creek Road near Rogue River destroys garage ... Serial arsonist gets 3 years ... Medford police found to be justified in killing armed man last month ... Fire on Foots Creek Road near Rogue River destroys garage ... Serial arsonist gets 3 years ... Medford police found to be justified in killing armed man last month ... OUR VIEW Envisioning a two-wheeled future MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 3, 2014 @ 12:01 am Posted Sep. 3, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News Local residents who grew up here may remember riding bicycles as children and teenagers throughout the greater Medford area. But these days, what once were sleepy two-lane roads have become four- and five-lane thoroughfares. The thought of navigating those by bike or even on foot can make adults think twice, then hop in the car for that short jaunt. As for allowing their children to ride in that traffic, forget it. But what if you could easily reach a paved pathway, protected from car traffic, that could take you from Medford to Jacksonville, or get you close enough to a local supermarket to pick up a loaf of bread and a carton of milk without having to drive your car? That’s the vision now being explored by transportation planners in the Rogue Valley. Using the Bear Creek Greenway as a spine, the new paths could run between communities such as Eagle Point, White City, Medford and Jacksonville and within them as well. Key to this vision is understanding the potential to reduce short car trips that clog roads and emit unnecessary air pollution. Transportation studies show nearly half of all trips are shorter than three miles — a 20-minute bike ride — and one quarter are less than a mile, which easily can be covered on foot in about 20 minutes. And yet, 78 percent of these trips are now made by car. Imagine the potential for reducing automobile use while encouraging walking and biking — which are healthy and enjoyable exercises, especially if you are accomplishing an errand at the same time. Jacksonville started the ball rolling, if you will, by putting up matching money to secure a grant to plan the conversion of former railroad right of way into a path between Medford and Ashland. Other communities wanted to get on board, and the Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization awarded a grant of federal Surface Transportation Planning money to the county this spring to advance the effort. It’s still in the planning stages, and it’s a long road from here to actual construction. Paying for that construction will be a major consideration. With the price of gasoline likely to stay high and climb higher, and road construction dollars harder to come by, non-motorized transportation starts to look better and better. Police and technical committees will be formed, according to Jackson County Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager Jenna Stanke. So there will be plenty of opportunity to participate in the planning for those who are so inclined. The going won’t always be smooth, but it’s the journey that counts. 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