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SUNNY Temp: 65 °F Wind: NW at 3 mph Sunday, June 8, 2003 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 May 22, 2003 Bike lane removal draws objections By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The Medford City Council made a mistake in their decision last week to eliminate bike lanes from a major Medford intersection’s improvement plans, cycling advocates say. If the plan becomes reality it could violate an Oregon law that requires bike lanes in new or rebuilt roads. The city’s decision would create a significant barrier to bicyclists in that area, said Edgar Hee, an engineer at Marquess and Associates Inc. and member of the Jackson County Bicycle Commission. The Medford City Council last week modified the road-widening plans for the McAndrews Road-Crater Lake Avenue intersection to reduce the amount of land the city would purchase from Providence Medford Medical Center. The decision came at the behest of hospital officials who want to save trees and a sign on the corner. Advertisement As proposed, there would be no bike lanes or sidewalks, but a 5-foot-wide path would meander through the large trees. One council member said there’s another reason for not having a bike lane there. "It’s a bad place for bikes," said Councilman Bill Moore. "We’ll just have to figure out another way to get bikes north and south," he said. "It’s not as if we’re discontinuing something that already exists." Porter Lombard, member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Public Advisory Council, agrees that McAndrews and Crater Lake are unsafe for bicyclists and pedestrians, but proposes a different solution. "They should do something to make it safer," he said, adding that the topic came up at the advisory council’s Tuesday meeting. Bob Cortright, transportation planning coordinator with the state Department of Land Conservation and Development in Salem, said state law requires cities to provide space for bicyclists. "Basically what it says is whenever a street is constructed or reconstructed, it has to have bike and pedestrian paths," he said. Cortright said he was not familiar enough with the intersection to comment on the council decision, and that there are situations where a separate bike path away from the road is appropriate, but there have to be planned routes for bicyclists. "We expect Medford to have a transportation system that produces bike routes," he said. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance, a cycling advocacy group in Portland, gave Medford a D-minus in 2002 in a statewide assessment of local facilities and planning policies related to bicycles. Dan Thorndike, who has been commuting to work at Medford Fabrication from his home in Ashland since 1980, said Medford is not bicycle-friendly. There are areas around the busiest parts of Medford that offer no options for bicyclists or pedestrians. "I guess they’re just continuing a tradition of short-sightedness," he said. Hee, the Jackson County Bicycle Commission member, said he’s heard the argument that bicyclists don’t use the Crater Lake/McAndrews intersection. To ride through the intersection the way it is now "you’re taking your life in your hands," he said. "Basically what cyclists have been doing is cutting through parking lots," he said. But that intersection is an important link, he said. "You couldn’t get from East Main to Crater Lake Highway without doing some creative riding," said Hee. Hee said that while there are no bike lanes in that area, they need to be added as roads are improved. "You have to start somewhere," he said. Moore said the city is working on a better bicycle plan for Medford. "We’re trying to improve it without causing people difficulty," he said. 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 © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times