Transportation System Plan 2018-2038

Chapter 5 Street Plan Overview This chapter docum ents an assessm ent of needs, defici encies, policies and im provem ent options affecting the street sy stem within the Medford Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). Included is a discussion of the local and regional policy context for developing and m aintaining this part of the transportation sy stem , an evaluation of needs and deficiencies in the existing and projected future (2023) sy stem , and a discussion of various im provem ent strategies for enhancing and expanding this system . More specifically , this chapter addresses: • Policy context that guided developm ent of the street plan • Summary of street sy stem deficiencies • Assessm ent of improvem ent alternatives focused prim arily on identification of level of service standards for the city • Street functional classification • Access m anagem ent • Level of Service standards • New roadway s • Roadway capacity improvem ents, and • Safety improvem ents Inform ation contained in this m emo was obtaine d largely from the existing conditions inventory discussed in Chapter 3, the transportation -related goals and policies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan , the Vision for the 21st Century and the 2001-2023 Rogue Valley Regional Transportation Plan . The traffic operations analy sis and discussion of roadway system deficiencies was obtained from the City’s on-going Level of Service Study . In addition, the vehicular transportation projects in the 2001-2023 Rogue Valley Regional Transportation Plan were reviewed to identify benefits that could be realized by the im plem entation of RTP roadway improvem ent project s that are expected to be com pleted within the 20-year planning horizon. Policy Context and Background In 1991, the Transportation Planning Rule (or TPR, Oregon Adm inistrative Rule 660-12) was adopted to implem ent Statewide Planning Goal 12 (Transportation). One of the prim ary objectives of the TPR is to reduce reliance on the autom obile for trips m ade with in the urban areas of the state. The TPR requires local jurisdictions to take actions to increase travel choices, reduce vehicle m iles traveled, and, in doing so, to reduce traffic congestion and associated air po llution and livability problem s. In urban areas, the TPR prom otes changes in land use patterns and the tr ansportation sy stem that m ake it more convenient for people to walk, bicy cle and use transit to m eet th eir daily needs. The TPR recognizes that m ost other transportation modes are dependent on the street sy stem , and accordingly , street sy stem planning m ust take into consideration not only the travel needs of cars and trucks, but also buses, bicy clists, pedestrians and other transportation m odes that require access via the street sy stem (like airports, m arine term inals, railroad depots, and othe r transportation hubs). Local agencies carry out TPR requirem ents through regi onal and local transportation sy stem plans, which are then incorporated into local Com prehensive Plans. The 2001-2023 Rogue Valley Regional Medford Transportation System Plan 5-1 Street Plan