Transportation System Plan 2018-2038

The RVMPO has also prepared analy sis of Transit Oriented Design and Transit Corridor Strategies (May 1999) to support the agency ’s transit oriented developm ent (TOD) program . This program includes components related to land use, transit service e nhancem ents, and im provem ents to the pedestrian circulation sy stem to encourage the use of transporta tion m odes other than single occupant autom obiles. Anticipated to develop over a 20-year period, the program aim s to establish a perm anently -fixed hierarchy of transit routes served by com pact developm ent along a series of “Prim ary Transit Corridors”. These corridors are described in the section entitled “Fut ure Service Deficiencies and Regional Plans”. “Major Transit Stops” will serve the Prim ary Trans it Corridors. Consisting of covered shelters and bicycle racks, these stops are intended to accom modate 15 to 20 people at one tim e. Vendor activity , such as m agazine or espresso booths, is also encour aged to locate at these stops. Safe and convenient pedestrian connections to Major Transit Stops will be im portant to ensuring the success of the prim ary transit corridor concept. The City of Medford’s existing Comprehensive Plan includes a goal and policy specifically directed at enhancing the public transit sy stem . Goal 4 indicates that the City will take actions “To facilitate the availability of a viable pubic transportation system in the Medford planning area to serve the needs of those unable to secure private transportation, and those who wish to choose an alternative to private transportation”. This goal is further defined by a policy directing that “ The City of M edford shall encourage and support, in every way possible, the continuation and expansion of the Rogue Valley Transportation District services and facilities, both as an important transporta tion mode, and as an air quality strategy.” Developm ent of the public transit sy stem is further supported by specific Comprehensive Plan objectives. These objectives focus requiring, where appropriate, that consideration be given to incorporating transit facilities as part of the infrastructure im provem ents required for m ajor land developm ent applications. The Comprehensive Plan goal and accom panying policies and objectives were reviewed and m odified as appropriate during th e developm ent of the TSP. New goals, policies and implem entation strategies are included in Chapter 13. The City of Medford’s Vision for the 21st Century foresees a com munity that is “served by a safe, accessible, efficient, and well planned transportation system” . The Vision Statem ent includes a series of “elem ents” aim ed at m eeting the City’s circulation needs in the com ing decades. Elem ents of the vision that pertain to the public transit sy stem focus on work ing in partnership with other agencies in the region to provide m ore frequent transit service with l onger hours of operation and m ore passenger am enities. The City of Medford’s Land Development Code further provides for transit service enhancem ents by requiring that developers incorporate transit am enities into their projects along “existing or planned” transit routes. These am enities could range from requiring that on-site buildings be oriented to pedestrians (including transit riders) through placem ent on the site and location of major access points, to requiring that projects include ADA compliant waiting areas for transit with signs, a paved area for bus boarding, im proved accessibility for pedestrians, ligh ting, benches, shelters or other am enities. In addition to regional and local policy strategies gove rning public transit sy stem enhancem ents, two state directives m ust also be satisfied. The first is associ ated with State Planning Goal 12, the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR). The TPR requires the Oregon Departm ent of Transportation (ODOT) and the cities and counties of Oregon to cooperate and to develop balanced trans portation sy stem s, including public transit service and facilities. The second directive is based on alternatives to the TPR requirem ent for a per-capita reduction in vehicle miles of travel (VMT) that have been approved fo r implem entation in the Rogue Valley metropolitan area (RVMPO). This VMT reduction requirem ent is inte nded to reduce vehicular congestion in the urban portions of Oregon and to encourage the developm ent and use of alternative transportation m odes such as transit, walking and bicycling. The RVMPO Alte rnative Measures package w as endorsed in 2002 by the Medford Transportatio n System Plan 7-2 Public Transit Plan