Transportation System Plan 2018-2038

• “Local governments shall support bicycle and pedestrian safety, both through enforcement of safety laws and regulations and through support of programs that provide bicycle and pedestrian safety education.” (Policy 10-8) • “Local governments shall use the media, tr ansportation committees, bicycle plans, and other methods to promote use of bicycling and walking for transportation purposes.” (Policy 10-10) The City of Medford’s existing Comprehensive Plan includes a goal and policy specifically directed at enhancing the bicycle transportation system . Goal 5 indicates that the City will take actions “To encourage and facilitate safe and convenient bicycl e transportation within the Medford planning area.” This goal is further defined by a policy directing that “ The City of Medford shall recognize bicycle transportation as a viable component of a city -wide circulation system, both as an important transportation mode, and as an air quality strategy, and shall make every reasonable effort to implement a coordinated Bicycle Facilities Master Plan.” Developm ent of the bicycle transportation sy stem is further supported by specific Comprehensive Plan objectives. These objectives focus on building a network of bicy cle facilities (largely on the arterial and collector street system ) that connect the downtown area, m ost residential neighborhoods, com mercial centers and local schools. The sy stem should also include bicycle storage in the downtown, as well as on-going safety and education program s. The Comprehensive Plan goal, policies and objectives were reviewed and m odified as appropriate during the 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 identifies 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 bicy cle sy stem focus on providing bikeway s and sidewalks in accordan ce with transportation im provem ent projects listed in the RTP, com pleting the Bear Creek Path through Medford, and providing bicy cle/pedestrian connections to other east-west linear routes. As the non-m otorized transportation sy stem extends be yond the city limits of Medford, goals and policies inherent in the Jackson County Bicycle Master Plan were also considered in developing im provem ent strategies and recom mendations for the City . The C ounty ’s bicycle plan was com pleted in May 1996 and adopted August 1996. The County Bicy cle Advisory Com mittee, established by the Board of Com missioners in 1978, play ed a vital role in the developm ent of this Plan. This Com mittee has provided review and com ment on the developm ent of bicycle-related policies, strategies and recom mendations for the City . In addition to regional and local policy strategies gove rning bicycle transportation sy stem enhancem ents, two state strategies m ust also be satisfied. The fi rst is associated with State Planning Goal 12, the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR). The TPR re quires the Oregon Departm ent of Transportation (ODOT) and the cities and counties of Oregon to c ooperate and to develop balanced transportation system s, including bicy cle facilities. Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 366.514 requires the provision of bicycle and pedestrian facilities on all arterial and major collector construction, reconstruction, or relocation projects where conditions perm it. Additionally , in any fiscal y ear, at least one percent of road improvem ent funds in a jurisdiction m ust be allocated for bicy cle/pedestrian projects. 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 requirem ent is intended to reduce vehicular congestion in th e urban portions of Oregon and to encourage the developm ent and use of alterna tive transportation m odes such as transit, walking and bicycling. The RVMPO Alternative Measures pack age was endorsed in 2002 by the Land Conservation and Developm ent Com mission, and includes seven m easures with targets for implem entation that are Medford Transportatio n System Plan 10-2 Non-M otorized Transportation Plan