• Sidewalks setbacks - Where possible, new and reconstruc ted sidewalks should be setback from the adjacent curb and street consistent with the City’s street design standards and current practices. These “buffers” (usually consisting of pl anter strips) further separate pedestrian traffic from nearby vehicles, reducing the negative im pacts of noise and pollution on pedestrians. The use of buffers is especially effective on roadway s with higher speeds and traffic volum es, and the City’s street standards include them on arterial and collector streets. Sidewalks with planter strips near bus stops however should have adequa te paved space for waiting passengers. Where physical constraints prohibit the use of buffers, wider sidewalks should be used as indicated in Table 5-6. Additionally , in com mercial areas the planter strip area should be paved and landscaped with tree wells to provide suffici ent phy sical space for th e anticipated heavier pedestrian volum es in these areas. Apply ing these m easures will further enhance pedestrian safety and com fort. • Address the need for pedestrian connectiv ity and accessibility through the land use/land development process – Land use is also a key consideration in pedestrian facility planning. While older neighborhoods tend to have mixed land uses that lend them selves to walking trips, newer developm ents have been characterized by separ ated land uses that m ake it phy sically challenging to walk for other than recreational purposes. This separation greatly reduces the opportunity for trips to be m ade without an autom obile. One of the goals of Medford’s TODs is to rein troduce the concept of m ixed-use developm ent in neighborhoods. Incorporating em ployment cen ters and neighborhood s hopping centers within close proxim ity to residential areas will provide greater m ulti-m odal travel options. When making land use decisions, City leaders should consider integrating land uses to prom ote m ore pedestrian trips while reducing dependence on the autom obile. Furtherm ore, building design can also prom ote a pedestrian-friendly environm ent. Situating buildings adjacent to the sidewalk while locati ng parking in the rear creates a more-attractive environm ent for those traveling by foot. Orien ting building entrances toward transit stops also enhances the pedestrian experience. The City of Medford has im plem ented m any of these measures as part of its Land Development Code . As additional planning occurs in the TODs and with neighborhood plans or neighborhood circulati on plans, specific opportunities for developing pedestrian-friendly land uses and infrastru cture should be identified and pursued. Maintain the Pedestrian Circulation System Ongoing m aintenance of sidewalks and paths is also important. The City of Medford should establish a maintenance schedule and budget for pedestrian facilities along arterial and collector streets. Maintenance should include the elimination of debris and trash that could create a safety hazard for a pedestrian. As sidewalks and paths becom e prone to cracks, these im pedim ents should also be remedied within a short tim efram e. Pedestrian Advisory Committee The City should consider adding a role for review of pedestrian needs and im provem ent priorities to the Bicy cle Advisory Com mittee that was recom mended earlier in this chapter for developm ent of the bicycle circulation sy stem . Summary of Pedestrian System Projects To enhance pedestrian safety and to encourage walking as a viable travel m ode and an alternative to the single occupant autom obile, the City of Medford s hould im plem ent the im provem ents identified below. Priorities for pedestrian sy stem improvem ents as identif ied in the goals and policies for this m ode are to first serve schools, followed by major transit stops a nd then to serve all other destinations. Figure 10-3 Medford Transportatio n System Plan 10-30 Non-M otorized Transportation Plan

Transportation System Plan 2018-2038