Transportation System Plan 2018-2038

Appendix H Analysis of Functional Classification System Changes Recommended Functional Classification Sy stem This appendix docum ents a review and assessm ent of th e existing street functional classification sy stem within the Medford Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), and presents recom mendations for changes to that system . Included is a discussion about the nature of street functional classification; the local and regional policy context for developing and m aintaining th e classification sy stem ; and recom mendations for changes to the sy stem that are focused prim arily on a dding m inor arterial and m inor collector categories. Inform ation contained in this m emo was obtained largely from the City ’s existing Land Developm ent Code; draft docum ents and technical m emoranda from the City’s Transit-Oriented Developm ent (TOD) planning efforts including the SE Medford Plan; the Rogue Valley Council of Governm ents’ 2002 Regional Transportation Plan; the Transportation Planning Rule and ODOT’ s Transportation Planning Rule Guidelines. Also reviewed were Transporta tion Sy stem Plans and street standards from other jurisdictions including Jackson County and the City of Central Point. What is Functional Classification? Functional classification provides a sy stem atic basis for determ ining future right-of-way and improvem ent needs, and can also be used to assign st reet design characteristics. A street’ s functional classification is based on the relative priority of traffic m obility and access functions that are served by the street. At one end of the spectrum of m obility and access are freeway s, which em phasize m oving high volum es of traffic, allowing only highly controlled access points. At the other end of the spectrum are residential cul-de-sac streets, which provide access only to parcels with direct frontage and allow no through traffic. These two roadway types form the ends of a spectru m relating access and traffic flow. Between the ends of this spectrum are local streets, collectors and arterials, each with an increasingly greater em phasis on mobility . Classifications can be further stratified into m ajor and m inor arterials and collectors. Some jurisdictions use other term s in their functional classification sy stem , such as neighborhood street, throughway , and boulevards. Presently the City of Medford includes eight classes of publicly -maintained streets in its functional classification sy stem , four of which are described in Table H-1 – arterial, collector, standard residential and m inor residential. In addition there are com mercial and industrial classifications, which have cross- sections identical to standard residential streets. The applicable classification depends on adjacent zoning and is determ ined at the tim e of developm ent review . The two rem aining classifications are residential lane and minimum access. A residential lane is a facility that serves a m aximum of eight (8) dwelling units. A residential lane is short (a m aximum of 450 feet in length) with parking on one side and a single travel lane. A minimum access street is a private residential street serving a m aximum of three (3) dwelling units. Ty pically , a m inimum access street is a short cul-de-sac. Table H-1 also shows a ty pical design range of average daily traffic volum es for each of the four m ost common street classifications. Existing or forecast y ear ADT volum es exceeding these ranges can indicate a need to am end selected functional classifica tions, provide new streets or additional connections to better distribute traffic volum es, or reconsider planned land uses and density . H-1