Transportation System Plan 2018-2038

Policy 4: Local governments shall discourage cu l-de-sac or dead-end street designs whenever an interconnection alternative exists. Development of a modified grid street pattern shall be encouraged for connecting new and exis ting neighborhoods duri ng subdivisions and partitions. Policy 5: Wherever possible, subdivisions and any appro ved cul-de-sacs shall be designed to provide pedestrian connectivity between neighborhoods. Policy 6: Where appropriate, local governments shall consider the use of traffic calming techniques and reduced street widths to minimize ne gative impacts of traffic on neighborhoods. Air Transportation Component The Medford m etropolitan area, Jackson County and a la rge area of southern Oregon is served by the Rogue Valley International-Medford Ai rport which is located north of the City and east of I-5, between Crater Lake Highway and Table Rock Road. This airport is owned and opera ted by Jackson County and provides both passenger and air freight service, as we ll as serving num erous private aircraft operations. The airport has been designated a foreign trade zone (FTZ) which is intended to help the airport develop to its fullest potential and boost the local econom y in the southern Oregon region. The FTZ is projected to increase employment in the im mediate vicinity of the airport and produce an annual increase in revenue of more than $3 m illion. The recently -adopted Rogue Valley International - Medford Airport Master Plan Update provides guidance for future developm ent at the airport including both landside and airside facilities. The RTP identifies the following air transportation policy : Policy: Local governments shall take actions to promote air transportation in the region and its connections with the other areas in the state, nation and abroad. This includes ensuring that good ground transportation is available for pa ssengers and freight, and that the Airport Master Plan is periodically updated as necessary. Rail Transportation Component Rail freight service in the Medford area is provided by the form er Southern Pacific Railroad Siskiy ou Line (now owned by the Union Pacific Railroad) that runs from Springfield, Oregon to Black Butte, California. This line has a total length of slightly more than 300 m iles, of which about 250 m iles are in Oregon. Freight service on this line is provided by Central Oregon & Pacific (CORP), six day s per week. Rail passenger service is not provided directly to Medford. North-south rail passenger service in the California-Oregon-Washington corridor is provided through Klam ath Falls, by passing the Rogue Valley region. Intercity bus service is operated between Me dford and Eugene or Portland, connecting to the Amtrak Cascades high speed rail corridor. The RTP identifies the following rail transportation policy : Policy: Local governments shall take actions to promote rail transportation in the region and its connections with the other areas in the st ate and nation. This includes ensuring that good ground transportation and interm odal connections are available for freight. Local governments shall explore passenger service as par t of statewide rail transportation planning efforts. Freight Transportation Component This section of the RTP addresses freight transportation on the highway system . The key to providing good freight m ovem ent in the region is to ensure that the collector and arterial street sy stem s provide an adequate level of service and continuous connections to link inte rmodal facilities with inter-regional Medford Transportation System Plan 2-12 Previous Work/Background Studies