I rode my bike to work across town for many years and I have to say, the downtown reconfiguration looks like an unintended consequence of legalizing pot. But even if it had been a useful design, it covers such a short distance that the cost/benefit is lacking. Making Medford more bike and pedestrian friendly would be good for the environment and the residents, but it might help to make long-term plans patterned after places that have already done it, such as Boulder, Co. In fact, if some of the scenic country roads encircling our valley were upgraded a little, we could have an annual Tour de Rogue.
Mike, living near Boulder I can say their bike arrangement does not make a lot of people happy. The streets are too narrow now, parking is even more difficult to do if you can even find a space, and drivers are not good about looking out for pedestrians or bicyclists. A nearby superb, Louisville, has tried some other ways to accommodate drivers and cyclists with negative results, again on narrow streets.
I think what bothers me the most about the E. Main St. traffic reconfiguration is that I knew nothing about it until it was done. That is in part because I no longer subscribe to the local paper. I tried the Rogue Valley Times for 3 years but always felt that I’m getting the same news three days in a row. I finally gave up my subscription. I rode my bike from the corner of East Main & Valley View to Jackson pool every day in the summertime for 3 years as a city lifeguard. I went down Jackson St. That was in the 70s. My confusion on the reconfiguration of E. Main St. was why they did not just extend the bike lane on Jackson Street all the way through to West McAndrews. It’s a straight shot and there’s already a bike lane on the right side of E. Jackson St….it could have been extended.
Goes to show. Once a million dollars is dangled out there (free $$$, hooray) even sensible people will endorse something asinine like this. Does Medford give the money back after this failed experiment? Who knows where the dollars go in this country.
I support putting it back the way it was before this idiotic arrangement. Thank you to the Mayor and four councilors who voted this way. There are many lessons to be learned from this but at least the elected officials made the right call this time.As for the connecting piece to over-reach by politicians, that explains why Trump was elected in the first place and why he will again be voted out. The political pendulum swings back and forth always. But lately it is at the pace of a cuckoo clock.
I rode my bike to work across town for many years and I have to say, the downtown reconfiguration looks like an unintended consequence of legalizing pot. But even if it had been a useful design, it covers such a short distance that the cost/benefit is lacking. Making Medford more bike and pedestrian friendly would be good for the environment and the residents, but it might help to make long-term plans patterned after places that have already done it, such as Boulder, Co. In fact, if some of the scenic country roads encircling our valley were upgraded a little, we could have an annual Tour de Rogue.
Mike, living near Boulder I can say their bike arrangement does not make a lot of people happy. The streets are too narrow now, parking is even more difficult to do if you can even find a space, and drivers are not good about looking out for pedestrians or bicyclists. A nearby superb, Louisville, has tried some other ways to accommodate drivers and cyclists with negative results, again on narrow streets.
I think what bothers me the most about the E. Main St. traffic reconfiguration is that I knew nothing about it until it was done. That is in part because I no longer subscribe to the local paper. I tried the Rogue Valley Times for 3 years but always felt that I’m getting the same news three days in a row. I finally gave up my subscription. I rode my bike from the corner of East Main & Valley View to Jackson pool every day in the summertime for 3 years as a city lifeguard. I went down Jackson St. That was in the 70s. My confusion on the reconfiguration of E. Main St. was why they did not just extend the bike lane on Jackson Street all the way through to West McAndrews. It’s a straight shot and there’s already a bike lane on the right side of E. Jackson St….it could have been extended.
Goes to show. Once a million dollars is dangled out there (free $$$, hooray) even sensible people will endorse something asinine like this. Does Medford give the money back after this failed experiment? Who knows where the dollars go in this country.
I support putting it back the way it was before this idiotic arrangement. Thank you to the Mayor and four councilors who voted this way. There are many lessons to be learned from this but at least the elected officials made the right call this time.As for the connecting piece to over-reach by politicians, that explains why Trump was elected in the first place and why he will again be voted out. The political pendulum swings back and forth always. But lately it is at the pace of a cuckoo clock.
I found the downtown system in Portland, OR interesting. One way with light rail, bus, and car lanes. Don’t remember any bike lanes.