HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMP PLAN: Transp Update 1996Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
It is a planning concept that does not necessarily imply equal
financial commitment or equal percentage use of each mode,
but rather ensures that we will have the opportunity to
conveniently and safely use the transportation mode of our
choice, and allow us to move towards a less auto-dependent
community.
INTRODUCTION
Ashland has a vision--to retain our small-town character even while we grow. To achieve
this vision, we must proactively plan for a transportation system
that is integrated into the community and enhances Ashland's
livability, character and natural environment. That is the goal
of this Transportation Element.
The concept of "modal equity," or the equal opportunity to use
all modes of travel, is an integral part of realizing this vision.
Whether Ashland residents and visitors travel by foot, bicycle,
public transit or automobile, we must have a well-designed,
integrated network that is convenient to use. The focus must
be on people being able to move easily through the city in all
modes of travel. Modal equity then is more than just a phrase.
When people talk about their love of Ashland, being able to
walk many places and linger in public parks and plazas
inevitably gets discussed. The ability to easily walk and bike
is associated with higher levels of livability for communities,
and Ashland enjoysa high ranking. But if Ashland is to retain
and improve the quality of life, we must rethink our efforts
towards transportation planning. Our past focus on
accommodating the automobile must now be replaced by
concerted efforts toward equally accommodating all modes of
travel.
Ashland is a community which prides itself on innovation and
pressing for positive change. The area of transportation has
been no exception. In 1990, community leaders formally began
discussions involving a need to change our transportation
planning policies from auto-oriented to multi-modal, and to clearly recognize the
connection between land use and transportation. Shortly thereafter, federal
and state legislation passed which brought forward these same ideals and required
states and local governments
The concept of "modal equity," or the equal opportunity to use all
modes of travel, is an integral part of realizing this vision.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
to plan for multi-modal transportation systems. Specifically,
the Oregon Transportation Planning Rule states as its purpose
"Through measures designed to reduce reliance on the
automobile, the rule is also intended to assure that the planned
transportation system supports a pattern of travel and land use
in urban areas which will avoid the air pollution, traffic and
livability problems faced by other areas of the country."
Indeed, the lessons learned from such cities as Los Angeles
and Seattle spearheaded the need for these efforts. However,
Oregon, and Ashland itself, have not been immune from the
increased impacts of the automobile. The
number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
in Oregon increased eight times faster than
the population from 1980to 1990. During
the same time period, vehicle miles
traveled within Ashland grew over four
times faster than the population.
Clearly, the pronounced growth in VMT
can be partially attributed to the fact that
cities are growing ever larger in area. The density of the urban
population in the United States is decreasing as more sprawling
development occurs. The trend is clear--people have to make
more trips to destinations located far apart.
Past transportation planning efforts in Ashland focused much of
their attention on the accommodation of the single-occupant
automobile, with the main concentration being on creating a
convenient automobile environment. It was believed that
improved livability would result from easier car movement,
but as we have experienced, the opposite has tended to occur.
And while minor portions of these plans mentioned travel
choices other than the auto, most only considered the option
of public transit. Since the automobile figured prominently in
these past plans, the implementing measures and improvement
plans predictably centered around the car.
Well designed streets, where
people socialize and interact
as well as travel, are the key
factors in the creation of
great neighborhoods.
Ashland has followed a similar path, although to a lesser degree.
The private automobile is now the predominant travel choice
for city residents, with nearly all work, social and recreational
trips using the car. If we fail to alter these patterns, Ashland
will experience greatly increased traffic, and greater conflicts
between the automobile and other travel choices.
Incorporating modal equity in our current
planning efforts will allow a change in the
way our streets are defined. For too long,
streets have exclusively been the realm
of the automobile. Pedestrians, bicyclists
and public transit users need our streets
for their travel just as drivers do. And we
must recognize that our streets are also
part of our public spaces. Well designed
streets, where people socialize and interact as well as travel,
are the key factors in the creation of great neighborhoods.
But our planning efforts must involve more than streets and
travel modes. We know that land use and transportation patterns
are inextricably linked. Ashland's present and future
transportation issues can not be resolved without careful
consideration of the spatial relationship of homes, businesses
and schools, and how this relationship affects our daily travel
needs. While it would be unrealistic to try to rid the city of
automobiles, there are ways in which land uses can be modified
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
to improve the impacts on our lives. Different uses such as
homes, small businesses and schools should be mixed--a blend
which would shorten the distance between destinations and
thereby encourage the use of all modes of travel, not just the
single occupant automobile. Our land use planning efforts
must automatically include a recognition of the transportation
impacts associated with development, and we must consider
all options as we continue to grow as a community.
The purpose of this Transportation Element, then, is to lay the
groundwork for a new transportation/land use planning paradigm
and establish goals and policies to pave the way for this
approach. Clearly, the transportation and land use planning
efforts of the City directly affect the way Ashland develops.
1966 Comprehensive Plan
Developed by the Bureau of Governmental Research and
Service, this plan dealt with Ashland's future transportatiou
needs, including increased traffic flows caused by new major
streets and a new freeway interchange. I-his plan was based
on a future population of 69,000 people.
While it contained some well thought-out policies, the plan
was too broad and omitted cost-effective solutions to the
expected population growth. This study is most useful as a
historic reference point.
Bear Creek Area Transportation Study (BCATS)
As outlined in this element, the basis for Ashland's transportation
and land use planning will involve a balanced approach based
on the concept of modal equity. Allowing people to move
easily through the city by providing multiple, interconnected
travel options and retaining Ashland's small-community
character and livability must be our goal. The focus of the
transportation system will not be limited to the automobile,
but in addition, transportation options will be created where
the number and length of trips can be reduced, and walking,
biking, and transit become viable options for daily travel.
PREVIOUS STUDIES
A review of Ashland's past transportation plans enables us to
better understand the current transportation system and it
supplies information for future work.
This comprehensive study provided transportation information
for the Bear Creek Valley in 1965. It included origin-desti nation
studies, future traffic flow predictions and transportation needs
estimates, based on data collected at that time.
Containing solid base data on driver behavior and origin-
destination information, this plan provides a base from which
to examine the changes in driving habits during the last 30
years.
1978 Comprehensive Plan
Developed by the Ashland Planning Department in accordance
with the Land Conservation and Development Commission's
(LCDC) goals and guidelines, this plan dealt with improvements
of traffic circulation, bicycle and pedestrian traffic, and on and
off street parking. It did not project future traffic flows.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
1981 Comprehensive Plan
The Transportation Element of this plan was prepared by the
Ashland Planning Department in accordance with LCDC goals
and guidelines. A relatively unsophisticated computer model
predicted future traffic flows through the year 2000.
Until now, this plan worked well within the confines of the
automobile-focused approach of the past. Now, however, the
limitations of a transportation system that relies on the private
automobile are evident and the need to provide other travel
options is clear. The new Oregon Transportation Planning Rule
requires cities throughout the state to update comprehensive
plans and facilities plans to expedite the development of local
transportation systems which make alternative modes attractive
and decrease private automobile use.
OVERVIEW OF ASHLAND'S PHYSICAL AND
TRANSPORTATION SETTING
Ashland's location has historically governed local transportatio,
patterns. A linear city, situated between the Siskiyou Mountains
to the south and Bear Creek/Interstate 5 to the north, Ashland
has relatively steep terrain to the south of North Main Street-
Siskiyou Boulevard and more gentle slopes to the north of this
thoroughfare.
Growth
Ashland has grown in a consistent pattern for the last 20 years,
with population increases in general agreement with the
esti mates of the Population Element of the Comprehensive Plan.
However, while population growth has occurred as expected,
traffic increases, primarily in the number of vehicle trips on
our streets, have grown at a much faster rate. For example,
while Ashland's population grew approximately 8.5% between
1980 and 1990, the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
within the city
increased by
approximately 39%.
While some of this
increase can be
attributed to tourists,
it is apparent that
local residents,
increasingly
dependent on the
...Ashland's population
grew approximately 8.5%
between 1980 and 1990,
the number of vehicle
miles traveled (VMT)
within the city increased
by approximately 39%.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
automobile for convenience, primarily account for the rising
figures. More children are driven to school than walk or ride
bicycles, more people drive to work alone than share rides,
and more people make separate shopping excursions than
combine them into a single linked trip. Residential development
beyond Ashland's city limits also affects the transportation
system. The city serves as a shoppi rig/school/employment center
for rural southern Jackson County residents who center many
of their daily trips around Ashland. With ever-increasing traffic
levels, Ashland must ensure future livability by reducing
dependence on the automobile and encouraging the use of
other travel modes.
Land Use Patterns
Ashland is fortunate to have retained a relatively compact urban
form throughout its history. Despite its linear configuration,
most of the community's residential areas are well served by
nearby commercial service centers. The downtown core
contains the banks, the post office, restaurants, and other
services used by local residents. With distinctive stores and
restaurants, it is also a regional specialty shopping center for
the Southern Oregon/Northern California region. The downtown
core is also a tourist destination, as are Lithia Park and the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Exceptional transportation
demands exist in this area and create the city's highest auto
and pedestrian flows. The downtown core also experiences
the highest traffic congestion levels in Ashland.
Other commercial centers lie adjacent to Southern Oregon State
College and near the Interstate 5 freeway interchange at Ashland
Street. Multi-family and single-family residential developments
are located throughout the city, with a large area of multi-
family development centered near the college. Most hillside
areas are committed to single-family detached housing units.
With the exception of the Railroad District, most areas of
Ashland have been characterized for years by single-use zoning.
Few areas exist with "mixed uses" in which a blend of
residences, offices, and retail services is available. Separation
of uses through single-use zoning has resulted in residents' need
to drive longer distances to work or for services. Compatible
mixed-use zoning would provide services in residential areas
and offer housing in commercial areas. These mixed uses would
reduce both the number and length of trips for goods and
services.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Travel Patterns
Fortunately, Ashland is still a relatively small community and
many of the local shopping, school and service trips are very
short. The increase in vehicle miles traveled over the last ten
years, however, indicates an ever-increasing number of these
short convenience trips.
Ashland has an unusual division of travel modes for work- based
trips compared to Jackson County and Oregon, as the following
table demonstrates.
MODE OREGON
Drive alone 73.3%
Car Pool 12.8%
Transit 3.4%
Walk 4.2%
Other 1.0%
Work at Home 43%
JACKSON ASHLAND
COUNTY
77.0% 66.9%
11.3% 10.7%
0.7% 1.1%
3.8% 10.5%
1.1% 3.7%
5.1% 7.1%
1990 Census
As shown above, 33.1% of all work based trips use some form
of transport other than the single occupant automobile, and
22.4% of all work trips do not use the automobile at all. But
while our travel habits, on average, indicate a higher use of
the alternate modes than the statewide average, the auto's use
within Ashland has risen between 1980 and 1990.
The number of drivers who commute to work alone increased
from 57.2% to 66.9% between 1980 and 1990. Fuel pricing is
a major factor in this shift. In the mid-1970s, fuel prices rose
rapidly, forcing people to travel more efficiently and to strongly
consider other options for travel. Public transit and car pools
were vigorously promoted during that decade. During the
1980s, however, fuel prices remained essentially constant. With
inflation factored in, fuel prices actually declined in later years,
reducing much of the impetus toward economy which
characterized driver behavior during the 1970s.
The following table also demonstrates the increase in the
number of people who work at home--a figure that almost
doubled during the 1980s. Increasingly, many residents' work
trips involve traveling from one portion of the house to the
other. The growth of home occupations in Ashland has both
enhanced economic development and decreased the number
of work trips. These patterns continue to substantially change
our transportation system.
ASHLAND ASHLAND
MODE 1990 1980
Drive alone 66.9% 57.2%
Car Pool 10.7% 181%
Transit 1.1% 1.4%
Walk 10.5% 14.6%
Other 3.7% 5,0%
Work at Home 7.1% 3,7%
1980 and 1990 Census
Rural development outside the city limits has also affected local
transportation. Residents of these Iow-density areas use city
streets for shopping, work, schools and entertainment. There
are no easy solutions to reduce these trips. Identifying ways in
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
which a rural lifestyle affects city dwellers and reducing
development in these areas will help alleviate those impacts.
General Transportation Problems
In comparison to metropolitan cities, Ashland has few critical
transportation problems. This situation could change quickly,
however, as it did during the during the 1980s. Congested
automobile travel areas are currently found in Ashland's
downtown area, in the
area near Southern
: Oregon State College,
~' i~ .I! '~ and on East Main Street
near the high school and
middle school. Should
our reliance on the car
continue at the present
increasing rates, many
more congested areas will
evolve.
Pedestrians have a
relatively good sidewalk
network in the pre-World
War II areas of Ashland
and in most of the recent
subdivisions. The
downtown commercial
7lie do~ontown area is a comfortable place
~o walk. core is well-designed for
pedestrians and offers a
welcoming walking environment. Because the remainder of
Ashland Street is an intimidating barrier lo l~destrians.
the community has developed without sidewalks, pedestrians
are forced to compete with autos for space on many roadways.
In some commercial areas of the city, businesses serve drive-
up shoppers and make it difficult for those who choose to walk.
Lack of bikeways encourages unsafe riding practices on Siskiyou Boulevard.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Bicyclists' difficulty in traveling through Ashland is primarily
due to a lack of safe, comfortable riding areas. North Main
Street through the downtown core, and Siskiyou Boulevard
between downtown and the college, create major impediments
to bicycle travel through Ashland. Although efforts are being
made to remedy these problems, conditions remain difficult
for local bicyclists.
Public transportation is steadily improving in Ashland. At
present, 15-minute bus service is available along Siskiyou
Boulevard almost the entire length of the city, and a reduced
fare program encourages ridership. Unfortunately, public transit
stops are not currently well-sited and they lack necessary
amenities. As these stops and overall bus service are improved
within the city, ridership will continue to steadily increase.
Transportation planning for Ashland is both complex and
critically important. This element of the Comprehensive Plan
identifies important transportation issues and addresses ways
to solve future problems. This Transportation Element consider~
and incorporates various methods to accommodate traffic
growth while retaining Ashland's character and livability.
Through the concept of modal equity, Ashland shall continue
to maintain its high level of livability and accommodate the
travel needs of our future populations.
Bus stops without protection from the weather and a place to sit make
ridin$ the bus Jifficult.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MAP
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
STREET CLASSIFICATIONS Tocreate
a successful transportation plan for Ashland, the interaction of
transportation modes must be carefully studied. Whether
people walk, drive, take the bus or bicycle, most travel takes
place on the city's street network.
Ashland streets must provide convenient transportation
facilities and a comfortable, safe atmosphere. Equal
consideration of all travel modes requires more than simply
providing various physical travel areas.
Streets must facilitate pedestrian, transit and
bicycle traffic. The streetscape determines
which transportation modes people use and
affects the community's livability.
This section of the Transportation Element
defines the four major street types in Ashland
- boulevard, avenue, neighborhood
collector and neighborhood street. These
classifications identify the character and level of service to be
emphasized on city streets. In addition, a classification is
included for multi-use paths. Although not typically considered
streets, multi-use paths can serve as transportation links to the
street network for pedestrians and bicyclists.
DEFINITIONS
Bikeways--A bikeway is any road, path or way open to bicycle
travel. All streets in Ashland are considered bikeways. The
facilities can be a portion of the roadway designated for the
preferential use of bicycles such as a bike lane, shared with
other transportation modes, or an off-road path. Bikeways
must provide direct, continuous courses accessing commercial
areas, activity centers and schools. Bikeways must provide
safe and convenient bicycle travel and be free of unnecessary
Ashland streets
must provide convenient
transportation fadlities
and a comfortable,
safe atmosphere.
The street classifications defined in this section are used
throughout this document and on the Transportation System
Map (page 9) showing Ashland's future transportation system.
Preceding the street classifications are the following definitions
of frequently used transportation terms.
delays.
Walkways--Walkways provide a
circulation network, a meeting place for
neighbors, a play area for children, a
leisure area and an exercise place.
Walkways are intended to provide safe,
attractive and convenient facilities for
people traveling on foot and by
wheelchair. Walkways are adjacent to
streets and although usually in sidewalk form, may occasionally
be off-road paths.
Protected Crossings--Protected crossings are pedestrian
crossings designed to minimize crossing distance and provide
pedestrians with the safest, direct route across streets shared
with other modes of travel. Curb extensions, pedestrian refuges,
raised crosswalks, marked crosswalks, landscape strips, street
trees, on-street parking and traffic signals are design elements
used to achieve this effect.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Regional Transit Route--Regional transit routes provide transit
service between cities in the Rogue Valley.
STREET CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINES
(Arterial)
Boulevards provide access to major urban activity centers for
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and motor vehicle users,
and provide connections to regional trafficways such as Interstate
5. The engineering term for this type of street is arterial. North
Main Street and Siskiyou Boulevard are examples of boulevards.
On an average day 8,000 to 30,000 motor vehicle trips are
made on a typical boulevard. Pedestrian, bicycle and transit
travel can be difficult and uncomfortable if the street is not
designed to buffer non-auto users. To restore balance pedestrian,
bicycle and public transit facilities should be emphasized on
boulevards. Traffic without a destination in Ashland should
be encouraged to use regional trafficways and discouraged
from using boulevards.
As major thoroughfares, boulevards are busy. They should
provide an environment where walking, bicycling and motor
vehicle travel are equally convenient. Design should facilitate
the boulevard's use as a public space where people can
comfortably wait for the bus or rest on a bench.
Land Use
Mixed-use development should be encouraged along
boulevards.
Multi-family development should be encouraged in close
proximity to boulevards so that a variety of transporta-
tion options are available.
Direct and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access
between land uses should be emphasized.
Schools, commercial areas, transit stops, employment
areas and parks should be accessible by bikeways and
walkways.
A high concentration of homes and/or jobs within
walking distance (one-quarter to one-half mile) of p~
transit services should be encouraged.
A mix of land uses should be encouraged within easy
walking distance of a transit stop to reduce the number
of separate trips. The types of land uses should be
those which public transit riders can readily use.
Commercial and recreational development such as
shopping centers, entertainment centers, museums and
stadiums, which attract trips throughout or beyond
Ashland, should be encouraged to locate along
boulevards and be accessible by regional transit routes.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Desigt!
Boulevard design should balance safe, attractive and
direct walkways and bikeways with an efficient motor
vehicle thoroughfare.
Commercial buildings should be oriented to the street
with the main entrance facing the bikeway and
walkway. Convenient bicycle parking should be
located near the main entrance.
Landscaped medians and parkrows offer a visual sense
of entry into the community and provide pedestrians
with a traffic buffer. Amenities such as benches, shade
trees, bathrooms and water fountains should be pro-
vided to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
Protected (pedestrian) crossings should be provided
along boulevards at a minimum of every three blocks
or approximately 1,000 feet.
Where two boulevards intersect, a boulevard and an
avenue intersect or in high traffic areas, a protected
crossing should be provided.
Signaled intersections involving boulevards should be
designed to allow safe and easy movement of bicycles.
Signal triggering devices that can be activated by bicycles
should be designated on the roadway. Intersections
involving bicycle lanes should be designed to minimize
conflicts, such as turning movements, and to provide
adequate bicycle crossings.
Bicycle lanes should be provided on boulevards. Bike
lanes should be separated from motor vehicle lanes by
an eight-inch solid white line and be well marked.
All boulevards should provide a smooth riding surface
for bicycles. Drainage grates, abrupt edges in pavement
and debris make bicycle travel difficult and unsafe.
Boulevard and railroad crossing intersections should
be designed to provide safe passage for bicyclists over
the railroad tracks.
City bikeways should be linked to county bikeways
and statewide highway bikeways.
Public transit stops should be easily accessed by
pedestrians and bicyclists. Covered bicycle racks or
lockers should be provided at transit stops.
Transit stops should be covered and contain a bench
to provide a convenient, pleasant waiting area. The
stops should be located so that oncoming buses are
easily visible. A buffer, sidewalk and/or landscaping,
should be located between the waiting area and
motorized traffic.
Park and rides should be considered adjacent to
boulevards on regional transit routes to encourage
commuting residents to use public transit.
Maintain carrying capacity through driveway and curb
cut consolidation or reduction.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Off-street parking by uses located on boulevards should
be encouraged.
On-street parking removal or street widening should be
considered only at specific problem locations, and
alternatives and the impacts on adjacent land uses
should be studied. Special consideration should also
be given to a safe pedestrian environment.
Avenues are similar to boulevards, but are designed on a smaller
scale. There are usually fewer motor vehicle lanes and
narrower rights-of-way.
Land Use
Mixed-use development should be encouraged on
avenues.
Boulevard intersections with streets with similar uses
should be designed to facilitate the movement of traffic
and to allow all turning movements.
Multi-family development should be encouraged in close
proximity to avenues so that a variety of transportation
options are available.
(Major Collector)
Avenues provide concentrated pedestrian, bicycle and motor
vehicle access from boulevards to neighborhoods and to
neighborhood activity centers. As Ashland's population
increases, transit routes may access avenues. If public transit
routes expand service to avenues, the transit land use and
design guidelines for boulevards should be employed. The
engineering term for this type of street is major collector. Iowa
and Wimer Streets are examples of avenues.
On an average day 3,000 to 10,000 motor vehicle trips are
made on a typical avenue. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
should be emphasized o~ avenues.
Direct and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access
between land uses should be emphasized.
Schools, commercial areas, transit stops, employment
areas and parks should be accessible by bikewa)
walkways.
New or expanding land uses which attract trips from
the surrounding neighborhoods or from throughout
Ashland should be encouraged to locate on avenues.
Regional land uses should be discouraged from locating
on avenues, except where a boulevard is nearby and
directly connected to a state/regional trafficway, such
as Interstate 5.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Design
Avenue design should balance safe, attractive and direct
walkways and bikeways with an efficient motor vehicle
thoroughfare.
Commercial buildings should be oriented to the street
with the main entrance facing the bikeway and
walkway. Convenient bicycle parking should be located
near the main entrance.
Landscaped medians and parkrows offer a visual sense
of entry into the community and provide pedestrians
with a buffer from traffic. Amenities such as benches,
shade trees, bathrooms and water fountains should be
provided to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
Protected (pedestrian) crossings should be provided
along avenues at a minimum of every three blocks or
approximately 1,000 feet.
Bicycle lanes should be provided on avenues. These
lanes are separated from motor vehicle lanes by an
eight-inch solid white line, and must be well marked.
All avenues should provide a smooth riding surface.
Drainage grates, abrupt edges in pavement and debris
make bicycle travel difficult and unsafe.
Avenue and railroad intersection crossings should be
designed to provide safe passage for bicyclists over the
railroad tracks.
City bikeways should be linked to county bikeways
and statewide highway bikeways.
Maintain carrying capacity through driveway and curb
cut consolidation or reduction.
Off-street parking by uses located on avenues should
be encouraged.
Where a boulevard and an avenue intersect, two av-
enues intersect or in high traffic areas, a protected cross-
ing should be provided.
Signaled intersections involving avenues should be
designed to allow safe and easy movement of bicycles.
Signal triggering devices that can be activated by bicycles
should be designated on the roadway. Intersections
involving bicycle lanes should be designed to minimize
conflicts, such as turning movements, and to provide
adequate bicycle crossings.
On-street parking removal or street widening should be
considered only at specific problem locations, and
alternatives and the impacts on adjacent land uses
should be studied. Special consideration should also
be given to a safe pedestrian environment.
Intersections of avenues with streets with similar uses
should be designed to facilitate the movement of traffic
and to allow all turning movements.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Neighborhood Collector
(Minor Collector)
Neighborhood collectors distribute traffic from boulevards or
avenues to neighborhood streets. The average traffic volume
of a neighborhood collector is !,500 to 5,000 motor vehicles
per day. The engineering term for this type of street is minor
collector. Fordyce and Morton Streets are examples of
neighborhood collectors.
Land Use
Mixed-use development that serves the local neighbor-
hood should be encouraged.
New land uses and major expansions of existing land
uses which attract many traffic trips from outside the
neighborhood should be discouraged on neighborhood
collectors.
Design
Landscaped islands and parkrows offer a visual sense
of entry into the neighborhood and provide pedestrians
with a buffer from traffic. Amenities such as benches,
shade trees, bathrooms and water fountains should be
provided to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
Protected (pedestrian) crossings should be provided
along neighborhood collectors at a minimum of every
three blocks or approximately 1,000 feet.
Bicycle lanes should be provided on streets designated
as neighborhood collectors when the average daily traffic
is over 3,000, and/or when actual travel speeds exceed
25 miles per hour as outlined in the Oregon Bicycle
and Pedestrian Plan. Bike lanes are separated from
motor vehicle lanes by an eight-inch solid white line,
and must be well marked.
All neighborhood collectors should provide a smooth
riding surface. Drainage grates, abrupt edges in
pavement and debris make bicycle travel difficult and
unsafe.
Neighborhood collector design should balance safe,
attractive and direct walkways and bikeways with an
efficient motor vehicle thoroughfare.
Neighborhood collectors and railroad intersection
crossings should be designed to provide safe passage
for bicyclists over the railroad tracks.
Commercial buildings should be oriented to the street
with the main entrance facing the bikeway and
walkway. Convenient bicycle parking should be located
near the main entrance.
City bikeways should be linked to county bikeways
and statewide highway bikeways.
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Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Maintain carrying capacity through driveway and curb
cut consolidation or reduction.
Off-street parking by uses located on neighborhood
collectors should be encouraged.
On-street parking removal or street widening should be
considered only at specific problem locations, and
alternatives and the impacts on adjacent land uses
should be studied. Special consideration should also
be given to a safe pedestrian environment.
Intersections of neighborhood collectors with streets with
similar uses should be designed to facilitate the
movement of traffic and to allow all turning movements.
Distribution of traffic to the neighborhoods on
neighborhood collectors should be encouraged.
Neighborhood streets should facilitate pedestrian circulation,
allow a meeting place for residents and provide a play area for
children. Generally, neighborhood streets are the narrowest
city streets.
Land Use
The scale and character ora neighborhood street design
should correspond directly to the land use it serves.
Auto-oriented land uses should be discouraged from
using neighborhood streets as a primary access route.
D¢siII!
Neighborhood street designs should balance safe,
attractive and direct walkways and bikeways with an
efficient motor vehicle thoroughfare.
Non-local neighborhood trips should be discouraged
on neighborhood collectors.
Neighborhood Street
(Local Street)
Neighborhood streets provide access to residential and
neighborhood commercial uses. Motor vehicle traffic should
be relatively Iow at 1,000 or less motor vehicles per day. The
engineering term for this type of street is local street. Sixth,
Allison and Quincy Streets are examples of neighborhood streets.
Landscaped islands and parkrows offer a visual sense
of entry into the neighborhood and provide pedestrians
with a buffer from traffic. Amenities such as benches,
shade trees, bathrooms and water fountains should be
provided to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
Traffic control measures or devices may be used to slow
traffic, control access or deny traffic movements on
neighborhood streets where safety, speed, or non-local
traffic problems exist.
16
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
On-street parking removal or street widening should be
considered only at specific problem locations, and
alternatives and the impacts on adjacent land uses
should be studied. Special consideration should also
be given to a safe pedestrian environment.
Non-local neighborhood trips should be discouraged
on neighborhood collectors.
The use of neighborhood streets for one-way traffic is
not generally appropriate, unless the entire circulation
pattern of the neighborhood has been considered.
The alley is a semi-public neighborhood space that provides
access to the rear of property. The alley eliminates the need
for front yard driveways and provides the opportunity for a
more positive front yard streetscape. An alley at the rear of
properties allows the street located adjacent to the front of
properties to be designed using a narrow width with limited
on-street parking. 1-he use of alleys can create the opportunity
for the use of narrower lots to increase residential densities.
Alleys are appropriate in all residential areas and in some
commercial areas for business frontage, and for access and
delivery depending on the circulation pattern of the area.
Land Use
Parking spaces and structures should be encouraged to
locate on alleys.
Delivery areas for commercial uses should be encour-
age to locate on alleys.
Accessory units above garages and accessory residen-
tial uses should be located on alleys in residential ar-
eas.
Muhi-family units and commercial uses may be appro-
priate on alleys.
Utility easements should be accommodated in the al-
ley.
Design
Landscaping, street trees and varying parking surfaces
should be incorporated into the alley to create a
streetscape.
Alleys within commercial districts are valuable public
spaces. Buildings should be oriented toward the alley
with individual businesses showing a strong sense of
entry. Alternative pavement materials, textures and colors
should be used to develop the pedestrian environment.
When multiple structures are located on one lot, the
buildings adjacent to the alley should be oriented to-
ward the alley.
The use of alleys for one-way traffic is not generally
appropriate, unless the entire circulation pattern of the
neighborhood has been considered.
17
Multi-use Path
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
signals and painted crosswalks should be considered.
Curb cuts should be provided.
Multi-use paths are off-street facilities used primarily for walking
and bicycling. These paths can be relatively short connections
between neighborhoods (neighborhood connectors), or longer
paths adjacent to rivers, creeks, railroad tracks and open space.
Frequented by both pedestrians and bicyclists, multi-use paths
provide shortcuts through neighborhoods and to other
desti uations.
Land Use
Parks and schools should be encouraged to locate along
multi-use paths.
Design
Intersections of multi-use paths with railroad crossings
should be designed to provide safe passage for
pedestrians and bicyclists over the railroad tracks.
Railings and barriers should be provided on both sides
of bridges on multi-use paths.
All multi-use paths should be signed with regulatory,
warning and destination signs as outlined in the Oregon
Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Multi-use paths within the city limits of Ashland should
be linked to state highway bikeways and county
bikeways.
Multi-use paths should be built as neighborhood
connectors in areas where block dimensions exceed
the recommended maximum circumference standard.
Multi-use paths shared by pedestrians and bicyclists
should emphasize design features and adequate path
markings that allow for the safety of all users.
Intersections of multi-use paths and streets should
minimize conflicts and provide adequate pedestrian and
bicycle crossings. Crossings should be Iocated at points
along the road where adequate sight distance exists.
When paths cross streets, safety devices such as signs,
18
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
THE STREET SYSTEM Streets are pivota,
in shaping the character of Ashland
neighborhoods. Streets provide the first impression visitors
have of the community, and Iongtime residents view Ashland
primarily from the streets -- the city's most prevalent public
viewshed~.
Street, public right-of-way and street right-of-way are used
interchangeably throughout this document. The term street
refers to much more than the roadway surface. It includes the
sidewalk, planting strip, street trees, lighting and street furniture,
as well as traffic calming structures. The publicly-owned land
a street occupies is called the right-of-way.
Streets provide a travel corridor for pedestrians, bicycles and
motor vehicles. They have also historically served aesthetic
and social purposes as multi-purpose public spaces which
diffuse light, circulate air, provide landscaped vistas and
facilitate informal, spontaneous recreation and socializingL
After World War II and the development of suburban street
standards, streets became single-purpose spaces for the safe
and convenient operation of automobiles3. Houses were set
farther back, sidewalks often disappeared completely and use
of the front yard as an activity area decreased4.
Four decades of single-purpose streets have resulted in negative
consequences, such as the loss of livable neighborhoods due
to fast-moving traffics. The cost of an automobile-dominated
transportation system, traffic's effect on quality of life and the
environmental degradation caused by motor vehicles, have
forced communities to examine the ways in which the public
right-of-way is used. Streets must be reclaimed as multi-purpose
public spaces to facilitate non-auto travel and to maintain
community livability.
EXISTING STREET NETWORK
Network Description
Ashland's geographic location has historically governed local
transportation patterns. Bounded on the west by the foothills
of the Siskiyou Mountains and on the eastern edge by Interstate
5 and large floodplains, the city has developed in a linear
fashion. ]-he main thoroughfare,
North Main Street-Siskiyou Boulevard,
runs between steep terrain to the south
and the gentle slopes of the north.
Ashland's street system design reflects
the cultural values and available
Streets must be
reclaimed as
multi-purpose
public spaces...
19
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
technology.of earlier eras. Most of the first streets were
developed within what is today the downtown core. Streets in
the Railroad District were laid out in a grid pattern perpendicular
and parallel to the tracks. Subsequent neighborhood streets
were patterned in a strict north/south grid with little consideration
for terrain limits. As a result, many Ashland streets are very
steep.
As Ashland became increasingly auto dependent, attempts
were made to reduce the car's impact by limiting access to
neighborhood areas. For example, more recent residential
developments contain curvilinear streets with cul-de-sacs.
Current street design trends employ a modified grid pattern
while accommodating terrain limitations.
The main boulevard, North Main Street-Siskiyou Boulevard,
extends the length of the city. Two boulevards branch off it in
an easterly direction. Ashland Street (Highway 66) intersects
Siskiyou Boulevard near Southern Oregon State College and
Interstate 5. East Main Street runs in an easterly direction
from the city center to Highway 66. Numerous avenues and
neighborhood collectors connect city neighborhoods to the
boulevards.
Ashland has three freeway interchanges adjacent to Interstate
5. Exit 19 is located at the northern end of the city off Valley
View Road. Exits 14 and 11 are located at the southern end of
the city off Ashland Street (Highway 66) and Siskiyou Boulevard
respectively. Interstate 5 provides primary north-south access
through the Rogue River Valley as well as to other Oregon
regions and the state of California. On Interstate 5, Ashland is
12 miles from Medford, 40 miles from Grants Pass and 45
miles from Yreka, California.
Several state highways connect Ashland to areas in Southern
Oregon. State Highway 99 (Rogue River Highway) is also
known as North Main Street aud Siskiyou Boulevard within
the city limits. Highway 99 closely parallels Interstate 5 and
extends from the freeway in Ashland to Grants Pass. Highway
99 also provides access to areas northwest of Ashland.
State Highway 66 (Greensprings Highway) runs in an easterly
direction from Ashland to Klamath Falls, 60 miles away. Dead
Indian Memorial Road, a county road, extends in a
northeasterly direction to State Highway 140. State Highway
140 provides access to Klamath Falls and connects to State
Highway 62. Due to steep, rugged terrain, the area directly
west of Ashland is not accessible by local roads. The main
routes to the Applegate Valley and the Illinois Valley are either
State Highway 238 through Jacksonville or U.S. Highway 199
through Grants Pass.
Street Conditions
Approximately 83 miles of streets lie within Ashland. There
are 75 miles (90%) of paved streets and eight miles (10%) of
unpaved streets. Public road maintenance within Ashland is
shared by the City, the County and the State. The Oregon
Department of Transportation mai~tains two of the boulevards
in the city--North Main-Siskiyou Boulevard (Highway 99) and
Ashland Street (Highway 66). Both streets are state highways.
Jackson County provides maintenance for county roads within
2O
Ashland Comprehensiue Plan: Transportation
the city. The City of Ashland Public Works Department
maintains all other public streets within the city limits. The
City grades and gravels unpaved streets and conducts required
maintenance on paved streets.
Traditional street type names are used because they evoke
classic, human scale streets such as Siskiyou Boulevard and
East Main Street rather than modern, automobile dominated
roads. See Street Classifications section for further information.
Future transportation projects currently planned and funded
are described in Appendix A.
Street Classifications
Ashland streets have been classil'ied as part of the transportation
planning process. Roadway classifications, also called
functional classifications, establish uniform criteria for the
construction, maintenance and use of the streets. The
classifications are based on street function, traffic volume,
average trip length, spacing and relationship to the network.
There are four street classifications: boulevard, avenue,
neighborhood collector and neighborhood streets. The
Transportation System Map on page 9 shows the functional
classification of Ashland streets. The map also indicates
proposed streets which will improve travel circulation as the
community grows.
The City of Ashland uses a modified version of the functional
class system as outlined in the Street Classifications section.
The modifications were made to recapture streets as multi-
modal travel corridors and public spaces. Specifically,
traditional street type names are used in place of standard
engineering terms. Boulevard is used for arterial, avenue is
used for major collector, neighborhood collector is used for
minor collector and neighborhood street is used for local street.
The functional class system was developed by the Federal
Highway Administration and adopted in the Federal-Aid
Highway Act of ~973. The Oregon Transportation Planning
Rule of 1991 requires local jurisdictions to use the functional
classification system and ensure that road classifications are
consistent with regional and state functional classifications.
According to the functional classification system, streets serve
two basic purposes--traffic movement and land access.
Boulevards move traffic through the community and onto the
collector system and restrict or prohibit access from adjoining
properties. Avenues and neighborhood collectors are designed
to collect traffic from neighborhood streets and funnel it onto
boulevards. Although some property access is provided by
these street types, moving traffic is of prime importance.
Neighborhood streets primarily provide access to adjacent
properties and move neighborhood traffic onto collectors.
Neighborhood streets should be protected from shortcut or
detour traffic, from vehicles moving at excessive speeds, and
from parking unrelated to residential activities.
While the functional classification system is a useful
transportation planning tool, it has several shortcomings. First,
the concentration on vehicular traffic volumes and street
capacities tends to dominate street design and construction.
Streets are widened at the expense of sidewalk width, trees
21
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
and front yards. Cities across the nation have made changes
based on the assumption that traffic would increase at a steady
rate in the future and have used traffic volumes and capacities
as principal measures of street use. It is becoming increasingly
apparent that a road's function and its relationship to the
network, as well as its traffic volume, must be considered.
The functional classification system, which focuses on vehicular
traffic, assumes that streets exist for two purposes--moving
motor vehicles and providing land access.
As a result, non-automobile users
(pedestrians, bicyclists and transit riders)
are only considered in afterthought. The
third street purpose, that of providing a
public space, is entirely ignored.
ROADWAY NEEDS
all travel. Destinations are far apart in suburban areas and
residential neighborhoods are strictly separated from the places
people work, shop, and socialize. Extensive areas of suburban
development result in sprawl.
In contrast, traditional neighborhood development is compact
and integrates residential areas with employment, shopping
and recreational districts. By locating destinations close to
areas in which people live, walking, bicycling and public transit
can be used for everyday trips. While a
Transportation demand and
resulting traffic are
determined almost entirely
from the ways
in which land is
organized and used.
Ashland citizens have expressed opinions
about transportation needs in many forums. To address their
concerns, the city held neighborhood meetings from February
to April 1994. At these meetings citizens identified a variety of
problems and possible solutions. Appendix B contains a
complete list of neighborhood meeting comments.
Land Use and Travel Patterns
Transportation demand and resulting traffic are determined
almost entirely from the ways in which land is organized and
used. Suburban development tends to be Iow in population
density and requires use of the personal automobile for almost
sprawling development pattern
systematically locks cities into dependence
on the single-occupant automobile, a
traditional development pattern provides
multiple transportation options.
A recently completed study by the
University of California at Berkeley's Institute
of Urban and Regional Development
compared travel characteristics in two distinctly different
neighborhoods in the San Francisco-Oakland region's East Bay.
These enclaves included Rockridge, an older compact and
mixed-use neighborhood with many traditional design qualities,
and Lafayette, a post-World War II community dominated by
suburban tract housing, spacious community designs and auto-
oriented retail strips and plazas. The two neighborhoods were
discovered to be similar in some ways. They lie in the same
geographic area, are the same approximate distance to
downtown San Francisco, have a public transit station, are
served by the same regional freeway and have comparable
median household incomes.
22
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
The study, however, found that the older traditional
neighborhood, Rockridge, averaged a 10% higher share of
non-work trips by travel modes other than automobile,
compared to the auto-oriented Lafayette. Neighborhood
characteristics exerted the strongest effect on non-work trips of
less than one mile. Specifically, in Rockridge walking trips
were frequently substituted for automobile trips. Residents
made 28% of non-work trips under one
mile by foot and 66% by automobile. In
contrast, Lafayette residents made just 6%
of non-work trips by foot and 81% by car6.
The University of California study
highlighted two factors which have been
critical in the evolution of sprawl--the
personal automobile and single-use
zoning. Prior to the 1950s, homes were
built on small lots close to public
transportation. As economic growth and
the national standard of living escalated
in the 1950s, an increasing number of households purchased
automobiles. As extensive road systems were developed
throughout the nation and within communities, the car became
the connecting link between home and work. New homes
were built on large lots away from employment centers and
the suburban population exploded7.
nineteenth century to prevent poor living conditions caused
by industrial pollution, noise and odor, and to prevent fire
and disease.
The resulting development pattern decentralized land uses and
strictly separated residential and commercial functions. The
landmark 1927 U.S. Supreme Court decision of the Village of
"Once attending a child's performance in a
play or sporting event was a pleasurable part
of life; now it requires a level of scheduling
that characterizes a military campaign. How
many parents can walk over to the playing
fields when a child is playing on the soccer
team or even come to watch the soccer game
because they have no time?"
Shortly before the automobile's proliferation, single-use zoning,
which designates areas for specific, limited land uses, became
the basis of comprehensive planning and zoning in the United
States". Single-use zoning had been developed in the late
Anton Clarence Nelessen
Euclid vs. Amber Realty Co. upheld the
municipality's right to designate areas for
single land uses9. Ironically, cars
traveling between separate uses has
caused the pollution and destruction of
natural resources that single-use zoning
was originally intended to eliminate~0.
Sprawl-induced dependence on the
automobile negatively affects
communities in many ways. Sprawl
emphasizes the private living space and
ignores development of public spacesn.
It does not respond to changing demographics. As families
become smaller and less traditional, and as cars are required
for daily living, other demands, such as regular chauffeuring of
children, become a hardship~2.
Sprawl is expensive. On average, a two year old car costs
$5,000 per year to own and maintain~3. Keeping a private
automobile has become more costly for wage earners and a
formidable economic barrier for lower income residents. The
cost of installing and maintaining public infrastructure, such as
roads, sewers, water, electricity, schools, parks, police and
23
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
fire protection, grows as the amount of serviced land area
increases.
The public pays the high infrastructure costs for a sprawling
development pattern. Extensive road networks consume
valuable land and Iow density makes transit inefficient and
ineffective. Requiring high energy consumption, sprawl is also
a major source of air and water pollution. The cumulative
effects of sprawl compromise the quality of life and the
environment, and discourage a sense of community.
The traditional neighborhood is an alternative to Iow density
development. Traditionaf neighborhoods are moderately dense,
multiple-use communities which provide transportation
options. Traditional communities include a core with mixed
and multiple uses, variation in the size of buildings and building
footprints, an increase in the size of residential units and lot
sizes from the neighborhood core to its periphery, open space
and a focus on pedestrians and human scale in the streetscape.
In Ashland's traditional neighborhoods, such as the Railroad
District, new development and redevelopment increasingly
integrate those elements which have historically proven
effective.
Traditional neighborhoods facilitate everyday life without the
need for extensive driving. Compact land use, mixed and
multiple use areas, and the pedestrian environment promote
walking, bicycling and public transit. In contrast, the Iow
density development, separated land uses and automobile
environment of suburban areas limits travel to the car and
promotes an increasing number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
per capita. Traditional neighborhood development must be
facilitated to increase walking and bicycling trips and to make
public transit possible in the long term.
Street Layout and Design
Street network patterns and the physical design of the right-of-
way are intrinsically linked to travel patterns and neighborhood
character. Successful, multi-modal streets in traditional
neighborhoods resemble inviting public spaces and function
in an interconnected network. Street layout and design should
support the traditional neighborhood.
Traditional neighborhoods such as the Ashland's Railroad
District, reveal common characteristics in network layout and
street design.
,4 ulo Oriented Planning
They typically contain a grid network--a
Transportation [~alanced Planning
framework of parallel or crisscrossed streets intersecting at right
angles with very few dead ends. Blocks are 300 to 400 feet in
length with 1,200 to 1,600 feet perimeters.
24
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Traditional neighborhoods are more pedestrian-friendly than
suburban development.
In contrast to the multiple curves and cul-de-sacs found in
suburban development, a grid network spreads out local traffic
by providing multiple ways to reach the same point. The many
interconnections and short block lengths mean that trips are
more direct and shorter in distance. This network allows
residents to get to neighborhood destinations, schools, stores,
or friends' houses, without entering a boulevard.
Physical street design is strikingly different in traditional
neighborhoods than in suburban areas. Typical neighborhood
streets have evolved from the narrow pavement width and
right-of-way designed to carry horse-drawn vehicles to the much
wider streets seen in today's suburbs, which allow people to
drive 40 to 50 miles per hour4.
Traditional neighborhood streets typically have 30 to 50 feet of
right-of-way, with 18 to 24 feet of pavement. Houses are set
back 12 to 20 feet [rom the right-of-way and detached garages
are either located behind the house or set back further than
the house facade. In contrast, subdivision streets have 60 feet
of right-of-way, 32 to 36 feet of pavement, houses set back 20
to 60 feet from the right-of-way and attached garages set back
the same distance as the house facade~s.
Other elements of traditional neighborhood street design in-
clude parallel parking on at least one side, parkrows and side-
walks on both sides, street trees and street lamps at regular
intervals, curb radii of not more than 15 feet, and bump-outs
and safety islands on wider streets. In traditional neighbor-
hoods, all streets are not the same. Some serve high-density
25
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
neighborhoods, some commercial cores, and others serve Iow-
density districts. They also vary in pavement widths, sidewalks
and building locations contrasting markedly with rigid con-
temporary suburban standards~6. A noticeable feature of tradi-
tional neighborhoods is that design differs from street to streef7.
Street design should promote safety and livabilityR It should
permit comfortable and safe pedestrian and bicycle travel as
well as motorized vehicular operation. Vulnerable users such
as children, the disabled and the elderly, should be protected.
The street should be a multipurpose, public space that enhances
the neighborhood's overall aesthetics. Deliveries, emergency
access and where densities allow, bus or paratransit service
must be accommodated~9.
Ashland's street layout and design need to be better matched
to adjacent uses, the physical features of the land, location in
the neighborhood and position in the community. A grid or
modified grid network pattern should be used to provide
connectivity. Ashland street design standards must incorporate
traditional neighborhood street elements.
Traffic Calming
The challenge of the neighborhood street system is to balance
restoring the human scale characteristic of traditional
neighborhoods with residents' desi re for convenient automobile
access to their homeP°. This involves reducing traffic unrelated
to the neighborhood, slowing down traffic using the streets
and providing for attractive and unobtrusive vehicle parking.
There are three methods for achieving traffic control in the
neighborhood: general laws and ordinances; traffic control
devices; and traffic calming techniques. The third method,
traffic calming, is increasingly being used on neighborhood
streets because traffic control devices and speed limit laws
tend to be ineffective in both deterring through traffic and
slowing down local traffic.
Traffic calming uses geometric design features to guide or restrict
physical movement of motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
The basis for traffic calming is simple. Drivers tend to respond
to their surroundings rather than to posted speed limit signs. If
the street is designed using suburban standards and has the
width and gentle curves of a highway, people will drive as if
26
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Drivers tend to respond to
their surroundings rather
than to posted speed limit
signs.
they are on a
highway2L Even the
Romans understood
that certain
measures had to be
taken to restore
neighborhood
tranquillity when
they placed stone
blocks at some street entrances as a physical barrier against
high speed chariot traffic22.
Traffic calming can be used to address two major problems:
the protection of neighborhood streets from high speed and
through traffic; and the mitigation of traffic impacts on residential
areas located on major streets~3.
"Cut-through" traffic in established neighborhoods disrupts life
and erodes the neighborhood's integrity. Residential traffic
problems arising on major streets may require special efforts to
balance residents' needs with those of the traveling public.
A wide variety of traffic calming measures can be combined in
various ways to create different traffic control levels. In general,
where there is an alternative route, steps which discourage
use and decrease roadway capacity are appropriate. In
situations where no alternative route exists, traffic can be slowed
down without substantially taking away capacity~4.
Traffic problems are most judiciously handled when a clear,
understandable traffic control planning process is in place.
Traditionally in Ashland and mosl small cities, traffic complaints
are handled on a case-by-case basis. The weakness in this
approach is that complaints do not always come from the
areas where problems are most frequent, spot treatment often
simply shifts problems to other areas, and residents may demand
a specific action which may not be the best solution to their
problem~s.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers recommends
developing a traffic control planning process which regularly
inventories neighborhood traffic problems throughout the
community, and adopting standards to identify conditions which
need attention. Once a traffic problem meets the criteria for
traffic control treatment, the following process should be used:
assess problem and causes
develop alternative courses of action that could
eliminate or reduce the problem
predict both primary and secondary impacts of
alternatives on the neighborhood and general
community
develop an implementation strategy, including a
financing and maintenance plan
evaluate in-place performance of selected action or
actions, and make adjustments as needed~° .
The City of Ashland should develop a traffic control planning
process for the systematic treatment of traffic problems in the
existing street network. Traffic calming measures should be
27
Ashland Comprehensioe Plan: Transportation
used to protect neighborhood streets from through traffic and
to mitigate traffic impact on major streets.
Future Travel
A travel forecasting model for Ashland was developed in 1992
by Kittelson and Associates, Inc. The model tested various
measures of reducing future motor vehicle travel in the Ashland
area by replicating the existing traffic volumes and predicting
future volumes on Ashland streets. Non-automotive measures
and automobile-oriented measures were both studied.
Specifically, the 1992 model addressed two questions. First,
what roadway network improvements would be necessary for
all boulevards and avenues to operate at volume-to-capacity
ratios of less than !.0 in Year 2005? (A volume-to-capacity
(V/C) ration equal to or greater than 1.0 means the roadway
volumes exceed capacity of the facilities.) Second, what net
effect would future non-auto modal enhancements have upon
overall travel in the Ashland area in 2005?
The first test, the "base scenario", was conducted to predict
traffic flow in the year 2005. It assumes no physical changes
to the street network and that the modal split remains the
same. The base scenario serves as a constant, to which several
other scenarios using different transportation system options
can be compared.
In the base scenario, five roadway segments on Ashland's
boulevard/avenues street system operate with V/C ratios in
excess of capacity in 2005:
Siskiyou Boulevard (northbound and southbound)
between Mountain Avent~e and Ashland Street
Siskiyou Boulevard (northbound) south of the inter-
section of East Main Street and Lithia Way
Ashland Street (eastbound) between Interstate 5
southbound and northbound ramps
Pioneer Street (both directions) at East Main Street
Valley View Road (northbound) at Interstate 5 inter-
change.
When a scenario with full improvements to Hersey Street was
studied, the roadway segment of Siskiyou Boulevard south of
the intersection of East Main Street and Lithia Way operated
below capacity.
Two "automobile-oriented" scenarios, building additional
roadway capacity and transportation system management
(TSM), were developed to test whether auto measures would
alleviate future roadway congestion. (TSM is a method of
maximizing the efficiency of the existing transportation system
by managing traffic through the use of traffic control devices
such as traffic signals, ramp meters, median turn barriers,
restricted access to properties along congested corridors, etc.)
The first scenario to enhance street capacity added more travel
lanes to Siskiyou Boulevard between Ashland Street and Lithia
Way, and to Ashland Street between the Interstate 5 ramps.
The five "above capacity" street segments from the base scenario
all operated at V/C rates less than .9 with added travel lanes in
2005.
28
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
A second test was conducted using TSM measures such as
traffic signal system enhancements, intersection capacity
improvements and access management of driveways and
intersections instead of added travel lanes. All street segments
operated with V/C rates less than 1.0 in 2005 as a result of
TSM improvement measures.
Five "mode-split enhancement" scenarios, pedestrian, bicycle,
transit, high occupancy vehicle and combined modes, tested
whether non-auto measures would reduce automobile travel
in the Ashland area and relieve roadway congestion. The
pedestrian scenario applied a 25% reduction rate to all trips
less than one-half mile, and resulted in a less than 1% reduction
in auto trips in 2005. The bicycle scenario applied a 10%
reduction to all trips between one-half and two miles, and
resulted in a 2% reduction in auto trips in 2005.
Mode-Split Enhancement Scenarios (TDM)
from 1992 Travel Demand Model
Increase of... Reduction in
2005 Auto Trips
25% of all trips n~ade by walking less than 1%
10% of all trips between . 5 an d 2 miles by bicycling 2%
10% of trips adjacent to bus routes by transit 2%
15% of trips to Medford by high occupancy vehicle 6%
All Mode-Split Enhancements Combined 11%
The transit scenario applied a 10% vehicle trip reduction rate
to all origin-destination pairs located adjacent to RVTD bus
service Routes #5 and #10 in Ashland. These calculations
resulted in a reduction of approximately 2% of future auto
trips. The high occupancy vehicle to Medford scenario applied
a 15% vehicle trip reduction rate to all Ashland generated
trips with an origin or destination located in Medford. This
calculation results in a reduction of 6% future auto trips in
Ashland.
The combined scenario of all the mode-split enhancements
tested the impact of all transportation demand management
(TDM) measures on reducing auto travel i~ Ashland. (The
purpose of TDM is to reduce the number of motor vehicles
using the road system by providing a wide variety of mobility
options. Examples of TDM strategies include encouraging
walking and bicycling trips, decreasing distance traveled
through land use, encouraging ridesharing and alternative work
arrangements.) Combined trip reduction factors resulted in a
decline of approximately 11% future auto trips in Ashland.
Overall, auto travel was significantly reduced on North Main
Street, Siskiyou Boulevard and Ashland Street. However, V/C
rates in excess of 1.0 are still found on two of the five "above
capacity" roadway segments from the base scenario--Siskiyou
Boulevard between Mountain Avenue and Ashland Street, and
on Pioneer Street at Main Street.
Finally, a scenario combining the TSM and Combined Mode-
Split Enhancements was developed to test the impact that TSM
and TDM measures would have on reducing auto travel in
Ashland. The combined TSM/TDM enhancement scenario
resulted in a significant reduction of future auto trips on North
29
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Main Street and Ashland Street. No roadway segments on
Siskiyou Boulevard showed V/C rates above 1.0.
The City must select a transportation system alternative that
adequately meets Ashland's transportation needs. The
alternative should combine strategies which best meet the goals
and objectives of the Transportation Element and which address
future capacity insufficiencies.
The travel demand model is a valuable tool for predicting
where future bottlenecks, sensitive intersections, etc. will occur.
However, like any other forecasting method,
travel demand modeling has limitations.
Travel demand models are automobile-
oriented and were developed strictly to
determine where roads should be built or
expanded. Traditional models look only at
automobile travel and assume that these
patterns will continue and remain constant
in the future. They do not incorporate
alternative modes of transportation or
changes in land use patterns, and they do
not examine travel behavior or options which
might affect how people travel. When
analysis assumes the automobile is the only
transportation option, the only solution for congested areas is
to add capacity to the streets. In this respect, the travel demand
model perpetuates accommodation of increased traffic by
building roads.
basis for transportation policy. Streets which were supposed
to function below capacity for many years in the future may
reach above-capacity conditions in a much shorter time. When
cities use travel demand modeling as an overriding doctrine in
transportation planning, they often accept methods which
accommodate automobile traffic by building new roads.
Recent travel demand models have only begun to attempt
incorporating options such as walking, bicycling, public transit
and different land use patterns. Transportation modeling
professionals began to consider non-auto modes in response
to passage of the Federal Intermodal
"In every city of the world the volume of
traffic is limited, intentionally or
unintentionally, by measures adopted by
governments. If these ~neasures were
relaxed, there would be more traffic; if
they were strengthened, there would be
less. In other words the volume of traffic
in a city is not something like the rainfall
that has to be accepted..."
from Urban Transport and ~he Environment
by the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development
Many communities mistakenly use model results as the sole
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act and
the Oregon Transportation Planning Rule.
These laws explicitly acknowledge non-
auto transport as viable modes of
transportation and initiated a new era in
transportation planning. At the time of this
writing, a model which solidly predicts
walking and bicycling has not been
perfected.
The 1992 travel demand model for Ashland
included non-auto trip analysis to the extent
possible at that time and assumed a
traditional, single use land development pattern in the future.
Since then, modeling alternative land use patterns has become
a fairly common practice. Depending on advances in travel
demand modeling and available resources, the Ashland 1992
model may require refining to test alternative land use patterns
and non-auto transport options.
30
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Freeway Access
Presently, the City of Ashland is served by three freeway
interchanges- Exit 19 at the northern endofthe city; Exit 14 at
the intersection of Ashland Street and Interstate 5, and Exit 11
at the far southern end of the community at the intersection of
Siskiyou Boulevard and Interstate 5. In the previous
Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan (1981 ), there
was discussion of an additional freeway interchange at the
intersection of North Mountain Avenue and Interstate 5,
designed to serve the center of the community. For several
reasons, this new interchange is not likely to be developed
during the planning period. However, it is not precluded as
an option for the future.
appears to be ample, by state standards. Therefore, the cost of
constructing the interchange would fall entirely on the local
community.
Third, the investment in the freeway interchange, and the
necessary infrastructure improvements to streets accessing the
North Mountain area would be almost entirely auto-oriented.
The benefits to other modes of travel would be minimal,
especially when compared to the large capital outlay necessary.
Therefore, a freeway interchange at North Mountain Avenue is
not likely to be developed during the planning period, but it is
not precluded as an option for the future.
Access Management
First, additional research has been conducted regarding the
service area of the interchange. The new interchange would
primarily serve Southern Oregon State College commuter
students, and Medford-based trips from the nearby residential
areas. However, due to the linear nature of the community,
and the perceived distance of the freeway interchange from
Siskiyou Boulevard, the total area served by the interchange
would not be large. The overall impact on through traffic to
the community is not offset by the large financial investment
necessary to construct the interchange.
Second, regarding the financial investment, current state
highway construction dollars are tightly controlled, and the
likelihood of gaining state support for construction of an
interchange during the planning period is minimal. The
availability of three interchanges for a community of 18,000
Access management reduces maneuvers in the travel corridor
through roadway design techniques that maintain or increase
street capacity. Access management is used on boulevards
and avenues to create a safe roadway environment that allows
pedestrian, bicycle and motor vehicle traffic to flow smoothly.
Among tools used in access management are proper spacing
of traffic signals, provision of turn lanes, use of medians and
planned driveway spacing and design.
Access management is a useful transportation management
tool for the existing street network as well as for future streets.
It can be used as an alternative to constructing additional motor
vehicle travel lanes on existing streets. Preliminary studies of
Highway 30 from Portland to Astoria show that using access
management techniques can decrease the need for traditional
highway widening and equal savings of over $75 million over
the next 20 years.
31
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
All streets functionally classified by the Oregon State Division
of Highways as rural collectors and minor arterials that connect
Ashland with other municipalities are under the administrative
control of either the County or the State. Access management
on these routes is handled by permit. Within the city limits,
roadways under State administrative control are coordinated
by the State. Access management on streets under jurisdictional
control of the City are its responsibility. In the interest of
minimizing street construction and widening, the City of
Ashland must develop an access management plan for the
boulevard and avenue street network in cooperation with the
County and State.
Safety is important in existing street network function as well as
in the successful design of future streets. Areas prone to traffic
accidents must be identified and systematically addressed.
Safety problems are rooted in the conflicts among the many
users of street space. Although streets are public property and
belong to everyone, some users have preempted more of the
street space than others. The "traffic function", moving traffic
streams efficiently, competes with streets as public spaces,
access to properties and parking.
Conflicts arise out of the manner in which people use the
street and interact with other users. Asoutlined in the Pedestrian/
Bicycle Section, well-enforced traffic laws play an important
part of street safety. Also, transportation safety education is
one way to familiarize pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers with
proper practices and traffic law.
Regional and State Roadway Systems
Clearly, Ashland
needs a safe and
efficient roadway
system connecting
the city to the
region, to the state
and to the rest of the
nation. The United
States has heavily
invested in the
interstate highway
Ashland must be
involved in advocating
regional land use
patterns that support a
multi-modal
transportation system.
system, and as a result the flow of people, goods and service
depends on the roadway network. In the interest of the residents
and the local economy, Ashland's transportation system must
be coordinated with County, regional, State and Federal
jurisdictions.
The number and types of conflicts between street users depends
on the facility's physical design and on the users' behavior. In
order to identify goals for street design, it is important to identify
all user needs, consider what conflicts they might have and
what safety needs might result. Safety for all users should be a
guiding factor in street planning and design in Ashland.
In the Rogue Valley region, land use patterns directly affect the
development of viable non-auto transportation. Alternatives
to the single-occupant vehicle cannot succeed if an auto-
oriented Iow-density development pattern continues. Ashland
must be involved in advocating regional land use patterns that
support a multi-modal transportation system.
32
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
STREET SYSTEM GOALS AND POLICIES
GOAL: TO PROVIDE ALL CITIZENS WITH SAFE AND
CONVENIENT TRANSPORTATION WHILE
REINFORCING THE RECOGNITION OF PUBLIC
RIGHTS-OF-WAY AS CRITICAL PUBLIC SPACES.
Policies:
I. Provide zoning that allows for a mix of land uses
and traditional neighborhood development which
promotes walking and bicycling.
2. Periodically review and revise street design
standards. Incorporate traditional neighborhood
design elements such as, but not limited to, planting
strips, minimum necessary curb radii, alleys and
skinny streets in standards. The street design
standards shall incorporate the land use and design
guidelines in the Street Classifications section of
this element.
3. Design streets as critical public spaces where
creating a comfortable and attractive place that
encourages people to walk, bicycle and socialize
is balanced with building an efficient travel corridor.
Design streets with equal attention to all right-of-
way users and to promote livability of
neighborhoods.
4. Enhance the streetscape by code changes specifying
placement of critical design elements such as, but
not limited to, windows, doorways, signs and
planting strips.
5. Reduce excessive street pavement width in order
to facilitate convenieut pedestrian and bicycle
circulation, to facilitate convenient pedestrian and
bicycle circulation, to reduce the costs of
construction, to provide for more efficient use of
land and to discourage excessive traffic volumes
and speeds.
6. Encourage a connected street network pattern, as
topography allows, to promote pedestrian and
bicycle travel. Off-street pathways should be
connected to the street network. Block perimeters
should be 1,200 to 1,600 feet and the distance
between streets should be a maximum of 300 to
400 feet.
7. Design the Land Use Ordinance to ensure Ashland
Street is developed as a multi-modal corridor
including attractive landscaping, sidewalks, bike
lanes and controlled access. Development along
Ashland Street shall be compatible with and support
a multi-modal orientation.
8. Design the Land Use Ordinance to ensure that
Siskiyou Boulevard is developed as a multi-modal
corridor with sidewalk and bike lane facilities
appropriate to the volume and speed of motor
vehicle traffic.
9. Design the Land Use Ordinance to ensure that A
Street and B Street are developed as multi-modal
corridors. Development along A Street and B Street
shall be compatible with and support a multi-modal
orientation.
10. When designing and funding facilities, consider all
the costs of automobile use compared with using
33
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
other forms of transportation. These costs include
social costs, and air, noise and water pollution.
11. Advocate regional land use patterns that support
multi-modal transportation.
12. Encourage the use of all modes of travel that
contribute to clean air and energy efficiency.
13. Integrate traffic calming techniques into city street
design standards to reduce automobile speeds
within new and existing neighborhoods.
14. Develop a process for traffic control management
for the systematic treatment of traffic problems in
the existing and future street network. Traffic control
includes general laws and ordinances, traffic
control devices and traffic calming techniques. The
process should include a regular inventory of
neighborhood traffic problems, at both intersection
and other locations on the street, throughout
Ashland, and standards to identify conditions which
need attention.
15. Develop a process for identifying and addressing
areas prone to traffic accidents.
16. Maintain carrying capacity, safety and pedestrian,
bicycle, public transit and motor vehicle movement
on boulevards, avenues and neighborhood
collectors through driveway and curb cut
consolidation or reduction.
Direct driveway access onto streets designated as
boulevards and avenues should be discouraged
whenever an alternative exists or can be made
available.
17.
18. Require design that combines multiple driveway
accesses to a single point in residential and
commercial development.
19. Develop a process for evaluating the consistency
of curb cut requests with the Comprehensive Plan
and Land Use Ordinance.
20. Maintain street surfaces to achieve maximum
pavement life so that road conditions are good
and pavement maintenance costs are minimized.
Prioritize streets for repaying by factors such as the
level of use, street classification and pavement
condition.
21. Prohibit the formation of new unpaved roads.
22. Discourage development from occurring on
unpaved streets.
23. Off-street parking for all land uses shall be adequate,
but not excessive, and shall not interfere with multi-
modal street uses.
24. Manage the supply, operations and demand for
parking in the public right-of-way to encourage
economic vitality, traffic safety and livability of
neighborhoods. Parking in the right-of-way, in
general, should serve land uses in the immediate
area.
25. Reduce the number of automobile parking spaces
required for new development, discouraging
automobile use as the only source of access and
encouraging use of alternative modes.
26. Consider environmental impacts when developing
34
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
new street projects. Require new street projects
to reduce impact on terrain and natural vegetation.
27. Acquire or control parcels of land that may be
needed in the future for any transportation purpose
when the opportunity arises through sale, donation
or land use action.
28. Periodically assess future travel demand and
corresponding capacity requirements of street
ne~vork. Choose a comprehensive transportation
system approach to address any capacity
insufficiencies that is consistent with the goals,
policies and philosophy of the Transportation
Element of the Comprehensive Plan.
29. Coordinate land use planning with transportation
planning. Integrate transportation-related functions
that involve several City departments so that the
goals, policies and philosophy of the
Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan
are consistently pursued in the transportation
project development process.
30. Coordinate City transportation planning with
County, regional, State and Federal plans.
3 I. Coordinate the transportation planning efforts of
the adopted Ashland Downtown Plan with the
goals and policies of the Transportation Element
o1' the Comprehensive Plan, including the
provision parking lots and parking structures.
32. Interconnections between residential
neighborhoods shall be encouraged for
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
automobile, pedestrians and bicycle traffic, but non-
local traffic shall be discouraged through street
design, except for boulevards, avenues, and
neighborhood collectors. Cul-de-sac or dead-end
street designs shall be discouraged whenever an
interconnection alternative exists. Development
ora modified grid street pattern shall be encouraged
for connecting new and existing neighborhoods
during subdivisions, partitions, and through the use
of the Street Dedication map.
Plan for the full improvement of Hersey, Nevada,
and Mountain Avenue as alternative routes to the
downtown area for north-south traffic.
Street dedications shall be required as a condition
of land development. A future street dedication
map shall be adopted and implemented as part of
the Land Use Ordinance.
Re-evaluate parking space s~ze requirements due
to the increased use of smaller cars.
Encourage sharing of existing and future parking
facilities by various nearby businesses.
Require effective landscaping throughout
continuous paved parking areas to increase shading,
screening and buffering aesthetics, and for
percolation of water into the groundwater table.
35
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE
TI?,ANSPORTATION,abit, established by our
nationwide dependence on the automobile since the end of
World War II, accounts for most of the situations in which
citizens elect the automobile as a standard travel mode. Less
apparent reasons for these choices are the perception of greater
distance than actually exists and the presence of unsafe,
unaesthetic or intimidating barriers to travel that discourage
people from walking or cycling27.
Ashland residents make decisions about travel each time they
run errands, visit friends or attend events. In most cases they
choose their cars even when the distances to be covered are
relatively short. Although 40% of all trips made in Ashland
are two miles or less, and 25% are one mile or less, over 86%
of trips one mile or less are still made by automobile.
86% of trips
1 mile or less are
made by
automobile
Like other cities, Ashland must reduce
auto dependence in the face of
compromised air quality, traffic
congestion, and large subsidies for our
road systems. The community must
avoid further increases in automobile
traffic by expanding the number of
short trips made on foot or by bicycle.
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities must be improved and promoted
in Ashland to encourage residents to abandon their automobile
for the sidewalk and the bikeway.
BENEFITS OF WALKING AND BICYCLING
"Families get to know one another better when there are
sidewalks. Without them, it is awkward to take a walk.
You feel you're intruding. A man walking along a sidewalk
appears to have a purpose; a man walking in the street or
across your front yard looks suspicious... Without sidewalks,
houses are just houses. When sidewalks tie them together
with a neat ribbon of concrete, they become part of something
more: a neighborhood" (Pearce, 1980).
from Rural By Design by Randall Arendt
Walking and bicycling not only improve health and well-being,
they benefit the general public, motorists, employers, the
36
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
community and the environment. Many positive effects result
when residents walk and bicycle instead of drive.
The number of people who regularly walk and bicycle is one
measure of a city's quality of life. Businesses benefit when
people stroll and window-shop. Sidewalks provide places for
casual socializing. The presence of pedestrians and bicyclists
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WALKING AND
BICYCLING REPLACE VEHICULAR TRIPS?
· reduced accidents and property damage
· reduced air and noise pollution
· reduced consumption of petroleum
resources
· reduced wear and tear on roads
· reduced light pollution and visual clutter
· reduced need for additional roads, travel
lanes and parking
traffic stream at pedestrian crosswalks~9.
While walking and bicycling are both used for local short
trips, pedestrians and bicyclists have very different travel needs.
Bicycles move faster than pedestrians but slower than
automobiles. Since pedestrians move more slowly, they require
greater separation from traffic and need extra time to cross
roadways.
Both walking and bicycling are used for short trips that can be
accomplished in 20 minutes or less. Typically, this is one-half
mile or less for pedestrians, and three miles or less for bicyclists.
Both pedestrians and bicyclists are exposed to the elements,
both are sensitive to geographical barriers and both are
vulnerable to motor vehicles. Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
compete with "edge" right-of-way demands such as on-street
parking, utility poles and signs. Neither walking nor bicycling
requires a license~°.
in the community indicates that people feel safe and confident
outdoors. Walking and bicycling allow people to more directly
appreciate Ashland's natural beauty28.
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS: DIFFERENCES
AND SIMILARITIES
Although pedestrians and bicyclists do not have the same travel
behavior, they have been considered similarly in the past. As
bicyclists are routed on sidewalks instead of the road, conflicts
arise because they move more rapidly than pedestrians.
Motorists are often confused when bicyclists enter or leave the
WALKWAY AND BIKEWAY DESIGN
Two factors are critical in walkway and bikeway design.
Pedestrian and bicycle facilities must be routinely considered
as part of the total design on all transportation projects.
Furthermore,
individual walkways
and bikeways must
be designed to be
safe, convenient,
attractive and easy to
use.
Pedestrian and bicycle
facilities must be routinely
considered as part of the
total design on all
transportation projects.
37
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) provide facility design standards for walkways and
bikeways. The following is a brief summary of the basic
design principles included in the Oregon Bicycle and Pedes-
trian Plan.
Pedestrian
Sidewalks provide
separation from traffic
and all-weather surfaces
for pedestrians. Planted
strips between the side-
walk and roadway cre-
ate an attractive envi-
ronment by buffering
pedestrians from traffic
and increase their com-
fort and safety by mak-
ing the street more in-
viting. Ideally, side-
walks should be pro-
vided on both sides of streets.
Accessible sidewalks must be available to people with dis-
abilities unless topography makes construction unfeasible. Spe-
cial attention must be given to curb ramps and vertical clear-
ance. Accessible walkways must be conveniently tied into
adjacent development walkways.
Bicycle
fhe type of bikeway provided on a street should be based on
the motor vehicle traf-
fic volumes and speeds
that share the roadway.
Bike lanes are the ap-
propriate facility for bi-
cyclists on boulevards
and avenues. Bike
lanes help define the
road space, provide bi-
cyclists with obstruc-
tion-free paths, de-
crease bicyclists' stress
in traffic and remind mo-
torists of cyclists' right to
the road. Ashared lane i
is appropriate on neigh-
borhood collectors and streets because of the Iow traffic vol-
umes and travel speeds3L
On existing roadways where bike lanes are not possible due
to constraints such as buildings or environmentally sensitive
areas, the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan recommends a
wide outside lane and reduced actual travel speeds of 25
m.p.h, or less. This option, however, is recommended only
after alternatives, such as narrowing or removing travel or park-
ing lanes, are examined~2.
38
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Pedestrians a~ bicyclists will use streets Even
if walktoays and bikeways do not exist.
Neighborhood Connectors
Neighborhood connectors are off-road, separate pedestrian and/
or bikeways that minimize travel distances within and between
residential areas and schools, shopping and workplaces. In
most cases, walkways and bikeways should be provided along
streets in a well-connected street network.
Neighborhood connectors are used in situations where street
connections are infeasible. For example, these short multi-use
paths are useful to connect cul-de-sac streets and dead ends,
and to allow passage through areas with topographical
constraints. In Ashland for example, the Talent Irrigation District
(TID) right-of-way could provide pedestrian and bicycle
connections for areas on steep hillsides that are otherwise
inaccessible by roads. Historically, the TID right-of-way has
been used as an unofficial neighborhood connector.
EFFECTIVE WALKWAYS AND BIKEWAYS
A street network should serve the transportation needs of
everyone in the community. Well-worn dirt paths where
sidewalks would usually be, as well as bicyclists riding on
sidewalks, demonstrate that pedestrians and bicyclists use streets
even if no facilities exist.
In Ashland, the street network is the primary transportation
infrastructure with most destinations oriented to the street. With
the most direct and convenient travel routes, this network
logically should contain pedestrian and bicycle travel corridors
where walkers and cyclists will be more visible than they are
39
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
on separate pathways. Incorporating these corridors into the
street network is economical and efficient and reduces the
need for additional easements or maintenance.
According to Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, effective
walkway and bikeway networks depend on:
accommodating pedestrians and bicyclists on bou-
levards, avenues and neighborhood collectors
providing appropriate facilities
creating and maintaining a grid system of closely
spaced, interconnected neighborhood streets
overcoming barriers such as freeway crossings, rail-
road tracks, intersections, rivers and canyons3~ .
The Oregon Transportation Planning Rule requires boulevards
and avenues, the backbone of the urban transportation system,
to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists. Major streets
provide direct, continuous and convenient access to most
destination points because they move traffic through the street
system. In addition, they provide signalized crossings and
bridge obstacles such as rivers, freeways and railroad tracks34.
Cyclists and pedestrians tend to use the shortest, most
convenient route to travel to their destinations. Major streets
provide direct travel routes for pedestrians, biyclists and
motorists alike. If walkways and bikeways are not provided
on major streets, negative consequences such as the following
may occur:
Many pedestrians and cyclists will choose to stay
on the thoroughfare, even without sidewalks or bike
lanes. This can cause safety problems and traffic
delays.
Some motorists will not respect bicyclists or pedes-
trians who are perceived to be "riding or walking
where they don't belong."
Circuitous bike route signing will be ignored by bi-
cyclists. As a result, other bicycle signing is not
respected.
The importance of bicyclists and pedestrians in the
transportation network is diminished~.
EXISTING WALKWAYS AND BIKEWAYS
Most of the boulevards (North Main Street, East Main Street,
Lithia Way, Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland Street and North
Mountain) have sidewalks on both sides within the city limits.
Avenues, neighborhood collector streets and neighborhood
streets, however, lack continuous sidewalks in many places.
Boulevards such as East Main Street, Ashland Street from
Siskiyou Boulevard to Interstate 5, and Siskiyou Boulevard
from Walker Avenue to Tolman Creek Road have bike lanes
on both sides. Avenues such as Hersey Street, Walker Avenue
from Ashland Street to East Main Street and Tolman Creek
Road from the north city limits to Siskiyou Boulevard have
bike lanes on both sides. However, similar to the sidewalk
situation, the bike lanes are not continuous.
4O
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
A bikeway system map identifying existing .bicycle facilities
and future proposed bike lanes, shoulder lanes, shared lanes
and bike paths was adopted by the City Council in June 1995.
Future transportation projects, including pedestrian and bicycle
facilities, currently planned and funded are described in
Appendix A.
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE NEEDS
Ashland citizens have contributed to an assessment of local
transportation needs in many forums. To address their concerns,
the city held neighborhood meetings from February to April
1994. At these meetings citizens identified a variety of service
and facility needs. Comments ranged from general suggestions,
such as "keep bike lanes free of debris," to the site specific
such as "difficult crossing Siskiyou at SOSC'. Appendix B
contains a complete list of neighborhood meeting comments.
Ashland has many characteristics which make walking and
bicycling viable transportation options. It covers an area
roughly six square miles in size, which makes most in-town
travel by bicycle possible within 20 to 30 minutes. The 1990
Census indicates that Ashland had one of the highest
percentages of residents walking to work of all cities in Oregon.
Many of the older neighborhoods such as the Railroad District
are compact and have sidewalks in place. Most of the city is
within bicycling distance of commercial centers, including the
downtown core.
Ashland's goal is to increase the number of short trips made by
walking and bicycling. Even though 49% of all trips are within
walking or bicycling distance, national statistics show only
7.2% of all trips are by walking and 0.7% by bicycling~. In
order to determine how walking and bicycling can be increased,
three questions must be addressed:
Who is, or will be making short trips?
Where are people going ?
What makes people drive ?
WHO IS, OR WILL BE MAKING SHORT TRIPS?
Future Population and Employment
bicycle systems in
accommodate
both future
population
changes and
employment
conditions.
Ashland's official population projection for the year 2005 is
20,000, with an employment to total population ratio of
approximately 39%. Historically, the majority of employment
has been in the service and retail sectors.
41
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
In order to maintain
quality of life, Ashland
pedestrian and bicycle
systems must keep pace
with population and
economic growth.
An addition of
2,225 people from
1995 to 2005 is
equivalent to
approximately 820
households. If
c u r r e n t
transportation
trends continue at
ten vehicle trips per
household per day,
820 new households would generate roughly 8,200 additional
vehicle trips each day.
of the tourist group to generate a significant number of vehicle
trips suggests the need to increase their walking and bicycling
trips.
Quality of life constitutes one of the most important
considerations in planning the pedestrian and bicycle systems.
Historically, the community's livability has attracted new
residents, industries and tourists to Ashland and part of this
appeal lies in the opportunity to walk or bicycle. In order to
maintain quality of life, Ashland pedestrian and bicycle systems
must keep pace with population and economic growth.
Non-Drivers
Ashland demographics vary from typical patterns in several
ways. Between now and 2005, the greatest population increase
will occur in the 35 to 65 year old age group, the mature work
force. While this trend matches existing trends in Jackson
County, the SOSC student population results in a
disproportionate amount of people in the 15 to 29 year old
age group.
The tourist population is also rather unique in Ashland. In
1988, the average daily tourist population in Ashland was
1,476, and in 1989 there were 873 traveler's accommodation
units. Even if tourists made only one-half the number of vehicle
trips made by a household, they could still generate
approximately 4,365 additional vehicle trips each day. Since
the tourist market is centered at the Shakespeare Festival and
in the downtown area, walking is a viable option. The potential
Walking and bicycling are especially important to people who
do not have automobiles. Non-drivers include school age
children, elderly residents, people with disabilities and the
poor. Almost a quarter of Jackson County residents do not
have drivers licenses37. People without drivers' licenses de-
pend on other people, or on walking, bicycling or public
transportation. Future walking and bicycling planning must
provide non-drivers with multiple transportation options.
WHERE ARE PEOPLE GOING?
Walking and bicycling trips can be grouped according to four
basic trip purposes: personal/family, social/recreational, earning
a living and civic/educational. Examining trips by purpose
indicates the importance of addressing all types of trips in
pedestrian and bicycle networks.
42
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
School and Personal Business Trips
Residents make most trips to run errands and take children to
school. According to the 1990 Nationwide Personal
Transportation Survey, the largest portion of trips (41.5%) is for
personal or
family
business such Daily Trips by Purpose
as shopping,
visits to the Personal/Family 41.5%
doctor or Social/Recreational 24.8%
dentist, or to Earning A Living 21.6%
Civic/Educational 11.4%
transport a
Other 0.7%
child to
school. Civic Nalionwide Personal Transporlation Survey, 1990
orschool- ~deral Itighway Administration
related trips
(when an
individual transports him or herself to school, such as a child
walking to school) account for another 11.4% of trips.
Approximately one-third of pedestrian miles traveled in the
United States are for school-related purposes. Ashland residents
must have the option to make school and personal business
trips by foot or bicycle. All home-to-school links should have
walkways and bikeways, and promotional and educational
activities should be provided for students and parents.
Recreational Trips
Social or recreational travel such as visiting friends, or trips to
a park, account for another 24.8% of traveP8. Social meeting
places such as coffee shops, neighborhood parks and sports
parks should be within convenient walking or bicycling distance
of residential areas.
Work Trips
While commuting to work may seem to be the day's primary
trip, only one out of five trips actually involves travel to or
from work. Less than 2% of trips involve on-the-job traveP9.
Even though commute trips comprise a modest proportion of
all trips, travel-to-work trips have typically been the focus of
daily travel statistics and many multimodal programs.
Census data shows that a significant portion of Ashland's
working population makes short work trips. Almost two-thirds
of the working population is employed in the city and travels
less than 15 minutes to work. Since Ashland is approximately
six square miles is size, the trips made by people who live and
work in the city are likely to be short enough to be within
walking or bicycling distance.
Although many of the work trips are short enough to be within
walking or bicycling distance, census data indicates that
Ashland workers drive single occupant vehicles. In fact, as a
transportation means, walking and bicycling declined
approximately 5% from 1980 to 1990. At the same time, the
number work trips made by driving alone increased by 9.6%.
In the future, the number of walking and bicycling work trips
should be increased.
43
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Working people frequently use their lunch hour and break to
run errands. They are more likely to make personal business
trips by automobile if the area around their work site is
automobile-oriented and if shopping and eating areas are distant
or inaccessible by walking. Personal business trips from the
work site on foot or bicycle should be convenient and pleasant.
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE DRIVE?
The "Decision to Walk or Bicycle" model helps identify
measures that facilitate walking and bicycling. The model
looks at the psychological, cultural and physical barriers that
encourage driving and discourage walking and bicycling.
Personal Considerations
Values, Attitudes and Habits
Many people do not seriously consider bicycling or walking
because by habit they rely on a car. Driving represented
affluence and convenience after World War II, and this attitude
became part of our national culture. As a result, driving for all
trips is now a typical nationwide pattern.
DECISION TO WALK OR BICYCLE
Values & Attitudes
Habits
Distance & Time
Family Responsibilities
Work Requirements
Traffic Safety
Weather
Topography
Facilities & Access
Route
Parking
Showers
Employer/Organization Support
Peer Support
Distance and Time
Although distances may vary in what is suitable for bicycling
or walking, it is likely that the farther one is from a destination,
the less likely one is to walk or bicycle. Distance is probably
the key factor which limits utilitarian pedestrian trips because
walking is much slower than bicycling.
44
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Studies show that utilitarian bicycle trips usually are two miles
or less, while work bicycle trips tend to be average five miles4°.
The 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey found
average length walking trips to be .6 mile and bicycling trips
to be two miles4~.
Travel time is highly valued in our society. The time people
perceive a travel mode to require directly affects their choice
to walk or bicycle. Common perceptions suggest that walking
and bicycling sacrifice time even though it frequently does
not. Walking and bicycling can save time by enabling travelers
to avoid congestion and omit finding parking--two
inconveniences associated with motorized travel.
Family Responsibilities and Work Requirements
Automobile-oriented cities and regions make driving the only
option. Needs such as transporting children at school, running
errands conveniently during the commute, using the car for
work-related meetings or having to transport heavy or bulky
items, lead people to drive. Walking and bicycling should be
options for all our daily trips, not only in the neighborhood,
but also in cities and regions.
Trip Barriers
Traffic Safety
Average
Walking and
Bicycling Speeds
Walking = 3 miles per hour
= 264 feet per minute
= 1/4 of a mile in 5 minutes
Bicycling = 10 - 12 miles per hour = 880 - 1,056 feet per minute
= 1 mile in 5 - 6 minutes
Adapted from Nelessen and federal Highway
Adminislration.
Traffic safety is most often cited as a reason for not bicycling.
Although people who regularly cycle in traffic are less fearful
than non-riders, the general perception of danger can not be
dismissed and must be changed through better facilities and
training.
Pedestrian traffic safety concerns focus on specific facilities.
Survey data suggests that sidewalks, traffic signals, pedestrian
crossings and street lighting are important pedestrian safety
concerns and determine whether or not they choose to walk42.
National safety statistics regarding pedestrians and bicyclists
are sobering. The Fatal Accident Reporting System data for
1991 recorded 6,595 pedestrians and 841 bicyclist killed in
crashes involving motor vehicles nationwide. In addition, an
estimated 109,000 pedestrians and 77,000 bicyclists were
injured in motor-vehicle-related crashes. Pedestrians and
45
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
bicyclists comprise more than 14% of all highway fatalities
each year~.
Approximately 15% of pedestrian accidents occur while the
pedestrian walks in the roadway. While a sidewalk, shoulder
or pathway would not necessarily prevent these accidents, it
would clearly reduce the accident potential in locations where
facilities do not exist~4.
Weather and Topography
Evidence suggests that rain and snow are the
greatest barriers to walking and bicycling.
Studies suggest that rain is a bigger barrier to
bicyclists than to pedestrians. Weather was
found to be a greater deterrent to fixed-schedule
trips, such as the work commute, than it was
to discretionary trips. Hills are a deterrent to
walking and bicycling because climbing is
strenuous4s. In Ashland, fall and winter weather
as well as the steep slopes south of Siskiyou
Boulevard, need to be considered in all walking and bicycling
plans.
Destination Barriers
Storage, Showers and Employer/Organization Support
People are discouraged from using a bicycle if their destination
lacks safe and adequate bicycle parking. A tack of changing
and shower facilities also deters bicycle commuting. Pedestrians
and bicyclists need support and encouragement from
employers, businesses, schools and the larger community. In
order to make walking and bicycling viable travel options,
residents need flexibility to adjust work and school schedules
Pedestrians and
bicyclists ...
must be able to cross
barriers...
for daylight travel, and to have other forms of
transportation available in case of emergencies.
Peer Support
some professions and social groups consider
utilitarian bicycling to be inappropriate.
Potential riders cite dress requirements as a
reason to eliminate bicycling as a method to
travel to work and school. Walking and
bicycling should be eventually viewed as acceptable and even
fashionable modes of transportation.
Facilities, Access and Route
Pedestrians and bicyclists need walkways and bikeways that
are clean, free of obstructions and continuous. They must be
able to cross barriers such as freeways, railroad rights-of-way,
busy streets and waterways. Connectivity of travel routes is as
important as having a physical place to travel. Fragmented
systems are a serious impediment to convenient travel.
ENCOURAGING WALKING AND BICYCLING
THROUGH DESIGN
Walking and bicycling can be encouraged by providing mixed-
use areas and by making the pedestrian environment more
hospitable. Creating sidewalks and bikeways alone will not
sharply increase the numbers of walking and bicycling trips.
People probably will not walk five miles along a five-lane high
46
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
speed boulevard to go to the store even if a sidewalk leads all
the way there. 1-hey will be much more likely to walk and
bicycle if the distance is reasonable and the environment is
attractive.
In a study of the pedestrian environment in the Portland
Metropolitan Region, walking and bicycling were found be as
Iow as 2.2% in uninviting pedestrian environments and as high
as 7.4% in areas rated high as a pedestrian environment. The
pedestrian environment factor is based on ease of street
crossings, sidewalk continuity, local street characteristics (grid
vs. cul-de-sac) and topography. Similarly, daily vehicle miles
traveled (VMT) per household decreased from 38.3 in areas
with the lowest pedestrian environment factor to 18.0 in areas
with the highest pedestrian environment factor. Daily vehicle
trips per household decreased from 6.5 to 5.746.
Mixed Uses
Mixed use is a temq describing a heterogeneous mixture of
commercial, retail, residential and light industrial uses in
individual or interconnected buildings. Traditional single-use
zoning strictly segregates commercial areas from residential
areas. In addition, residential zones are separated by density
per acre--a situation which creates a monotonous environment
when subdivisions of similar size houses are placed on equally-
sized lots.
Mixing land uses, housing and jobs reduces traffic by locating
residences close to shopping, entertainment and job centers.
Because trips are short, walking and bicycling are attractive
transportation methods in the mixed-use environment.
Architect and Urban Designer Anton Clarence Nelessen
suggests that every neighborhood should have a mixed-use
core that is one-quarter mile from the periphery. This design
is based on that of urban areas built prior to World War II
when walking and bicycling were more prevalent. The core
should contain office and retail uses to be utilized by residents
on a daily basis. If possible, cores should be located where
the largest number of jobs occur. Housing density is usually
highest at the core and lowest at the neighborhood periphery.
Walkways and bikeways must connect all neighborhoods to
the larger downtown core47.
47
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
The Pedestrian Environment
When asked to identify the most likeable qualities of the
pedestrian environment, respondents to a survey identified the
following (listed in order of popularity):
trees and landscaping
parks, open space
quiet streets and sidewalks
shade on hot days
historic buildings/neighborhoods
safety from crime
benches, places to resda .
When asked to identify the most unappealing qualities, they
identified the following (listed in order of importance):
air pollution/car exhaust
litter and garbage
dangerous street crossings
traffic noise
poorly maintained sidewalks
skateboarders on sidewalks
panhandlers
cyclists on sidewalks.
The pedestrian environ-
ment consists of the
path and the area
around and above it.
Walking's slow pace al-
lows the pedestrian to
absorb much more of
the surrounding envi-
ronment than motorists
can. As a result, fea-
tures which appeal to
the senses make walk-
ing a more attractive
option.
Streets are typically de-
signed for automobiles which isolate their drivers from the
physical street environment. As a result, street design tends to
neglect creation of an attractive pedestrian environment. Street
design needs to create appealing pedestrian environments in
order to increase the number of walking trips made.
Convenience of travel, safety from vehicles and an interesting
environment must all be addressed in the physical design of
the pedestrian path. These pedestrian needs are ensured on
what Lennertz and Coyle describe as transportation balanced
streets. These streets have narrow driving lanes, tight curb
turning radii at corners, a buffer of on-street parking, planting
strips between car lanes, and sidewalks and building front
doors and windows at the sidewalk and street. ~fraffic calming
48
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
measures may be necessary on neighborhood streets which
experience high traffic flows.
Grid street patterns enhance the pedestrian environment by
providing people with many connections between destinations.
Small blocks in a grid pattern are much more conducive to
walking than are large blocks with cul-de-sac streets. Block
perimeters of 1,200 to 1,600 feet provide convenient pedestrian
circulation.
Pedestrian environment design must account for different types
of walking trips. People's willingness to walk varying dis-
tances depends on the situation. Studies show people will
walk two to three minutes (one-eighth mile), from a parked car
to the entrance of their destination. In a neighborhood, or an
employment area, people will walk five minutes (one-quarter
mile), from the core to the periphery. People will walk about
twice as far--ten minutes (one half-mile) to get to school or to
work4g.
The pedestrian environment must have human scale proportions
and perceptionss°. Nelessen defines the human scale as the
relationship between the dimensions of the human body and
the proportion of the spaces people use. Adults are about six
feet tall with an arm span of equal distance and travel at about
three miles an hour. Conversely, automobiles are about six
feet wide, twelve to fifteen feet long and travel about ten to
100 miles per hours~. Clearly, spaces that feel comfortable to
people are much smaller than those designed for automobiles.
Streets must be designed for the pedestrian as well as to
accommodate motor vehicles.
49
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE
GOALS AND POLICIES
GOAL I: TO RAISE THE PRIORITY OF CONVENIENT,
SAFE, ACCESSIBLE AND ATTRACTIVE
WALKING AND BICYCLING NETWORKS.
Policies:
I. Provide walkways and bikeways that are integrated
into the transportation system.
2. Incorporate pedestrian and bicycle facility needs
into all planning, design, construction and
maintenance activities of the City of Ashland
3. Provide walkways and bikeways in conjunction
with all land divisions, street construction and
reconstruction projects and all commercial,
industrial and residential developments.
4. Require pedestrian and bicycle easements to
provide neighborhood connectors and reduce
vehicle trips. Modify street vacation process so
pedestrian and bicyclist through access is
maintained.
5. Target walkway and bikeway improvements that
link neighborhoods, schools, retail and service
areas, employment centers and recreation areas.
6. Use design standards that create convenient, safe,
accessible and attractive walkways and bikeways.
7. Design walkways and bikeways for all types of
users including people with disabilities, children
and the elderly.
8. Require sidewalks and pedestrian access in all
developments.
9. Require wide sidewalks in retail areas.
10. Require planting strips and street trees between
the roadway and the sidewalk to buffer pedestrians
from vehicles.
1 I. Require secure, sheltered bicycle parking in
business developments, institutions, duplexes and
multi-family developments.
12. Design street intersections to facilitate pedestrian
and bicycle travel by using design features such
as, but not limited to, raised medians and islands,
curb extensions, colored, textured and/or raised
crosswalks, minimum necessary curb radii,
pedestrian crossing push buttons, left and right bike
turn lanes, signal loop detectors in bike lanes and
signal timing conducive to pedestrian and bicycle
travel speeds.
13. Design intersections with equal attention to
pedestrian, bicyclist and motorist safety. Identify
existing intersections that are dangerous for
pedestrians and bicyclists, and develop plan for
redesign of unsafe areas.
14. Develop maintenance program to keep walkways
and bikeways smooth, clean and free of
obstructions.
15. Pedestrian Traffic should be separated from auto
traffic on streets and in parking lots.
16. Encourage the establishment of a Community-
owned Bicycle Program, allowing the provision of
"loaner" bikes throughout the community for
residents, commuters and tourists.
50
GOAL II:
Policies:
1.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE
INCREASED LEVELS OF WALKING AND
BICYCLING.
GOAL III: EMPHASIZE ENVIRONMENTS WHICH
ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE
USAGE.
Policies:
Promote decreased auto use and increased walking,
bicyclir~g, public transportation, ride sharing and
other transportation demand management
techniques.
Develop and implement a transportation safety
education program.
Increase enforcement of pedestrian and bicycle
traffic safety laws. Target motorists, pedestrians and
bicyclists.
Increase neighborhood use of Sidewalk LID
Prograrr~.
Encourage employer commuter programs to
promote walking, bicycling, public transit, ride
sharing and other transportation demand
management techniques.
Encourage businesses to inform customers of
available non-auto access to the business locations
and to support customer use of non-auto access.
Establish aggressive but realistic performance
targets for increasing walking and bicycling trips
(for personal business, school, social and work).
I. Maintain and improve Ashland's compact urban
form to allow maximum pedestrian and bicycle
travel.
2. Promote a mixed land use pattern, where
appropriate, and pedestrian environment design
that supports walking and bicycling trips.
3. Develop street design standards that outline street
widths, curb radii and other pedestrian environment
factors which facilitate walking and bicycling.
4. Use traffic calming tools to create a safe, convenient
and attractive pedestrian and bicycle environment
to slow speeds, reduce street widths and interrupt
traffic as appropriate in each particular location.
5. Establish a street tree program to plant more trees
on existing streets and to promote/monitor street
tree care throughout Ashland.
6. Identify areas needing pedestrian and bicycle
amenities, such as rest rooms, benches, pocket parks
and drinking fountains, and develop installation
and funding plan.
7. Encourage public art along multi-modal travel
corridors.
51
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
GOAL IV: TO DEDICATE FUNDING AND STAFF
SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENT THE GOALS AND
POLICIES OF THIS SECTION.
Policies:
1. Identify funding sources for walking and bicycling
promotion, planning and facilities construction.
2. Investigate the creation of the role of transportation
coordinator to facilitate a viable multi-modal
transportation network and achieve Ashland's
transportation goals.
3. Develop transportation program using a
comprehensive approach with planning and
engineering, education, enforcement and
encouragement components.
4. Support participation by all City staff involved in
creating the transportation network in educational
programs covering transportation planning, design
and engineering.
5. Consistently incorporate pedestrian and bicycle
facilities in the City of Ashland Capital Improvement
Plan.
52
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
PUBLIC TRANSIT,ub.,c Transit, like walking
and bicycling, constitutes an important transportation alternative
to the automobile. Ashland has consistently encouraged public
transportation as an integral part of it's transportation goals.
Because of that commitment, public transportation in Ashland
has a relatively high level of use compared with other areas in
the Rogue Valley. In fact, the Ashland bus routes accounted
for 51% of the Rogue Valley Transportation District's (RVTD)
total ridership between July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994.
In cooperation with Southern Oregon State College (SOSC)
and Rogue Valley Transportation District
(RVTD), the City developed the Reduced
Fare Program and SOSC Student Pass
Program. The Reduced Fare Program,
funded by the City, reduces the fare on all
bus trips within Ashland city limits to 25
cents per ride. This program increased
ridership by 3,000 trips per month within
the Ashland city limits. The SOSC Student
· Pass Program allows all students to ride the
bus for free anywhere in the district service area. Students
simply show their student identification to the driver for passage.
This program is funded by student fees.
The City must continually find ways to expand public
transportation use in Ashland, for the automobile remains the
most popular travel mode. The number of Ashland residents
driving alone to work increased 9.6% from 1980 to 1990. At
the same time, 3% fewer Ashland residents used public
transportation to get to work. Overall, approximately 1% of
the working population uses public transit to commute. This
means that only 78 of the 7,759 Ashland workers aged 16
and over regularly use RVTD services to get to works2.
On an average day, a person boarding one of the RVTD buses
on an Ashland route will find that over one-half of the seats
are empty. Although Ashland bus routes
Ashland bus routes
accounted for 51% of the
Rogue Valley Transportation
District's (RVTD)
total ridership between
July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994.
generated 51% of RVTD's total ridership
from July 1, 1993 to June 30, 1994, they
run on average at 16.2% of total capacity.
Two out of five Ashland residents (43%)
used public transportation in 1993
according to the Public Awareness and
Perception Study completed in Spring
1994 by Laurel Research for RVTD. No
single use dominated the public transportation trips. However,
65% of ridership is centered on commuting to work, school,
and shopping.
This unique partnership between the City of Ashland, SOSC
and RVTD resulted in increased use of the public transit system
in Ashland. Continued involvement by the City with RVTD is
essential to assuring the current level of service and improving
the future system.
EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES
Rogue Valley Transportation District: Service Area
and Governance
The Rogue Valley Transportation District is Jackson County's
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
regional mass transit resource. The District, which covers
approximately 159 square miles, includes the incorporated
cities of Medford, Ashland, Central Point, Jacksonville, Talent
and Phoenix, and the unincorporated community of White
City. The District serves approximately 122,000 residents who
live within its jurisdiction.
Created in 1975, RVTD is an Oregon special district. It is
supported by revenues from a property tax levy, state and
federal grants, advertising fees and fares paid by passengers.
The Oregon legislature established the Elderly and Disabled
Special Transportation Fund (STF) during the 1984-1985 session.
The fu~d is to help provide adequate transportation services to
those who are disabled, are age 60 or over, or both. The
local advisory committee for Jackson County called the Special
Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC), recommends how
STF funds should be distributed. The RVTD Board of Directors
is the local governing body that takes STAC recommendations
and distributes the funding locally among service providers.
In the past, STF funds have been used to fund the Coupon
Connection program, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program's
Call-A-Ride, the Ashland Senior Program and the Upper Rogue
Community Center.
RVTD offers five services--fixed-route bus service, valley feeder,
coupon connection, valley rideshare and the alternative
transportation program. ^ description of each service follows.
Fixed-Route Bus Service
The fixed-route bus service is the most recognized RVTD service.
Ten fixed routes totaling approximately 210 miles operate
regularly district wide. Passenger miles traveled annually exceed
2.5 million. Most bus routes operate Monday through Saturday.
On work days, certain routes feature early morning and late-
evening commuter service. Fares are discounted for the elderly
(62 years or older), the disabled and children 6 to 12 years
old.
Ashland Bus Routes
Four fixed-routes directly serve Ashland. Route 5 and Route 6
are the Ashland Loop routes. They provide service within
Ashland to the Downtown Plaza, Ashland Library, Ashland
Shopping Center, Tolman Creek Plaza, SOSC and Ashland
Hills Inn. Route 10 and Route 15 provide transportation
between Ashland and the Front Street Transfer Station in
Medford. Route 10 turns around in Ashland south of the
Plaza at Oak Street. Route 15 replaces Route 10 and the
Loop Routes during the early morning and evening
"commuting" hours.
Service Schedule
Every 15 minutes an RVTD bus arrives at each RVTD stop
within Ashland. From Medford to Ashland, there is a 30 minute
service frequency.
Ashland does not have an official transfer station. However,
riders coming into Ashland from the north on Route 10 and
Route 15 can catch the Ashland Loop routes, Route 5 and
Route 6 at the Ashland Plaza bus stop. Currently, no park
and ride facilities exist in Ashland.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Route 5 and Route 6 run on 30 minute schedules. It takes a
bus leaving the Ashland Plaza stop 30 minutes to make all
stops along the loop and return once again to the Ashland
Plaza stop. Route 10 runs on a 70 minute schedule. A one-
way trip from the Ashland Plaza to Front Street Transfer Station
in Medford on Route 10 takes approximately 30 minutes. Route
15 runs on a 78 minute schedule. Route 15 includes the 30
minute trip to Medford (Route 10) plus the Ashland Loop route
(Routes 5 and 6).
Bus Stops
There are 46 bus stops throughout Ashland, 21 for northbound
routes and 25 for south bound routes. The amenities offered
at the bus stops range from a pole and a sign to a covered
waiting area with a bench. Eleven bus stops have covered
waiting areas.
R VTD Fleet
In Spring 1995, the majority of the fleet was converted to
buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) for fuel. The RVTD
fleet includes 16 buses: 11 CNG vehicles and 5 diesel fuel
vehicles. All of the CNG buses are equipped with bike racks.
Prior to the conversion to CNG buses, the fleet operated at
15.8% of total capacity on the Ashland routes. Based on
1993/1994 ridership figures, the CNG fleet runs at approxi-
mately 40% of total capacity on Ashland routes.
Bike racks on buses make multi-mode trips possible.
55
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Ridership Volumes
Approximately 51% of RVTD ridership was generated by the
Ashland bus routes in fiscal year 1993/1994. A total number
of 69,320 boardings were made on Route 5, 246,480
boardings on Route 10 and 96,266 on Route 15. Because
Route 6 was relatively new (instituted in July 1994), ridership
data was not available at this writing.
Routes 5, 10 and 15 are in heaviest use during the evening
peak hour - 3:00 p.m to 5:50 p.m. Ridership on Route 6 is
comparable to Route 5 during the
evening peak hour, but has the
most use during the midday from
9:00 a.m to 2:59 p.m. The aver-
age trip length on Route 5 and 6 is
approximately 1.9 miles, and the
average trip length on Route 10
and 15 is approximately 6.4 miles.
Valley Feeder
The Valley Feeder program is a
shuttle service that delivers people
to the nearest RVTD bus stop from
designated stops near where they
live or work. Persons needing transportation in a Valley Feeder
Service Area call the service number, and a dispatcher arranges
to have a Valley Feeder taxi meet them at a designated pickup
point. Valley Feeder stops are identified by distinctive green
and white signs. If a person needs a shuttle on their return trip
from a bus stop to a Valley Feeder Service Area, they tell the
bus driver when boarding, and the bus driver arranges to have
a Valley Feeder taxi meet the rider at the designated pickup
point. Valley Feeder clients do not have to pay for the shuttle
service ride, but pay the regular bus fare once they board the
RVTD bus.
The Valley Feeder program enables RVTD to deliver reliable
transit service into neighborhoods where it isn't practical or
economically feasible to operate a full-size transit bus. There
are six existing Valley Feeder Service Areas in Jackson County:
the Lower Table Rock Road area
Purpose of Public Transit Trips
for Ashland Residents
Commuting to/from work... 27%
Travel to school/college... 14%
To go shopping... 24%
Travel to recreation... 11%
To visit friends... 11%
To medical care... 0%
Special events... 11%
Other... 3%
(from 'Public Awareness and Perceptiol~ Study', Spring
1994, by Laurel Research for RVTD)
east of Central Point, the Sage Road
area in northwest Medford, the
Upper Table Rock Road area and
White City area in White City, the
Brookdale area near Providence
Hospital and the Kings Highway
area in southwest Medford. In
fiscal year 1993/1994, 4,925
Valley Feeder trips serviced 9,254
passengers. Presently, there are
no Valley Feeder Service Areas in
Ashland.
Coupon Connection
The Coupon Connection program is a service for people whose
disability or age may prevent them from using a bus or from
traveling to a bus stop. This program is considered "comparable
paratransit service" under the America~rs with Disabilities Act
(ADA).
56
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
The program uses local taxis under contract with RVTD. People
who meet the eligibility requirements receive coupons that
they use to pay for their taxi trips. Coupon Connection clients
make arrangement for their trips with the local taxi company
of their choice. Ride requests can be made from up to 14
days in advance to within an hour of a rider's appointment.
Coupon Connection service is available from any origin to any
destination within the RVTD service area.
In fiscal year 1993/1994, there were 1,921 Coupon Connection
rides made by 137 Ashland residents. Districtwide, 38,167
Coupon Connection rides were provided in the same time
period.
Valley Rideshare
Through the Valley Rideshare program, RVTD provides detailed
information and planning support to Jackson County residents
and employers interested in carpooling and vanpooling
programs. Workplace surveys help match employees interested
in sharing rides. Approximately 40 people are enrolled district
wide in the Valley Rideshare program.
Alternative Transportation Program
RVTD's Alternative Transportation staff provides information
and referrals regarding various transportation services, activities
and organizations. RVTD is also a regional clearinghouse for
information about telecommuting. Telecommuting enables
employees to work from home using telephone and computer
equipment as an alternative to commuting daily by car.
Future transportation projects, including public transit projects,
currently planned and funded are described in Appendix A.
PUBLIC TRANSIT NEEDS
As with other transportation concerns, Ashland citizens gathered
at several neighborhood meetings held by the City between
February and April, 1994. At these meetings, residents
contributed many ideas for public transit facility and service
improvements. Appendix B includes a complete set of
comments expressed at the neighborhood meetings concerning
public transit.
Among them were several common ideas which indicate
specific areas of concern. People were interested in new
connections within the city to the Ashland Hospital and nearby
medical offices, on East Main Street and Walker Avenue and
to neighborhoods. A park and ride, an express commute
service between Ashland and Medford, daily routes to Grants
Pass and Yreka and an interstate bus depot were identified as
regional needs. Residents suggested extending service hours
to the evening and to Sundays and expanding the frequency
of service in the downtown area during the tourist season.
Regionally, bus stops were described as needing such
improvements such as shelter from the weather, maps and bus
schedules on-site, lighting, drinking fountains, bathrooms,
telephones and newspaper machines.
The future viability of public transit in Ashland is dependent
on two factors. One involves Ashland residents' perception of
public transportation. The other factor concerns tangible
57
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
improvements, such as adding new routes and amenities to
bus stops and providing shuttle service to outlying
neighborhoods.
Perception of Public Transit
As discussed earlier in this document, Ashland citizens must
change their priorities in order to make public transportation
...over one-half of
Ashland residents
do not see the bus
as an alternative to
driving their cars.
more viable. In the 1980s
although the population
increased 8.5%, the
number of vehicle trips
increased by 39%. When
surveyors asked people
living in Ashland why they
hadn't used public
transportation, 46% said "1
drive my own car" and 10% said "1 don't have a need for it."
Only 29% of respondents cited reasons such as "inconvenient
times, not available in the area or too expensiveS3."
These figures suggest that over one-half of Ashland residents
do not see the bus as an alternative to driving their cars.
Ashland residents think of public transportation as a product
of necessity, not choice, and they only ride the bus when
their car is not available.
Unfortunately, Ashland residents see RVTD services as being
good for other people in the community, but not necessarily
as being advantageous for their own families and businesses.
While 56% of Ashland residents rate RVTD services as
excellent or as a good value to the community, only 24%
rated RVTD services as high value to their families, and
only 19% rated RVTD services as high value to their
businesses.
The RVTD Board of Directors has long directed services and
promotional activities toward non-drivers -- those who are
unable to drive a car or who do not have access to a car.
Providing access to this core group is important and should
be considered the very minimum level of service. Future
efforts however, should concentrate on persuading people
who have and drive personal automobiles to become public
transportation users. The public perception of public transit
as a "product of necessity" needs to be shifted to public
transit as a "product of choice." The City should work with
RVTD to expand the range of users while maintaining the
minimum level of service.
Facility and Service Improvements
Current and future facility and service needs for Ashland and
the entire RVTD service are outlined in the district's Ten Year
Community Transportation Plan for 1996 to 2006. Although
RVTD is directly responsible for identifying and addressing
the needs, the City of Ashland has been an active partner in
facilitating this process. In the interest of viable public transit,
the City will continue to work with RVTD and SOSC.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
PUBLIC TRANSIT GOALS AND POLICIES
GOAL:
TO CREATE A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM THAT IS LINKED TO PEDESTRIAN,
BICYCLE AND MOTOR VEHICLE TRAVEL
MODES, AND IS AS EASY AND EFFICIENT TO
USE AS DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE.
Policies:
1. Develop pedestrian and bicycle networks that
are linked to the public transportation routes.
2. Zoning shall allow for residential densities and a
mix of commercial businesses within walking
distance (one-quarter to one-half mile) of existing
and planned public transit services which support
use of public transportation.
3. Work with the local public transit provider to
provide service within one-fourth of a mile of
every home in Ashland.
4. Promote and support express commuter service
between cities in the Rogue Valley.
5. Incorporate needs of people who don't drive
when developing transit routes and facilities.
6. Provide pleasant, clean, safe, comfortable shelters
along transit lines.
7. Require residential and commercial development
within one-quarter of a mile of existing or future
public transit services to provide transit shelters,
bus access, and bus turnaround areas.
8. Install bike racks or lockers at transit stops.
9. Identify park and ride, bike and ride and walk
and ride lots in Ashland to support ridesharing.
10. Develop a transportation center in Ashland.
Il. Encourage promotional and educational activities
that encourage people who own cars and school
children to use public transit.
12. Work with the local public transit provider to
address the specific public transportation needs
of Ashland.
13. Participate and show leadership in interacting
with counties, cities and other special
governments in Southern Oregon to develop
regional public transportation services to reduce
the frequency and length of vehicular trips.
14. Establish aggressive but realistic performance
targets for increasing public transit use for the
short, medium and long run.
59
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
COMMERCIAL FREIGHT AND
PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION
Commercial freight and passenger transportation in and
connecting to Ashland takes place via the air, rail, water,
pipeline and highway systems. Air, rail, water, pipeline and
highway freight transportation are discussed below. Public
passenger transportation is discussed in the Public Transit
section.
AIR TRANSPORTATION
Ashland Municipal Airport
holds an operating agreement with a fixed base operator to
administer tie-down and hangar rents, fuel flowage fees, etc.
The airport was established at its current site in the 1940s. The
airstrip was developed by Sumner Parker, a local pilot, and
leased to the City of Ashland for use as a public airport. The
City continued to lease the property and make improvements
to the airfield into the 1960s. In 1964, the City purchased the
airstrip and the property surrounding it, and received Federal
approval of the site. At that time, the airport was renamed
Ashland Municipal Airport - Sumner Parker Field. For a
complete description of existing airport facilities, see chapter 3
of the Airport Master Plan.
Ashland Municipal Airport is located on approximately 94
acres, 3 miles northeast of downtown Ashland at the extreme
eastern boundary of the city limits. Airport elevation is at
1,894 feet mean sea level (MSL). Access to the airport is
provided by Dead Indian Memorial Road, which connects to
East Main Street. Interstate 5 is located one-half mile west of
the airport, with access provided via Greensprings Highway.
The airport is bordered on the east, west and south by sloping
valley lands surrounded by rising mountainous terrain.
The Ashland Municipal Airport is classed as a general aviation
airport by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). General
aviation includes every type of civil flying other than the certified
air carriers -- business, commercial, instructional and personal.
Ashland Municipal Airport is owned and operated by the City
of Ashland under the Department of Public Works. The City
The City, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT), under a Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) grant, retained SFC Engineering Company to update the
Airport Master Plan to determine airport facilities required to
serve the vicinity through the year 2012. The City Council
adopted the plan as a supporting document to the
Comprehensive Plan on March 2, 1993.
Aviation demand forecasts from the Airport Master Plan indicate
airport operations will grow at a relatively modest rate through
the year 2012. Based on the forecasts and an inventory of the
existing facilities, the plan includes an airport layout and capital
improvement plan for recommended airport improvements to
meet forecast aviation demand during the 20-year planning
period. Recommended improvements include the
development of new hangar facilities, aircraft storage and
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
business-oriented aviation activity, addition of airport security
fencing around the perimeter of the airport, construction of a
helicopter landing area, provision of a nonprecision instrument
approach, and upgrading of runway edge lighting from Iow to
medium intensity.
The Airport Master Plan is the ruling document concerning
airport development and is hereby adopted by reference. Any
transportation system improvements involving air transportation
or development which may impact or be impacted by the
Ashland Municipal Airport should consult the Airport Master
Plan for the City of Ashland, October 1992.
Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport
The Rogue Valley International - Medford Airport provides the
nearest scheduled commercial service carriers for passengers
and/or freight, approximately 16 miles northwest of Ashland.
The airport provides both air carrier and regional air service to
cities throughout the Northwest and connections to larger
markets and beyond. The airport lies on 989 acres within the
city limits of Medford, and approximately three miles north of
the central business district of Medford on Biddle Road near
Interstate 5.
The airport was established at its current site in 1940. It was a
military airport and was turned over to the City of Medford at
the end of World War II. In 1971, Jackson County became
responsible for the airport's operation. In January 1995, the
airport was designated as a foreign trade zone and became an
international point of entry.
Other Facilities
Other air facilities in the region include a public general airport
and Air National Guard Base in Klamath Falls, and small strips
in Shady Cove, Beagle and Cave Junction. Klamath Falls and
Coos Bay are also recognized as foreign trade zones.
RAIL TRANSPORTATION ~o~a~ ~
The Siskiyou Line of the Southern Pacific Rail System runs
from Springfield, Oregon through Roseburg, Grants Pass, Central
Point, Medford, Phoenix, Talent and Ashland. The portion of
the line running south from Ashland through the Siskiyou
Mountains to Montague, California, is known as the Black Butte
Line. Both lines are limited to the transport of freight. At the
time of this writing, the Siskiyou and Black Butte lines were
owned by Rail Tex and operated by Central Oregon and Pacific
Railroad, Inc. (COPR), a subsidiary of Rail Tex.
Ashland citizens gathered to discuss transportation concerns
at several neighborhood meetings held by the City between
February and April, 1994. At these meetings, residents
expressed a desire to have commuter rail service between
Ashland and Grants Pass. Appendix B includes a complete set
of comments expressed at the neighborhood meetings.
An analysis conducted for the Rogue Valley Regional
Transportation Plan found land use development based on
current zoning projected to be at densities that are too Iow to
support a commuter rail service. (The Rogue Valley Regional
Transportation Plan is the long-range transportation plan for
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
the Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization, a
geographic area established by the Governor encompassing
Medford, Central Point, Phoenix and White City.) As stated in
the Street System Section, alternatives such as commuter rail
service cannot succeed if an auto-oriented Iow-density
development pattern continues throughout the region. Regional
land use patterns must change so that non-auto travel modes
can be viable options in the tuture.
WATER TRANSPORTATION ~
The rivers in Southwest Oregon are used primarily for
recreational purposes such as river rafting, fishing and kayaking.
The largest river in the area is the Rogue River, with sections
protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Water
transportation is not feasible on the Rogue River and small
water sources such as Bear Creek.
The Port of Coos Bay, located approximately 178 miles
northwest of Ashland, is an international/national shipping
facility and is the closest Oregon port to Ashland. The Oregon
Transportation Plan identifies the Port of Coos Bay as a major
intermodal hub facility. (The Oregon Transportation Plan defines
an intermodal hub as a facility where two or more modes of
transportation interact so that people and/or goods can be
transferred from one mode to another, for example, from a bus
to an airplane or from a truck to a train.) The port serves as a
link to the international marketplace with access to multi-modal
connections, including air and rail freight service.
PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION
WP Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Washington Water and Power,
serves Jackson County with a 10-inch steel high pressure main
from its origin at the Grants Pass terminus of the Northwest
Pipeline transmission facility. The pipeline is located in the
Interstate 5 corridor.
At the time of this writing, a new WP gas transmission from
Klamath Falls to Ashland was under construction. The new
line is intended to increase capacity and thereby meet
increasing demand for service in the greater Southern Oregon
region. For further information, refer to the Oregon Pipeline
Transportation Plan.
HIGHWAY FREIGHT ~7~~
TRANSPORTATION
Highway freight transportation is the movement of goods and
services by truck. The key to providing effective freight
movement is an boulevard and avenue street system that can
support truck traffic and has continuous connections within
the city and to intermodal hubs and interregional routes. The
Oregon Transportation Plan suggests streets used for freight
transportation should provide a Level of Service C (LOS C)
during off-peak periods.
Trucks are permitted to use all boulevard and avenue streets in
Ashland, with the exception of Oak Street, which has weight
limitations. Highway freight transportation in the Rogue Valley
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
metropolitan planning region is concentrated along designated
truck routes. These designated truck routes include Interstate
5, Crater Lake Highway and Lake of the Woods Highway.
As Ashland's future street network is planned, truck access to
the city from the north and south and circulation of truck traffic
within the city needs to be reviewed. The provision of truck
facilities should be considered in conjunction with the goals
and policies of the Economic Element of the Ashland
Comprehensive Plan. The Economic Element encourages a
diverse economy that retains Ashland's high quality
environment. Clearly, the type of truck facilities the City
provides needs to n~atch the type, size and freight requirements
of current and future businesses in Ashland. On a regional
and state basis, truck travel needs to be coordinated with
highway freight systems outlined in th'e Rogue Valley Regional
Transportation Plan, Oregon Transportation Plan and Oregon
Highway Plan.
Future transportation projects currently planned and funded
are described in Appendix A.
COMMERCIAL FREIGHT AND PASSENGER
TRANSPORTATION GOALS AND POLICIES
GOALS:
TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
MOVEMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND
PASSENGERS BY AIR, RAIL, WATER,
PIPELINE AND HIGHWAY FREIGHT
TRANSPORTATION WHILE MAINTAINING
THE HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE OF ASHLAND.
Policies:
1. Review development within the Airport Overlay
Zone to ensure compatibility with the Ashland
Municipal Airport.
2. Explore intracity commuter rail service on existing
rail lines.
3. Mitigate railroad noise through the use of berming
and landscaping in developments adjacent to the
railroad and which are impacted by railroad noise.
4. Maintain boulevard and avenue street facilities
adequate for truck travel within Ashland.
5. Coordinate with County, regional, State and Federal
jurisdictions to maintain and develop intermodal
hubs which allow goods and passengers to move
from truck or automobile to rail to ship or plane.
6. Encourage the use of rail transport for the
movement of goods and passengers as a means of
conserving energy and reducing reliance on the
automobile.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
SUMMARY In the preceding five sections, the
Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan has
examined many of the critical issues that face Ashland as it
plans a viable and livable future. As the population grows in
coming decades, pedestrian, bicycle, public transit and motor
vehicle transportation will figure prominently in decisions that
affect the community's quality of life. As stated earlier in this
document, the Transportation Element is intended as a guide
to Ashland's development in residential, commercial and
industrial neighborhoods, and it offers the groundwork for sound
transportation planning. The joint efforts of citizens, planning
staff and government representatives should ensure that
thoughtful decisions are made and implemented for the future.
64
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
NOTES
1. p. 186, Nelessen, Anton Clarence. Visions for a New
American Dream. Chicago: Planners Press, American
Planning Association, 1994.
2. p. 1, Institute of Transportation Engineers. Residential
Street Design and Traffic Control. New Jersey: Perentice
Hall, 1989.
3. p. 5, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
4. p. 16, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
S. p. 134, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
6. Cevero, Robert and Carolyn Radish. Transportation Effect
o[ Neo-Traditional Neighborhoods. Institute of Urban
and Regional Development, University of California,
Berkeley.
7. p. 137, Haar, Charles M. and Jerold S. Kayden, eds.
Zoning and the American Dream. Chicago: Planners
Press, American Planning Association, 1989.
8. p. 29, Nelessen.
9. p. xii, Nelessen.
10. p. xii, Nelessen.
11. pp. 40-41, Nelessen.
12. p. 40, Nelessen.
13. p. 40, Nelessen.
14~ p. 16, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
15. p. 16, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
65
16. p. 210, Nelessen.
17. p. 65, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
18. p. 49, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
19. p. 28, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
20. p. 134, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
21. p. 17, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
22. p. 4, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
23. p. 49, Institute of Transportation Engineers.
24. p. 38, City of Portland, Maine. A Time of Change:
Portland Transportation Plan.
25. p. 44, Institute of Transportation Engineering.
26. pp. 43-44, Institute of Transportation Engineering.
27. p. 1, c-Tram A New Way to Grow: Building Communities
[or People.
28. p. 3, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program. Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Public Review Draft, December 1994.
29. p. 2, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
30. pp. 2-3, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle
and Pedestrian Program.
31. p. 12, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
32. p. 12, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
33. p. 12, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: ~ransportation
34. p. 12, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
35. p. 13, Oregon Department of Transportation, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program.
36. pp. 10-11, Federal HighwayAdministration. The National
Bicycling and Walking Study: Transportation Choices for
a Changing America. Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office.
37. p. 43, Federal Highway Administration. Case Study No.
1: Reasons Why Bicycling and Walking Are and Are
Not Used More Extensively as Travel Modes. Washington,
DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
38. pp. 10-11, Federal Highway Administration. The National
Bicycling and Walking Study.
39. pp. 10-11, Federal Highway Administration. The National
Bicycling and Walking Study.
40. pp. 6-7, Federal Highway Administration. Case Study
No. 1.
41. p. 11, Federal Highway Administration. The National
Bicycling and Walking Study.
42. p. 12, Federal Highway Administration. Case Study
No. 1.
43. p. 36, Federal Highway Administration. National Bicycling
and Walking Study.
44. p. 23, Transportation Research Board. Planning and
Implementing Pedestrian Facilities in Suburban and
Developing Rural Areas.
45. p. 10, Federal Highway Administration.
No. 1.
Case Study
46. pp. 17-25, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc.
with Cambridge Systematics, Inc. and Calthorpe Associates.
The Pedestrian Environment. Making the Land Use Air
Quality Connection. 1000 Friends of Oregon, 1993.
47. p. 18 and pp. 2340235, Nelessen.
48. pp.27-28, Federal Highway Administration. The National
Bicycling and Walking Study.
49. pp. 154-155, Nelessen.
50. p. 135, Nelessen.
51. p. 136, Nelessen.
52. Murphy, Michael R and Karen Seidel. Oregon Census
Abstract. July 1993.
53. laurel Research. Public Awareness and Perception Study.
Spring 1994.
66
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
APPENDIX A: COMMITTED FACILITIES
Committed facilities, as defined by the Oregon Transportation
Planning Rule, are proposed transportation facilities and
programs that have approved funding. The following section
summarizes the committed facilities in place at the time of
writing.
CITY AND STATE TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
The City Capital Improvements Plan, 1996-97 Through 2001-
02, includes 15 transportation projects. Status in the Oregon
Department of Transportation (ODOT) 1996-1998 Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program is noted for projects
involving the State. The construction and funding of projects
on state highways is largely determined by ODOT. Further
project details and costs are detailed in the City of Ashland
Capital Improvements Plan, 1996-97 through 2001-2002 and
the 1996-1998 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
Sidewalk Installation Throughout the City -- This
project includes design and construction of side-
walk facilities throughout Ashland. The purpose is
to provide greater continuity in the sidewalk system.
Ashland Street Redesign -- This project includes side-
walk expansion and landscape improvements be-
ginning a t the intersection of Siskiyou Boulevard and
Ashland Street. The purpose of the project is to
increase pedestrian and bicycle use of the area.
Bikeway from Railroad Park to Shamrock Lane --
Construction of a 1.3 mile bicycle/pedestrian path
adjacent to the railroad tracks. The purpose is to
provide a safe pathway through the city for bicy-
clists and pedestrians. This project is included in
the 1996-1998 Statewide Transportation Improve-
ment Program.
Siskiyou Boulevard Redesign -- Construction of .57
miles of bikeway along Siskiyou Boulevard. The
project is designed to provide a direct, convenient
and safe travel route through the city for bicyclists.
The installation of bike lanes on Highway 99 from
Valley View Road to Walker Avenue is included in
the 1996-1998 Statewide Transportation Improve-
ment Program.
Bus Shelters -- This project will replace four shelters
and construct two new shelters at existing bus stops.
The six shelters will be located in the following ar-
eas: on the plaza, in front of the library, in front of
Safeway, at Palm Avenue and Siskiyou Boulevard,
at SOSC near Bridge Street, and on the Water Street
overpass on Lithia Way. The shelter areas will be
improved to include lighting, a bicycle rack and a
drinking fountain. The position of the shelters will
be changed slightly to provide a viewsight of the
oncoming bus. The new shelters are designed to
encourage ridership by offering a more attractive and
useful environment in which to wait for the bus.
Senior Shuttle Bus -- Purchase of a 17 to 21 passen-
ger bus equipped with wheel chair lift kit, air condi-
tioning and a mobile radio. The bus is used to
transport local senior citizens to various locations.
67
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Reconstruction of East Main Street from Railroad
Tracks to Walker Avenue -- East Main Street will be
repaved, have storm drains installed and have side-
walks constructed on both sides from the railroad
tracks near California Street to Walker Avenue.
Realignment of the Intersection of Indiana Street and
Siskiyou Boulevard -- Reconstruction of the inter-
section, including curbing, crosswalk and storm drain
construction. The purpose of the project is to im-
prove pedestrian and vehicle movement and effi-
ciency from Indiana Street to Siskiyou Boulevard.
Rebuild Sherman Street from Siskiyou Boulevard to
Iowa Street -- Sherman Street will be completely torn
out and replaced including the curb, gutter and storm
drain system.
Rebuild Union Street from Siskiyou Boulevard to
Auburn Street -- Union Street will be completely
torn out and replaced including curb, gutter and
storm drain system.
Signals at the Intersection of East Main Street and
Mountain Avenue -- This project includes the instal-
lation of new turn signals at the intersection of East
Main Street and Mountain Avenue. The purpose of
the project is to address increasing current and fu-
ture traffic flows.
Airport Securib/ Fencing -- Construction of chain link
fencing around the perimeter of the Airport prop-
erty. The purpose of the project is to prevent people
and animals from roaming onto the runway.
Eight Unit T-hangars -- Construction of a new block
of eight T-hangars adjacent to the 18 T-hangars cur-
rently being used. The purpose of the project is to
meet consistent demand for enclosed hangars.
Six Unit T- hangar and Turf Tie Down Area -- Con-
struction of a six unit T-hangar and an area dedi-
cated and equipped as a turf tie down area. The
purpose of the project is to meet demand for aircraft
storage facilities.
East Area Access to Taxi Lanes -- Construction of a
road, including grading and drainage, for access to
the east side of the airport.
The following projects are included in the 1996-I 998 Statewide
Transportation Improvement Program, but are not included in
the City's Capital Improvement Program.
Ashland Park and Ride Lot -- This is a RVTD project
scheduled for construction in 1997.
Bear Creek Greenway from South Valley View Road
to Ashland -- This is a lackson County project sched-
uled for construction in 1996.
Sidewalk Local Improvement District (LID)
The City began a Sidewalk Local Improvement District program
in July 1995. Through the program, the City pays 25% of
sidewalk construction, and provides engineering and inspection
for residential neighborhoods that form a LID for sidewalk
improvements.
Priority Walking Corridors
The City began a Priority Walking Corridor program in July
1995. The purpose of the program is to identify sidewalk
needs for high priority construction funding.
68
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Sidewalk Projects
Beginning July 1994, the City was entitled to receive
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the
federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
A portion of the funds was earmarked for sidewalks in eligible
neighborhoods. As defined by HUD, a neighborhood having
51% or more of the residents earning at or below 80% of
median income is eligible.
Sidewalk projects are selected on a yearly basis. There are
two restrictions on the use of the CDBG funds: 1) the funding
can not be used to install sidewalks in front of commercial
property; and 2) the sidewalk improvements can not be
constructed along an boulevard or avenue. Continuation of
CDBG sidewalk project funding depends on two factors: 1)
the "entitlement" status of the City, and 2) the future of HUD
as a federal program.
69
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
APPENDIX B: COMMENTS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS
The transportation planning process began with six neighborhood meetings in February and March 1994. Participants identified
their issues, concerns and needs relating to transportation in the city. One meeting was held in each of the neighborhoods shown
on the map below.
The neighborhood meetings generated a wide variety of comments. The following two tables summarize the citizen input gathered
at the meetings. The material is, whenever possible, verbatim comments citizens gave at the neighborhood meetings.
Table l/Comment Highlights-com-
ments concerning pedestrian, bicycle,
public transit and other subjects that
repeatedly came up. Specific ideas
about issues in neighborhoods are
also included.
Table 2/Automobile Comment High-
lights-comments concerning driving
in Ashland. Presented in a separate
table because the comments tended
to focus on specific areas more than
the information in Table I.
7O
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
COMMENT HIGHLIGHTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 1
PEDESTRIAN
· more benches, bathrooms &
water; complete sidewalk
network/make connections
· dramatically mark crosswalks
· educate public on pedestrian
laws - utility bills & cable t.v.
safety programs
· tree barrier between sidewalk &
streets (wider)
· postpedestrian crossings
· improve existing curb cuts &
install more
· separate pedestrians from bicy-
clists
· hand rails on steep sidewalks
· incorporate neighborhood
pathways to neighborhood
parks
· retrofitpedestrian crossings-raise
to increase pedestrian safety,
widen to width of cars
· stamped concrete identifying
pedestrian/vehicle intersection
· traffic calming measures to slow
autos in pedestrian areas
difficult crossing Siskiyou at
SOSC
islands on Ashland St.
crosswalks across N. Main
traffic light across 3rd &
Lithia Way for pedestrian
safety
sidewalk on Ashland St.
need white step offzone at
crosswalks to stop cars-
especially N. Main, Lithia
Way & Siskiyou
library crosswalk unsafe for
pedestrians
clear crossing at Water & E.
Main (diagonal)
greenway plan-open space/
natural area/park "nodes"
with connection to walking
paths
· crosswalk on Ashland St. &
Ray Lane
· sidewalk on Walker
· sidewalk on Oak
· crosswalk at Hersey & Oak
· pedestrian path from Will-
iams Way to RR district
· sidewalks on Nevada St.
· additionalpedestrian scale
lighting on B St.
· sidewalks on 8th St.
· sidewalks on Scenic
· sidewalk on Nutley from
Granite to Winburn Way
· sidewalks on Tolman Creek
Road
· need path from alley to
Hillview
· sidewalk orpath on Wimer
· Orange St. parkrow
71
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
COMMENT HIGHLIGHTS
from Neishborhood Meetinss
Table I (continued)
BICYCLE
bike racks on buses ·
bike racks at bus shelters-
covered & secure
improve paving/grates are '
hazardous ·
benches, bathrooms, shel- ·
ters & water for cyclists
educate cyclists & public on
bicycle safety - in schools ·
keep paths free of debris
bike paths that don't com-
pete with traffic '
additional bike paths/lanes
level bike routes/gradual
slopes
make paths closer to stores
park/ride for bike wflocked
facilities
direct bike routes
bike parking near doors of
buildings
real bike path through
downtown - on Lithia Way
& £. Main
use RR tracks for bike path
bike lane on N. Main
need a safe way for cyclists
to get all the way through
town
paths on Siskiyou would be
safer for cyclists, pedestrians
& cars
safe path from N. Main to
library
link Bear Creek trail to
Ashland
· safer access on B St.
· lane on Oak to greenway
· lane on Helman
· lanes on hillside streets
· no more building on Wimer
without provision for cyclists
· lane on A St. to Mountain
· path on C St.
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
COMMENT HIGHLIGHTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 1 (continued)
PUBLIC TRANSIT
· park & ride areas
more covered bus stops
bathrooms at bus stops
· extend evening hours
· stops closer to neighbor-
hoods or shuttles
· lighting at bus stops &
approaches
· encourage hotel/motel
guests to use bus
· need on-call service
· increase timeliness of buses
· more frequent runs
· service on Sunday
· need on-site bus info &
maps at stops
. need free zone in core area
of city
· bus service to hills
· express bus earlier for
commuters to Medford
· need turnouts on N. Main
so don't stop on street
bus route to hospital &
medical offices
· bus route on E. Main-
regular route/school time
route
· interstate bus depot
· bus to Grants Pass & Yreka
· bus to Oak St. & Helman St.
· service to hillside area
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
COMMENT HIGHLIGHTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 1 (continued)
OTHER
· betterstreetlighting-motion
sensitive
· revise taxi ordinance for
flexibility for rickshaws, golf
carts, electric carts
· scooterparking
· encourage mopeds
· keep horses offsidewalks-
road apples are dangerous
· encourage alternative auto
use (electric, golf carts)
· use children/bikes/residen-
tial neighborhood signs to
increase awareness of
neighborhood
· separate modes
· delivery service for large
packages for people using
alternative modes
· trolley/trams like San Luis
Obispo
· better access to Bear Creek
· access to Ashland Creek
· special lane on Siskiyou for
3-in-car, bike, bus
· electric rail from plaza to
Medford
· signs on Oak St. obscured
by trees
· zoning changes for corner
groceries in Quiet Village
· water fountains in Helman
access for school children to
Helman School form Oak
neighborhood market
needed by hospital
· more short cuts for pedestri-
ans & bicyclists-RR district
to Hersey, Oak to Helman,
Hersey to Patterson
· need park in Briscoe neigh-
borhood so don't have to
travel so much
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
AUTOMOBILE COMMENTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 2
INTERSECTION
· control parking near inter-
sections
· visibility concern at intersec-
tions
· install signal at E. Main &
Gresham
· signal at Siskiyou & Walker
realignment of Siskiyou &
Indiana
traffic light needed at
Tolman 8, Siskiyou
need no turn on red light
sign at $iskiyou 8, Mountain
need longer turn signal at
Walker & Ashland St.
light or 4way stop at E.
Main & Mountain
3rd & Main dangerous
intersection
E. Main should have stop
signs at Tolman Creek,
Walker & Mountain
· bad intersections Maple &
N. Main, Wimer & N. Main
· stop light at Lithia & Oak
1st & B St. intersection
visibility
stop sign at Hillview &
Peachy
visibility going up hill at
Scenic & Church
need stop signs by
minimarket by VanNess
difficult to cross or turn left
on E. Main from Mallard or
North Wightman
75
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
AUTOMOBILE COMMENTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 2 (continued)
TRAFFIC CALMING
· synchronize signals
throughout town
· traffic law enforcement
· alternate routes for trucks to
keep them out of neighbor-
hood
· alternate route through
north/south
· speed bumps/raised inter-
section to slow traffic
no commuter by-way for RR
district-alternate route
should not destroy neigh-
borhood
worst traffic in city at E.
Main/Siskiyou/Gresham/
Third
consistency with speed on
N. Main area to Epsteins
Ashland St. too fast from
Litwiller-Simonsen funeral
home to freeway
lower speed to 25-30 mph
on Ashland St.
speed on Siskiyou too fast
slower speeds on Lithia Way
N. Main needs left turn
lanes
add alternate route through
town past Billings
lower speed limit on E.
Main at city limit, on
Tolman Creek Rd. from
Ashland St.
· encourage use of Hersey to
limit A St. traffic
· one way RR district streets
· allcommercial deliveries
from Oak to A St.-not
through neighborhood
· limit trucks no further than
3rd & 4th on A St.
· limit non-local traffic in RR
district
· use traffic calming on B St.
· quantityoftraffic on
Hillview
· route traffic off Strawberry/
Skycrest down Ashland
Mine
· heavy traffic on Wimer-
safety of school children
· make Maple, Church safer
· slow traffic on Pebble,
Maple & Briscoe
. slow traffic on Oak
traffic calming on Diane &
Jacquelyn
Ashland Comprehensive Plan: Transportation
AUTOMOBILE COMMENTS
from Neighborhood Meetings
Table 2 (continued)
PARKING
· parking on one side of street
· restrict truck parking down~
town
· require Copeland to unload
using city parking, not 1st
St.
· no parking last 1/2 before
Siskiyou on Walker
· move parking from down-
town E. Main to 1 block
away
· paid parking downtown
· more short term parking
downtown
· more parking on (decking)
on Hargadine lots
· shorten time limits for City
lots
· no parking north side orA
St.
·ASt. is a zoo
· increase parking in Railroad
district near downtown
· parking problems at armory
· parked cars interfere with
visibility on Scenic & Wimer
· remove parking one side of
Helman, Oak
OTHER
more yield signs at Sentry
market
plant trees in median on
Siskiyou to block sunlight in
windshield
need Mountain St. inter-
change off I-5
install 4th street crossing to
Hersey
new roads across to
Grandview & Westwood
from Strawberry Lane
get rid of ruts on
Grandview, but don't pave
widen & pave Grandview
77