Medford City Council Reviews Alternatives for Main Street Changes

Downtown Medford — *One of the Proposed Options*

Medford, Oregon- The Medford City Council is evaluating three updated alternatives for the Main Street restriping project following concerns over the current layout, which was implemented in October 2023 to improve bicycle access.

The reconsideration follows community feedback on issues including narrow lanes, parking limitations, and the overall impact on downtown aesthetics. In response, the Council directed city staff to explore alternative configurations. The original project was largely funded by a $475,779 grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Updated Alternatives Under Review

After reviewing 15 potential options, the Council has requested a more detailed analysis of three alternatives:

1. Bike Lane Couplet (One-way bike lanes on Main & 8th Streets)

• Description: A westbound bike lane on Main Street and an eastbound bike lane on 8th Street.

• Estimated Cost: $750,000.

• Impacts: Removal of parking and curb extensions on the right side of 8th Street.

• Objective: Balance traffic flow while improving bicycle safety.

2. Standard Bike Lane (One-way bike lane on the right)

• Description: Two travel lanes, parallel parking on both sides, and a single bike lane on the right side of Main Street.

• Estimated Cost: Between $350,000 and $825,000.

• Considerations: The higher cost estimate includes the potential repayment of state grant funds.

• Objective: Retain parking while offering a more familiar lane configuration.

3. Two-Way Travel with Bike Lanes

• Description: Restore two-way traffic with one travel lane and one bike lane in each direction.

• Estimated Cost: Likely exceeds $10 million.

• Impacts: Requires major reconstruction and a significant redesign of downtown traffic patterns.

• Objective: Reintroduce two-way traffic while maintaining bicycle and parking accommodations.

Main Street Medford — *Similar Changes in Other Communities*

Next Steps

City staff will conduct further engineering analysis on the three alternatives and present their findings at a future Council meeting.

The original Main Street project cost approximately $515,000, with more than 90% covered by state funding. The future design remains a topic of significant interest for both the Council and the community.