Cities Our Size Are Choosing Walkability
Across the country, cities the same size as Medford are investing in walkable, bikeable streets. They're not doing it because it's trendy. They're doing it because the data says it works. The citizens want safer streets, stronger downtowns, and happier residents. Meanwhile, Medford is spending $1 million to rip out infrastructure that was already working.
Let's look at what towns our size are doing.
Bloomington, Indiana (Pop. ~80,000)
Bloomington might be the best example of what's possible. In just four years, their PeopleForBikes city rating jumped 45 points (from 13 to 58 out of 100) making them one of the most improved cities in the country for biking.
How'd they do it?
- Dropped all neighborhood speed limits to 25 mph
- Built protected bike lanes on key corridors
- Building multiple neighborhood greenways annually
- Adopted a Vision Zero plan to eliminate fatal crashes by 2039
- Won a $1.44 million federal grant to keep building
The result? A 71% reduction in micromobility safety incidents in 2024 and a 100% increase in trip volumes on protected bike lanes.
Flagstaff, Arizona (Pop. ~77,500)
Moving west, Flagstaff is not that different from Medford. But what is different is over 8% of daily trips there are made by bike. Twenty-nine percent of residents ride at least once a week.
They've built a 59-mile urban trail network connecting neighborhoods, schools, and jobs, with a master plan to reach 130 miles. Bike lanes cover 70% of major streets.
Flagstaff didn't get here overnight. They committed to a plan and stuck with it.
Bellingham, Washington (Pop. ~97,000)
Bellingham's Holly Street bike lane pilot is the closest parallel to Medford's Main Street. They added protected bike lanes to a downtown corridor and then actually measured what happened.
The before-and-after data speaks for itself:
- Over 400 bikes per day using the corridor
- Average vehicle speed dropped to 17 mph
They also suspended parking minimums citywide in 2025 to support denser, more walkable development. Sound familiar? Medford's Main Street bike lanes saw a 5x increase in cycling and no safety problems. But instead of expanding, we're tearing them out.
We Already Know What Walkable Looks Like
Here's the thing: people in the Rogue Valley already vote with their feet on this issue every single day.
Jacksonville is one of the most visited small towns in southern Oregon. People drive from all over the valley to walk its streets, browse the shops, and eat at the restaurants. There are no drive-throughs on California Street. No four-lane roads cutting through downtown. It's a place built for people, and that's exactly why it thrives. The whole appeal is the walkability.
Ashland draws millions of visitors a year, and a huge part of the draw is that you can park once and walk everywhere. Ashland has the plaza, the theaters, the restaurants, and Lithia Park. The downtown is built around pedestrians, not cars. It's also home to a growing network of bike infrastructure and multi-use paths. People love being there because it feels good to be on foot.
Now think about downtown Medford. When someone suggests visiting downtown, the first question is usually about parking. That tells you something. The places in our valley that people actually choose to spend time in are the ones designed for walking, not driving.
Medford has the bones to be that kind of place. Main Street was starting to get there. More people were biking. Businesses were supportive. The data was good. But instead of building on that momentum, the council voted to go backwards.
The Pattern Is Clear
Every one of these cities (Bloomington, Flagstaff, Bellingham) is our size. They face the same budget constraints, the same political debates, the same pushback from people who think bike lanes are a war on cars. The difference is their leaders looked at the data and chose to move forward.
Medford can still make that choice. The council meeting on February 18 is the next opportunity to be heard.