Keep Showing Up

At last Wednesday's City Council meeting, five community members spoke in support of the Main Street bike lane. Zero people spoke in favor of removing it.

That's the story at every meeting. People keep taking time out of their busy lives and keep coming back. There has been zero opposition to the bike lane for the last four meetings. Not a single person has stood at that podium to argue for tearing out the bike lane. There were also six written comments submitted in support ahead of the meeting.

Read the full transcript of public comments from March 18th.

What people said

Speakers covered the economic case for keeping bike infrastructure in a city trying to attract visitors, who gets left behind when streets are designed for speed, personal stories about traffic safety, the data showing the bike lane worked, and what Oregon law may require. A few quotes:

"It makes no sense to spend money making the streets that those visitors will see less safe and less welcoming."

"When you make a street faster and harder to cross, the people who pay the price are disproportionately women and children."

"I do not want to see a single one of our neighbors become an avoidable statistic on our public infrastructure."

"We are the birthplace of this protection and we may be the first city to openly violate it."

A study session is coming

The council has confirmed a study session on the Main Street reconfiguration for April 8th. Showing up repeatedly has made a difference.

We want a record turnout on April 1st

If you want a walkable, bikeable, safer downtown Medford, we need you at City Hall on April 1st.

The next regular council meeting is Wednesday, April 1st at 6:00 PM at Medford City Hall, 411 W 8th St. You don't need a prepared speech. Just show up and say why you care. Every person in that room sends a message.

Let's make April 1st the biggest showing yet.

Can't make it? Submit a public comment instead. It goes on the official record.