Local Cycling Issues

What local issues to cyclists need to be aware of and take action on? What hazards do we need to be wary of while out on the road?  This page is an index of current issues and hazards. If you know of a local cycling issue that we don't have here, utilize our hazards reporting tool and we will post it. Also take a look at our recent club Portfolio of letters and contributions to improve bicycling in our region. Hopefully with your help, the entries in the Resolved Issues section will soon outnumber the existing hazards & issues.

• Siskiyou Spring Contamination
• The popular spring near the top of the Callahan's Climb has been contaminated by a chemical spill on nearby Interstate 5. The owner of the property has posted signs warning all to avoid the spring & nearby creek but be warned, the water is no longer safe to drink.
• Foothill Road
• Especially with the recent connection with North Phoenix Road, Foothill is the most direct route thru East Medford. Foothill is a vital route for commuters and is popular among cyclists as it is scenic and is rolling but not difficult. That connection with N.Phoenix has made much of this road even more dangerous. Speed Limits are generally implied at 55 without posting but traffic travels much faster and less than a mile of it's duration has a shoulder. An August 2003 Mail Tribune article stated that no enhancements such as widening or adding shoulders are planned and it will likely be 10 years before any such improvment takes place. If you are interested, please see our contact information to get involved in creating possible solutions. This is a marked county bicycle route, but hardly bicycle friendly.
• McAndrews Rd - Crater Lake Ave Intersection
• This intersection is among the 5 busiest in the whole valley. Initially the plan for reworking this intersection involved bicycle lanes - this plan was scrapped and the current plan is to use a multi-use path that will force cyclists in and out of traffic. Click Here to see a recent letter from the Siskiyou Velo to the Mayor and City Council of Medford.
• Need for Safe Bike Routes thru Downtown Medford
• 10th St. has a bike lane for 2.5 blocks & signs "warning drivers" of cyclists on the road for 4 more blocks. Regardless of direction, no route through downtown Medford has a bike lane for its duration. Traffic is relatively slow, but rarely accommodating to cyclists.
• Need for Bike Lanes on Hwy 99
• Hwy 99 between Medford and Ashland is the shortest and therefore the only viable option for many commuting cyclists in the valley. There are sections of shoulder but due to the poor conditions (gravel, metal grates and loose debris) it is unsafe to ride on the shoulder. Click Here to see a recent letter from the Siskiyou Velo to the ODOT district manager addressing the need for bike lanes.
• Completion of Bike Lanes on Talent Ave
• Siskiyou Velo endorses adding bike lanes for the duration of Talent Ave in Talent. Bike lanes are installed for a few blocks, but the majority of this very busy arterial are narrow and unaccommodating to cyclists. Click Here to see a recent letter from the Siskiyou Velo to Talent's City Manager.

Resolved Issues

Hopefully the list of hazards that we've been able to resolve will start to outnumber the existing hazards

• Gutter Obstruction on Houston Rd
• Gutter obstruction on Houston Rd — The gutter on the south side of Houston Road at the intersecton of Colver was left incomplete in a 4-foot section for roughly a year. This missing section of gutter was directly adjacent to a bike lane and nearly invisible to cyclists entering that lane. At least one member had a fairly serious crash because of this obstruction. There were six months of apparent inaction after the accident was initially reported, but the gutter was completed in February 2003. Ironically, while the cement is curing, two cones have been placed over the gutter to protect the concrete. While the gutter was incomplete no action such as this was taken to protect cyclists.
• Unnecessary Bollard at Bike Path entrance on Valley View
• A dangerous and unnecessary post on the greenway bike path right before it curves under Butler Creek Rd in Ashland has been removed. The posts, intended to prevent vehicular traffic from driving on the path are common on the path, but this one was poorly placed on a blind curve. The swift removal of this bollard is greatly appreciated by Siskiyou Velo.

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