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Hwy 99/Bear Creek greenway
Corridor Re-visioning
Overview
The Hwy 99 / Bear Creek Greenway Corridor Re-Visioning will create a comprehensive vision and strategies to redevelop land in Talent, Phoenix, and Jackson County that was affected by the devastating 2020 Almeda Fire. This is the area that runs along Highway 99 and the Bear Creek Greenway. The vision will be implemented by updating local plans and zoning ordinances, which are the regulations that determine where and how development happens. The project will support transportation options like walking, biking and transit throughout the corridor; evaluate ways to build more housing; and identify areas for mixed-use developments so that people can be closer to their destinations, which makes it easier to walk and bike. This project is focused on land uses, development, and better-connected transportation routes along both sides of Highway 99; however, this project will not identify any changes to the highway itself. More information about highway improvement projects can be found below under “Other Planning Efforts.”
The project will be conducted in two phases. Phase One was a visioning and planning process that:
Identified opportunity areas and projects to enhance walking, biking and transit
Addressed redevelopment opportunities and challenges in areas that were burned
Evaluated options for increasing housing, especially in mixed-use areas
Developed design concepts for strengthening public spaces in Talent and Phoenix
Phase Two of the project is currently underway and will develop adoption-ready recommendations for policy, comprehensive plan, and development code amendments to implement the vision from Phase One in order to:
Identify specific and measurable actions to implement the vision from Phase One
Increase safety, visibility, and connectedness to the Bear Creek Greenway
Implement Phase One recommendations with the goal of increasing housing, mixed-use options, and pedestrian-friendly development
Bring the City of Talent and the City of Phoenix plans and codes into compliance
The Hwy 99/Bear Creek Greenway Corridor Re-Visioning (Phase Two) process will continue through Spring 2025. Over the next few months, the project team will work closely with local jurisdiction staff members, a Project Advisory Committee (PAC), a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), stakeholders, and the communities at large through a variety of engagement efforts.
What’s Happening Now?
Update - September 2024: Phase 2 is underway!
Upcoming community workshops:
November 2024 - date and time TBD
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Project Study Area
The project study area encompasses land along both sides of Highway 99 between Ashland and Phoenix (dotted line). The study area is bounded to the east by the Bear Creek Greenway and includes some sections of the 2020 Almeda burn scar to the west of Highway 99.
The Hwy 99/Bear Creek Greenway Corridor includes the Cities of Talent and Phoenix and Jackson County. The Oregon Department of Transportation and the Department of Land Conservation and Development are collaborative funding partners for the Hwy 99/Bear Creek Greenway Corridor Re-Visioning.
Project Partners
Other Planning Efforts
The Bear Creek Greenway and HWY 99 have multiple and current transportation, land use, and natural resource restoration planning projects, including:
Get involved
Throughout the planning process, the community will be invited to meetings and workshops to review progress and share feedback. Details of upcoming events will be posted on the website throughout the process. Your participation will help inform the future of the HWY 99/Bear Creek Greenway Corridor!
MATERIALS AND INFORMATION:
Final project reports and memorandums uploaded to the project library below.
Phase 2 of the project started in September 2024 - new materials will be added as the planning process continues!
Library
Download the following documents to learn more about this project:
In the Press
Looking down the road, after Almeda
May 20, 2022
Mixed use commercial and residential buildings along Highway 99 between Ashland and Medford might be one of the outcomes of a transportation growth management visioning project that will look at the challenges and opportunities of the post-Almeda fire landscape.
Contact
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