Associate Planner Maria Harris was present.

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

Green questioned the purpose of this meeting, and Rogers explained that she wanted to talk about where bicycles should travel so that the Commission has one public position. She emphasized that she felt the Commission should be unified in their position.

Young explained that his reasoning for wanting to initiate this discussion was to provide a lead-in to the Siskiyou Boulevard redesign project.

Rogers clarified for Green that she thought that the Commission should advocate either riding on the street or riding on the sidewalk.

Young explained why he advocates riding on the sidewalk, noting issues such as health, grime on the streets, and the possibility of being interfered with by drivers and their passengers when in the street. Young emphasized that he feels safer on the sidewalk, and that he feels like he has to go faster if he is on the street.

Green suggested that the Commission should advocate that people should ride where they feel safest. Young agreed.

Rogers questioned the safety of riding on the sidewalk and noted the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) that address the unsafe operation of bicycles on sidewalks and the potential penalties.

Green noted that in looking at the City's Comprehensive Plan, bicycle lanes are required on boulevards and avenues.

Green suggested that the Commission advocate the use of established bike lanes for bicycle travel, especially on higher volume streets such as East Main Street, Ashland Street and Siskiyou Boulevard (when it gets a bike lane). She added the suggestion that the Commission not advocate that people ride on sidewalks, but that it could encourage cyclists to use their judgement.

Young suggested the following provisions for cycling on the sidewalk: using bells, yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians, regarding themselves as visitors on the sidewalk, and generally giving priority to pedestrians while on the sidewalk.

Rogers recommended that travel occur only in the direction of the traffic flow, and Green concurred. Spear noted that she doesn't always ride that way, and explained that in the case of the sidewalks along Siskiyou Boulevard, the university side is smoother and has fewer cross streets.

Morris stated that one needs to behave as a pedestrian on the sidewalks and as a cyclist in the bike lane.

Green suggested the following positions: where bike lanes are provided, they should be used by cyclists; cyclists may also use sidewalks, but for higher speed travel through town, cyclists should use the Central Ashland Bikepath.

After discussion, the Commission decided to leave out the mention of higher speed travel. Green suggested adding what Morris said relative to acting as a pedestrian while on the sidewalk, and a vehicle while on the street. Green also suggested adding the ideas (in a non-negative way) of ORS 814.410.

Green questioned what needed to be done procedurally if the group agreed on the statement. Young stated that they would need to take whatever statement is arrived at to the full commission.

Green re-read her statement, and asked that a discussion of this issue be put on the December agenda. It was agreed that Commissioners would work further on crafting this statement through e-mail prior to the December meeting.

Young suggested moving on to discussion of the Siskiyou Boulevard re-design. Morris questioned how each member present envisioned the redesigned boulevard.

Rogers stated that she would prefer a full lane for bicycle travel, but she recognized that what works for most people is a bike lane at the edge of the street, with a green strip and then the sidewalk.

Spear stated that this would mean taking out the middle median strip. Spear explained that she sees the sidewalks upgraded to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles.

Young stated that he would like to see upgrades to allow cyclists on the sidewalks, in the form of a separate, wide lane, where the sidewalk now is.

Green said that she sees all the pictures that Young described. She also stated that she sees one bike lane on each side with a different color or type of pavement.

Morris stated that her vision is a nice sidewalk, without bumps, and a bike path next to it.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.