Transportation Issues

• Major existing congestion problems in Marion occur along the 7th Avenue corridor and on two-lane major and minor arterials near the traditional town center. Transportation and land use policies which increase the number of route alternatives and divert some trips away from the central corridor are advisable. The completion of the Highway 100 corridor helps divert regional trips from the Business 151 corridor.
• Additional development to the north will place stress on the North 10th Street corridor without additional north-south street continuity.
• The alignment of the Business 151 corridor create awkward intersections at some locations.
• Evolution of public transportation system, providing services which are more specific to the function of each route segment, can help increase transit ridership and improve the quality of bus service to a range of users.
• Expansion of bicycle use in Marion can help complement the automobile for certain recreational and commercial trips.

Major Street System

Marion should complete the year 2020 transportation system presented in the Linn County transportation plan. Major elements of this system depend upon reservations of right-of-way in advance of development.

Collector Street Criteria

The collector street system in developing areas should provide collector streets spaced at no more than one-half mile apart. The collector system should be designed to complement the major street system. In development areas with curvilinear systems, an alternative standard is about four miles of collector or arterial streets per square mile of development. As projects are designed, they should reserve the required collector routes and dedicate their rights-of-way.

Local Connectivity

The local street network is developing residential areas should be designed with multiple connections and relatively direct routes, preserving the quiet qualities of local streets while providing residents, visitors, and public safety and service vehicles access which is comprehensible and direct. The following standards or techniques in local street design encourage these goals:

• Connectivity. The street network should have segments which connect to one another internally and to collector streets. Local street networks should help lead residents and visitors to their destinations.
• Alternatives to Cul-de-Sacs. Cul-de-sacs are difficult and expensive to serve with public safety and maintenance. Alternatives should be used which maintain the positive characteristics of cul-de-sacs while limiting some of the liabilities.
• Design for Low Speeds. Local street systems should be designed to slow traffic.

Civic Streets

Marion's major streets should be designed as public spaces as well as movers of traffic. Civic streets can connect neighborhoods, parks and activity centers, and provide a strong and unified image for the community. These streets have special characteristics that serve to unify rather than divide neighborhoods, accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists, encourage adjacent development to be oriented toward rather than away from the public right-of-way.

Crosstown Links

Future redevelopment in the central corridor should provide additional north to south linkages.

Multi-Use Corridors

Marion should develop a network of multi-use corridors that encourage pedestrian and bicycle transit.

Function Specific Transit

Marion, in cooperation with Five Seasons Transit, LIFTS, United Way, and other agencies, should consider a transit system in the city that provides services and vehicles tailored to functional demands.