Affected Environment, Environmental Consequences, and Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures

3.5.1 Regulatory Setting

3.5.2 Affected Environment

3.5.3 Environmental Consequences: Community Character and Cohesion

3.5.4 Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures: Community Character and Cohesion

3.5.5 Environmental Consequences: Community Facilities

3.5.6 Avoidance, Minimization, and/or Mitigation Measures: Community Facilities

3.5.7 Environmental Consequences: Businesses and Established Business Districts

3.5.8 Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation: Businesses and Established Business Districts

3.5.9 Environmental Consequences: Local, Regional, and State Economy

3.5.10 Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation: Local, Regional, and State Economy

3.5.11 Environmental Consequences: General and Particular Social Groups

3.5.12 Avoidance, Minimization, and Mitigation: General and Particular Social Groups
he socioeconomics analysis covers impacts on community character and cohesion, community facilities, businesses and established business districts, impacts on populations over age 65 or disabled, and impacts on the local economy.

3.5.1 Regulatory Setting

The framework provided by EO 12898 on EJ, the U.S. DOT Order (5610.2a), and FHWA Order 6640.23A addresses only minority populations and low-income populations. However, concentrations of the elderly, children, disabled, and other populations protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related nondiscrimination statutes will also be discussed.

This document addresses all impacts (to the human and natural environments), and describes any mitigating protections or benefits that would be provided by federal or state law, or as part of the action. In particular, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs receiving federal financial assistance, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794 and 49 C.F.R. Part 27.7) protects handicapped persons.

Sources for social and economic data included the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Oregon Employment Department, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, the Portland State University Population Research Center, and local jurisdictions, agencies, and chambers of commerce.

3.5.2 Affected Environment

3.5.2.1 Project Area Description

The City of Medford is the business, commercial, and professional center of Jackson County in southern Oregon. The project area for the socioeconomic analysis varies because it includes several distinct categories of impacts but is roughly bounded on the west by Table Rock Road, on the east by Foothill Road, on the north the boundary is just north of Dutton Road, and on the south by the intersection of I-5 and OR 62 (see Figure 1-1INSERT PAGE # OF FIG 1-1 IN CH 1). The southern portion of the project is located within the City of Medford. The rest of the project is within unincorporated Jackson County, including the designated urban unincorporated community of White City at the north end of the project area.

Community Features

Neighborhoods and Community Character

The general character of the community in the immediate vicinity of the project is described as follows:

• 
  Primarily commercial in the southern portion, with some high density housing located behind businesses on the south side of existing OR 62 in the vicinity of Poplar Drive and Delta Waters Road;
  
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  A mix of low-density industrial, commercial, and rural residential in the middle portion, outside of and within the fringes of the Medford UGB and the White City UUCB;
  
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  Industrial areas along Agate Road in White City; and,
  
• 
  Rural areas north of White City.
  

Generally, in the southern portion of the project area within the Medford city limits, existing OR 62 is a commercial corridor. The area between I-5 and Coker Butte Road is an important business district for the Rogue Valley, with several big box stores, shopping centers, offices, restaurants, and other service businesses. Medford Airport is located to the north and west of this area. East of this commercial core, within the Medford city limits, are medium density residential neighborhoods.

North of Coker Butte Road, the community is more rural in character with a mix of commercial and industrial uses located along existing OR 62 and rural residential areas located behind them. The Peace/Justice neighborhood is located west of existing OR 62 and north of Vilas Road, in the vicinity of the proposed bypass near Justice Road, as described in Section 3.4.3.1. About 75 rural homes currently exist in this area. This rural area forms a cohesive community due to the proximity of the homes and the distance between this group of rural homes and other residential communities. Justice Road currently serves as a direct connection between this neighborhood and existing OR 62.

In White City, the proposed bypass would travel along Agate Road in the western portion of the community, which is dominated by industrial areas. Existing OR 62 through White City is a commercial corridor. Urban density residential neighborhoods are located to the east of existing OR 62 in White City.

Community Facilities and Public Services

Jackson County and the City of Medford provide general government services, emergency services, and law enforcement to residents and businesses near the project. Community facilities located within one mile of the project, including schools, parks, libraries, hospitals and churches or places of worship, are shown on Figure 3.5-1.

Figure 3.5-1

Directory: HWY62
HWY62 -> Draft Terrestrial Resources Biological Assessment oregon highway 62 corridor solutions project
HWY62 -> Draft terrestrial resources biological assessment

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