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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 6, 2004 Repaving of Highway 99 in Phoenix is on schedule By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings The Oregon Department of Transportation is in the midst of a $2.1 million project to repave Highway 99 from Talent to south Medford. ODOT, City of Phoenix officials and LTM Inc. General Contractors, which is doing the pavement work, said things have been going fairly smoothly, despite some upset drivers who have expressed frustration with the traffic delays and detours the project has caused. Work began in early July and should be completed by the end of September, said Bill Boyett, public affairs representative for ODOT. LTM is repaving Highway 99 from Charlotte Ann Road in Medford to Colver Road in Talent. They are also doing inlet maintenance work, striping, putting on manhole covers, and sign installation. Dave Midtlyng, vice president of contracting for LTM, said work has been on schedule and traffic delays have been kept to a minimum. But delays have included detours, he said "The paving job can be fairly long ... and we do have long lengths of road we pave each day," Midtlyng said. "And there are times when there are drivers who want to cross the intersection and have to take a detour, and they don't like it. But we have tried our best to move quickly and lessen these problems." While no one has called the company to complain, drivers have yelled and made verbal obscenities to workers, he said. "The large majority of those traveling on the road have been accepting of the work, but there have been some upset and angry drivers who have not been happy about the construction," Midtlyng said. "But overall, there's been no major problems and we're moving right along on time." Even flooding on Highway 99 in Phoenix on Monday did not cause any major delays, Boyett said. "There was no major troubles from the flooding," he said. "It drained out very quickly and we kept on working." The project is being done to improve road conditions on the frequently traveled highway, which was showing signs of wear and full of potholes. Phoenix Councilor Dan Sauro said the road had many ruts and bumps. "The road really needed the work," he said. "This will help make Phoenix more livable. I think they have done a very good job. There's been very little troubles with traffic, and when there are delays, it's only temporary." Phoenix Mayor Larry Parducci went to a number of local businesses to make sure the project was not causing any problems. "I talked to many of them and they said there doesn't seem to be any problems," he said. Carolyn Bartell, co-owner of Phoenix Automotive Center on Highway 99, said the construction work has not caused any problems at her business. "They went by really fast when they stopped in front of us and got done in a few hours," she said. "We weren't inconvenienced at all." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams