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SUNNY Temp: 57 °F Wind: S at 3 mph Saturday, September 27, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 23, 2003 Wal-Marts alarm ODOT State transportation officials believe planned Supercentersin Central Point, Medford could seriously foul traffic flows By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Wal-Mart’s plans to build Supercenters in Medford and Central Point have raised red flags with the Oregon Department of Transportation over potential traffic problems. In Central Point, ODOT engineers worry that a new store plus additional development along East Pine Street could funnel more traffic onto the interchange than it can adequately handle. At the proposed south Medford store, which would be built on the site of the Miles Field baseball diamond, ODOT worries that a proposed traffic signal on Center Drive will cause congestion. "There’s a potential for those signals to back up into the new interchange area," said ODOT District Manager John Vial. Advertisement The signals could cause traffic to back up at the intersection of Center Drive and Garfield Street, which will become the main route to the interchange. The new 207,000-square-foot Supercenters proposed by Wal-Mart would replace existing stores of about half that size in Talent and on Highway 62 in Medford. One of ODOT’s biggest concerns is that new traffic lights could undermine the goal of the $50 million interchange project to ease traffic congestion. A study conducted by the Medford Urban Renewal Agency was criticized by ODOT because it didn’t calculate the effects of traffic from the superstore proposal. "The fifty million dollar investment into the new south Medford interchange needs to be protected and the proposed Wal-Mart site plan and MURA access management plan fail to accomplish that," stated an Aug. 20 letter from ODOT to the Medford Planning Department and MURA. The distance from a signal leading into the Wal-Mart parking lot to Garfield is only 525 feet, which doesn’t provide enough room for proper merging and turn lanes, the engineers have determined. "We are not convinced that that signal would work," said ODOT Roadway Engineer Michael Arneson. The new traffic light would bring to five the number of signals on the half-mile stretch of Center Drive, further contributing to congestion. ODOT is also worried that the superstore would tax storm drains leading to Bear Creek and is urging a study to determine if there is sufficient capacity for both the interchange project and the 20-acre Wal-Mart complex. The city of Medford, which is contributing $15 million to the south interchange, has also raised questions about traffic lights on Center Drive. Optimal spacing for signals is generally 1,200 or more feet, according to Medford Public Works Director Cory Crebbin. He said the city met with engineers Monday for the superstore project to discuss the signal issue, and, Crebbin said, "We were not convinced it wouldn’t create a problem." He said the city would also take very seriously any concerns presented by ODOT over traffic issues. "If ODOT says this is going to impact the operation of the south interchange, we have would have severe concerns.," said Crebbin. MURA Director Don Burt said a two-inch thick traffic analysis shows that a shopping center would be suitable on the site proposed for the Wal-Mart. But if ODOT says any signal would harm traffic flows, Burt said, it could be possible to alter the plans without jeopardizing the project. Also, concerns about drainage will be have to be addressed. "It is premature to say we’re having a serious problem with that," he said. In Central Point, ODOT is wary about traffic from a Supercenter as well as other development planned along East Pine Street that overload the interchange. "It wouldn’t take much to cause us to go into failure there," said ODOT roadway designer Michael Arneson. At this point, ODOT hasn’t analyzed the superstore’s impact on traffic in Central Point, awaiting more information from the city planning department. Wal-Mart spokesperson Amy Hill said her company is continuing to work with ODOT to resolve the traffic signal issue on Center Drive. "We don’t think we are in an insurmountable problem," she said. Hill said ODOT’s concerns about drainage and traffic congestion in Central Point hadn’t been presented to Wal-Mart, and said she didn’t have enough information to comment on those issues. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times