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64 °F 5 Day Forecast Monday, October 20, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 4, 2003 Road work will squeeze traffic at intersection By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune One of Medford’s busiest intersections will be the site of even longer waits starting Monday morning, so commuters and South Medford High School students may want to find a new route. Construction is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Monday at Barnett Road and Riverside Avenue. The $355,000 project’s main goal is to add a left-turn lane for southbound traffic on Highway 99, where Riverside and Central avenues join. Medford Public Works Director Cory Crebbin said 40,000 vehicles travel through that intersection daily, and that number does not include students from the nearby high school. So the city is requiring all lane closures to be outside of peak traffic flows. Advertisement "All lanes must be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. because it’s such a busy intersection, we don’t want to delay traffic," said Dennis Hart, Medford’s public works design and construction manager. He said most of the work will take place behind the curbs, but he expects some traffic delays from "rubbernecking-type behavior." Dave Ross of LTM Inc. said while there won’t be any alternate-route signs posted, he thinks drivers ought to plan ahead. "It might be prudent to find an alternate route," he said. "You’re already sitting in traffic as it is," said Ross. "It’s not going to get any better." The city paid $187,000 for four pieces of right-of-way on the west side of Riverside; that cost was not included in the construction budget. Ross said the project also will add a concrete barrier on Riverside so drivers coming out of Wells Fargo Bank cannot make a left turn heading north. "There’s an accident history that we have there," he said. The contract was awarded to LTM, which was given 90 working days to complete the project, said Hart. He said because of the holidays he’s giving Jan. 1 as the completion date. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] 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 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder 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