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Airport terminal found wanting Mail Tribune / Jim Craven An airline passenger makes his way to the terminal at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport on Friday, walking through warning signs erected since the Sept. 11 attacks. The state says it won't stand up to a bomb and should be fixed up or replaced By JILL BRISKEY State engineers say Medford's airport terminal won't withstand the blast of a car bomb unless it's completely remodeled or replaced. That observation is part of a recently completed, two-month study conducted by the Oregon Department of Aviation to study the threat of terrorist attacks on the state's airports. State experts analyzed the effects of explosions at six commercial airports in Oregon, including the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport. "The biggest outcome (for Medford) was something we already knew," said state aviation director Ann Crook from her Salem office. "The terminal building was old and probably needs to be remodeled or reconstructed anyway." Jackson County agreed to participate in the study, although Medford airport director Bern Case on Friday said he didn't know how much it would cost or whether the county would have to help pay for it. On Friday, Crook told the Mail Tribune that the state would assume the entire cost - a total figure was not available. The report includes several safety measures specifically tailored for each airport. The complete results were sent to the Federal Aviation Administration for additional review. Engineers provided information about building a berm, or blast-deflecting wall, at Medford's airport, but Crook couldn't provide additional details about proposed security measures. Jackson County already had plans to rebuild and enlarge its terminal before Sept. 11, but that project could take more than five years to complete. Building a berm could provide an additional measure of safety until a new terminal, built to withstand explosions, is complete. "This report does lay the groundwork for what would have to be done," Crook added. Case has the study but said he will need time to analyze it before making an announcement or decision on future plans. Case said in November that he hoped to have a berm constructed in front of the terminal "before the holidays." "I'm not sure what direction we're going to take," he said Friday. Declining airline travel continues to affect the Medford airport, Case said, reporting that December flights were down approximately 15 percent compared to 2000. Flights in November were down by almost 20 percent, he added. Prior to Sept. 11, Case said the airport was breaking records for local flights. Total flight and passenger figures for 2001 won't be available until next week, Case said. He expects 2001's overall numbers to drop compared to record-breaking statistics in 2000. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.