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41 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, March 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | 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 February 25, 2004 Welcome center in the works Medford group’s North Ashland Interchange proposal is favored By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Weary travelers could once again be greeted by the state of Oregon if a new welcome center is built on the west side of Interstate 5 at the north Ashland interchange. "We worked very hard to get something close enough to the border so that tourists can easily find their way to Klamath Falls and the coast," said Cheryl Gribskov, executive director of the Oregon Travel Information Council. Four proposals were submitted to the council and the Oregon Department of Transportation, but one proposed by North Ashland Interchange Properties LLC of Medford has been tentatively selected because it was close to tourist activities in Ashland and to the freeway. "We wanted it to be in a border town," said Gribskov. The developer will have to ask Jackson County to rezone a portion of the property that is reserved for open space to interchange commercial before starting the project. Advertisement The rest area will be situated behind the Regency Inn, Burger King and Texaco/Shell gas station on the north side of Valley View Road. Shooting for a possible opening date in summer 2005, the company estimates it will take a year to get the necessary approvals and permits before construction begins. "If anything goes wrong with this, we’d go back to square one," said Gribskov. Besides the usual amenities such as a picnic area, rest rooms and a dog walking area, there would be a 1,500-square-foot welcome center, 350-square-foot travel information center, a "Welcome to Oregon" sign and an entry structure that says, "Oregon Welcome Center." The entire cost of the project would be borne by the developers, who would then lease the facilities back to the state. ODOT has earmarked $3 million for road improvements, which would include installing signal lights at the on- and off- ramps and at Eagle Mill Road. Lowe Road would be realigned to help direct traffic to the rest area. Debbie Timms, ODOT project leader, said the money would also pay for needed repairs to the overpass bridge. The state has no intention of closing down the rest stop located four miles to the north near Talent, she said. Oregon has a total of 68 rest stops, 11 of which are along Interstate 5. The new welcome center won’t accommodate truckers, but ODOT is looking into building another rest stop for big rigs heading north at the weigh station between the two Ashland interchanges, she said. Other proposals for a rest area included one at Exit 1, another on South Valley View Road and a third at the Lithia Springs Inn. Charles Kenney, managing member of North Ashland Interchange group, said his rest area will take up about six acres of an almost 19-acre parcel that already has a Burger King as well as undeveloped property. In the future, his company will look at developing an RV park adjacent to the rest area. At this point in negotiations, he doesn’t know how much it will cost to develop the property, nor what the state will pay to lease it back. "Nobody’s really talked about dollars and cents," said Kenney. He said those discussions will be held as his corporation and the state enter into contract negotiations in the near future. "We have told the state of Oregon that we will do whatever it takes," he said. "We all envision this to be a gateway visitor facility." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, 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 © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times