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Medford eyes I-5 overpass at South Stage Medford is considering an Interstate 5 overpass that would connect South Stage Road at Highway 99 to North Phoenix Road. [Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch] Wednesday Jan 31, 2018 at 11:00 PM Feb 1, 2018 at 7:03 AM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm Medford’s growth plans could soon collide with more congestion at the south end of town, prompting city officials to resurrect the idea of an estimated $50 million overpass over Interstate 5 at South Stage Road. “The issues with traffic on Barnett Road are only going to get worse,” Councilor Michael Zarosinski said. More development is planned in the southeast area of the city, and the urban growth boundary expansion eventually will open up more land for development to the south, near Rogue Valley Manor. Zarosinski, who lives in east Medford, said he already avoids Barnett, favoring the new interchange in Phoenix. To help encourage a possible employment center just south of Medford and north of Phoenix, the city is considering building the overpass to make it easier for traffic to go east and west. The overpass would connect South Stage Road with North Phoenix Road to the east. The city has a limited number of east-west connectors, leading to traffic choke points near the freeway. As more development comes in, the congestion will only get worse, Zarosinski said. “At some point, we’re going to need another route,” he said. The council has begun talking about how to pay for an overpass, which Zarosinski estimates could run $50 million. “It’s expensive,” he said. The overpass likely wouldn’t have on- and off-ramps to the freeway. Another reason for the overpass is to provide a route for Medford residents to use in case of an earthquake. To get federal and possibly state dollars for the project, local cities would need to come up with an estimated 40 percent match, or roughly $20 million. Zarosinski said Phoenix likely would want to participate in funding the overpass, as well. “We are probably going to be the lead funder for a project like that,” he said. Medford contributed $15 million toward the construction of the new south Medford interchange. The sticking point is finding the money to pay for the overpass. The city will need to find a way to come up with its share of the project in the next two years, Zarosinski estimated. Medford is planning for future road projects as it puts together its upcoming Transportation System Plan, which will be a blueprint for the next 20 years. Gary Leaming, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation, said his agency would support the city and the county with a South Stage overcrossing, if that's a priority for local governments. "We'll do what we can to help them," he said. "The city is really in the driver's seat on this." — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.