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http://www.omniture.com --> Email Story to a Friend June 7, 2006 New design proposed for Fern Valley interchange By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune PHOENIX — Two teams working toward a new design for the failing Interstate 5 interchange at Fern Valley Road will join forces today in hopes of expediting an already lengthy process. Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 in the Phoenix High School Commons. It will be a combined meeting of the local citizens' advisory committee and a project development team made up of voting members from various local agencies. Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Gary Leaming said recent discussions warranted a joint session and the combined meeting should prove "interesting" and "productive." While committee members plan to review four remaining designs, selecting one or more for more extensive review in coming months, members of the Phoenix Business and Property Owners Association plan to push for a design they created with help from ODOT engineers. Citizens' advisory committee and business association spokeswoman Tani Wouters presented the design to council members last week. Wouters said the design would be the least expensive to build, cause the least impact to downtown businesses and garner the most community support. Though the interchange project began two years ago, there was minimal public input until February when business owners learned of the final two proposals' potential impact on nearby Highway 99 through downtown Phoenix. Each of two selected design proposals would drastically alter the downtown, requiring removal of several businesses. In April, ODOT officials unveiled an additional two designs that would bring less impact; one created by ODOT and the other by the business owners association. The two newer alternatives call for a widened Fern Valley Road; the business owners association recommends connecting Highway 99 and Fern Valley behind Nim's while ODOT's version includes an additional bridge connecting to Bolz Road at Highway 99 and a signal at Luman Road. Wouters said she is eager to see project coordinators focus on the association's design and is concerned that the two original designs that caused so much consternation are still in the batch of finalists. "We were led to believe that the two original finalists were supposed to have been tabled, but they're still keeping them on the table, which is a concern," Wouters said. "Our proposal is more cost-effective and makes the least impact on our downtown. It keeps the initial footprint of the existing interchange and widens Fern Valley for six lanes, allowing for 20 to 30 years of growth and development." Leaming said ODOT officials are focused on selecting an interchange design best geared for the growing area. "The main focus is not only to come up with a design that the community can live with," Leaming said, "but also to rebuild the interchange in a way that will serve that area for the next 20 to 30 years." Leaming said no decisions would be made at today's meeting, but the process should soon begin to pick up speed. "There's no set time to submit a design or designs, but I think we're getting to a point we'd like to see some concepts forwarded for environmental design, say, at least by autumn," he said. "In the next couple months we'll be refining the design alternatives and the project development team will be asked to make a decision. Normally, that includes at least two alternatives, so you can measure one against the other, and a no-build option." Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy