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SUNNY Temp: 55 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Tuesday, June 4, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Cyberchef E The People Golf Job Network Headbone Zone Wellness Connection Movie Times Newspaper in Education Oregon CarZone Outdoor Journal Personals Prime Times Real Estate Tempo A & E TV Times W3 Magazine CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Destinations Automotive Communities Employment Entertainment Publications Real Estate Recreation Shopping Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Jobs @ Mail Tribune Email Story to a Friend June 3, 2002 Road planning is second phase of problem-solving process Regional planners shouldn’t neglect roads when they plan for the Rogue Valley’s 50-year growth, a city leader said. "One of the challenges I see is that we placed the emphasis on protecting resource lands, yet the biggest problem facing our community is transportation," said Ed Olson, manager of the Medford Water Commission. His agency provides water for nearly 100,000 people in Medford, Jacksonville, Central Point, Eagle Point, Phoenix, Talent and White City. "We need to put more emphasis on where the transportation systems will be put so when people get here, we can move them around from one end of the valley to the other." He cites as an example Eagle Point, which growth studies show more people will call home while driving to jobs in Medford, Ashland or Central Point. "How will we get people from Eagle Point to Medford when we only have Highway 62 to do it?" Olson said. Planning for roads is the second phase of the Regional Problem Solving process, said Dan Moore, planning program manager for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. "You have to know where people are going to live and work, where you will have residential, industrial, commercial, before you plan your transportation system," Moore said. "The land uses that are proposed would generate the transportation needs." Planners may be using an out-dated model, Olson said during last week’s City Council study session. "The thing that’s left out of the equation is the huge cost of providing public services," Olson said. "The cost for transportation is so great for the people." The solution may be around the bend, Moore said. RVCOG is creating the Highway 62 Transportation and Land Use Study, a master plan for local street connections to be built once the Oregon Department of Transportation completes Phase II of the Highway 62 project. Phase II is an expressway between Poplar Drive and Agate Road. Planners hope one result of the road master plan would be prohibiting growth on land reserved for roads, Moore said. "That would save money for acquisition or right-of-way costs and be a benefit to the taxpayers," Moore said. Anyone interested in serving on a citizens committee for the study should contact Moore, 664-6674. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S