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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 8, 2005 Council compromises on East Jackson Street By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Neighbors convinced the city to preserve the ambiance of East Jackson Street. The Medford City Council voted unanimously to continue the deliberation and for the city engineers to bring back a modified drawing for a controversial street project in East Medford. The council directed the Public Works Department staff to design a 34-foot wide road with one 5-foot sidewalk, rather than the proposed 44-foot wide road with a center turn lane and with two 7-foot sidewalks. About 60 residents turned out Thursday, and roughly 25 took part in a notably organized presentation during the public hearing portion of the evening council meeting. Incorporating a video tape and a power point presentation complete with computer-generated pictures of what the street would look like following completion of the proposed street project, area residents pleaded with the council to preserve the feel of the residential street, primarily by saving dozens of 40-plus year old trees. Advertisement "A narrower roadway on East Jackson won’t save all the trees but it could save most of them," said East Jackson resident Ron Bartlett. The council voted in March to postpone a decision on the street project until Thursday after about 35 neighbors showed up for the public hearing on the project, some in support but most opposed. Residents complained that they only learned about the project in mid-February. The project would affect East Jackson Street from Berkeley Way to Hillcrest Road and Hillcrest Road from East Jackson to Valley View Drive. The plan would widen the streets from roughly 26 feet to 59 feet, including sidewalks; create a middle turn lane; and add bike lanes, sidewalks, curbs and gutters on both sides of the streets. A traffic light would replace a four-way stop sign at the intersection of East Jackson and Sunrise. The project would include removing a house at the corner of Hillcrest and East Jackson to change the sharp turn to a gentle curve. Gary Bartlett, chairman of Medford’s Tree Committee, said the committee reviewed the project and decided that there would be an immediate loss of about 39 trees, and 22 additional trees on private property would have their root systems impacted. They requested a narrower project to save many trees. Marie Houck, a former secretary at Hedrick Middle School, said she was concerned the widened, treeless street would encourage faster driving in the vicinity of the nearby school. "I care about the kids, please care, also," she said. Council agreed there were still many details to iron out, such as the proposed traffic signal at Sunrise and East Jackson, and the widening near that intersection, but determined they could continue working with Public Works on some of those issues. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztechmedia Website Hosting Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Advertisement s