City will spend $13 million on North Foothill - Gate House

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> By Damian Mann Mail Tribune September 04. 2014 6:05PM City will spend $13 million on North Foothill The Medford City Council on Thursday agreed to spend $13 million to widen North Foothill Road from East McAndrews to Hillcrest roads as part of a long-range project to create an expressway from Phoenix to Eagle Point. The city will borrow $10 million in a low-interest loan from the Oregon Transportation Infrastructure Bank along with another $3 million in federal dollars to help improve air quality. The interest rate on the loan is 1.61 percent. “A lot of other jurisdictions are squawking, 'why did Medford get such a good rate?'” Councilor Daniel Bunn said. “This is a real coup.” The money will widen North Foothill to four lanes, with a center turn lane, for about a mile. Currently the road is two lanes. Ultimately, Medford, Jackson County and local cities want to create a major thoroughfare along North Foothill to provide a north-south route other than Interstate 5. The city would construct other portions of the road as money from grants and other sources becomes available. In Medford, the roadway already has been upgraded to four lanes on a two-mile stretch from just south of Barnett Road to Hillcrest. Most of North Foothill is currently a winding, two-lane country road that ends to the north at Corey Road outside White City. Public Works Director Cory Crebbin said the $13 million commitment from the city will help attract other grants to continue with the widening project to the north. The $72 million Fern Valley interchange at Phoenix likely will bring more traffic along North Phoenix Road to North Foothill. The city would pay the loan off in 10 years using system development charges. The city would make payments of $1.1 million per year. City officials worry about driving conditions on North Foothill, which doesn't have much of a shoulder. "We recognize it is an unsafe condition," City Manager Eric Swanson said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm .  http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20140904/NEWS/140909842 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->