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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW West Coast leads way in automatic voter registration ... Central Point man nabs suspect for Medford police ... UPDATED: Republican Allen Alley announces bid for Oregon governor ... West Coast leads way in automatic voter registration ... Central Point man nabs suspect for Medford police ... UPDATED: Republican Allen Alley announces bid for Oregon governor ... OUR VIEW Our View: Overpass confusion will be temporary Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News When the roundabout at Highland Drive and Siskiyou Boulevard was announced, Medford motorists fretted. It would be confusing. It would be dangerous. Collisions would increase. When the new South Medford interchange opened, motorists fretted. It was confusing, at first. The "crossing diamond" design was unfamiliar. Today, both projects are doing what they were designed to do: Handle large volumes of traffic better than before. Motorists caught on quickly, and most don't give either innovation more than a passing thought. We predict the same will be true of the new Phoenix interchange, which is now carrying traffic over Interstate 5 on Fern Valley Road. The "diverging diamond" design has thrown some drivers for a loop, as it shunts traffic to the left side of the overpass, which is counterintuitive at first. But a few observations may put it into perspective. First, it's not finished yet. Northbound traffic is still using a temporary off-ramp. Work still underway on the replacement for the Bear Creek bridge carrying traffic from Phoenix means drivers find themselves at a stoplight facing straight at oncoming vehicles, which can be confusing, especially at night. The project isn't scheduled to be fully complete until September, so give it time. Second, while the new overpass is unfamiliar, it funnels traffic efficiently while separating east- and westbound lanes with barriers that make it virtually impossible for motorists to end up going the wrong way and causing a collision. It also accomplishes one of its main goals: eliminating the occasional near-gridlock that existed on the previous I-5 overpass, thereby allowing drivers unencumbered left-hand turns onto the freeway on-ramps. The project is the first of its type in the entire state, so it will be unfamiliar to every driver who encounters it for the first time. But like the Highland roundabout and the South Medford Interchange, it will become routine before long, and by a year from now, we suspect everyone will be wondering what all the fuss was about. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 2, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501