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Roadside landscape changing I was wondering what happened to the new plantings at the north Medford interchange. About a year ago, new on- and off-ramps were created (on Interstate 5 southbound) and a large section was replanted with trees and thousands of dollars' worth of plants. I noticed that many of the plants died. Just the other day, I noticed that they had all been dug up and it looks like the state is going to try it again. What happened? Who's footing the bill? What is the total cost of this mess? -- Chuck B., Medford We were unable to answer some of your questions, but according to John Vial, area manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation, a couple of things went wrong with the plantings connected with the project. "Some of the plants were planted incorrectly, and as a result, we had some mortality," he said. ODOT is replacing some of the incorrect plants and deducting the cost from the payment it made to Huffman-Wright Construction, the contractor. But Vial said ODOT also decided to replace "high-maintenance grass" standard for highway landscaping -- grass that requires a lot of watering and mowing -- with a drought-tolerant, low-growing grass better suited for this region. "We wish we would have put that into the plan originally," he said. "Had we done so, we would not have been out there now. It was an error on our part. But we feel it's the right decision now, because in the long run, it is going to save money." Vial said ODOT had enough money left over from the project to pay for the new grass. Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: [email protected] Please include your name, address and phone number for verification. Today's News Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA