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Medford tasked with interchange order By JESSICA SMITH Should the state decide to move the Barnett Road access to Interstate 5 farther south, it'll be up to the city of Medford to keep the new interchange from becoming another traffic bottleneck. Though the state has yet to determine whether it will move ahead with a plan to build a new interchange at a connection with Highland Drive or Ellendale Drive, city officials have begun preliminary discussions about the types of land uses appropriate for the area. "I think the city recognizes that it has a lot at stake," said Jim Maize, a Medford planner. Concerns about traffic congestion at the south interchange blocked development for several years in southeast Medford. Officials want to avoid similar problems with a new interchange. Public comments invited The state won't decide whether to relocate the south Medford interchange until the public gets a chance to review environmental studies of the project. The state wants to move the interchange farther south to a connection with either Highland Drive or Ellendale Drive. A citizen committee working with the state prefers the Highland alternative because it would have fewer effects on Bear Creek and existing neighborhoods. Costs are estimated at more than $30 million. A draft environmental impact statement is due in September. A 45-day public comment period will follow its release, and the Oregon Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on the contents of the document in October. In December, once state and local transportation officials identify a preferred option, work will begin on a final environmental study due in May 2002. If all goes as planned, construction could begin in 2003. "We will make a concerted effort to insert policies and procedures that protect that infrastructure," Maize said. That's good news to state transportation officials. Using comprehensive plans - the documents that identify zoning and guide development within cities - the Oregon Department of Transportation designs road projects that will accommodate growth over a 20-year period. When a city changes zoning or amends a comprehensive plan to permit more intensive uses of land, the state worries about the additional traffic that will be generated. "We plan (projects) for 20 years of use," said Monte Grove, area manager for ODOT. "If the zoning changes to a more intensive use, the life of the facility is no longer 20 years. It's something less than that." For example, land-use changes around the freeway-access ramps in Central Point likely shortened the life span of the interchange, built in 1992, Grove said. Designed to accommodate growth through 2012, the interchange is now close to violating state traffic standards at peak hours, after just nine years of use. Matt Samitore, a community planner in Central Point, said city officials want to develop a plan to address growth and its effect on the interchange. The plan likely would include steps to reduce traffic congestion by making changes to the local street system, Samitore said. Medford planners say they'll look at land uses around the south interchange and devise a strategy to prevent the kind of traffic snarls associated with the current setup. Similar efforts are under way for the north interchange on Crater Lake Highway. Though Medford may try to regulate development around interchanges, other factors that contribute to growth are beyond the city's control, said Mike Montero, a development consultant and co-chairman of the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation. Medford has become a regional center, attracting visitors from all over the Rogue Valley. As the area continues to grow, Medford should expect more traffic at its interchanges, Montero said. "You can't build yourself out of that, and you shouldn't try," he said. Instead, Medford should use "access management" techniques that direct traffic and keep it moving through busy interchanges. Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.