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Diverting traffic isn't easy I hear much concern about traffic congestion on East Pine Street in Central Point. With much development taking place on Hamrick Road north of Pine, also south of it, it could become a real mess. I've read nothing about a potentially large help -- a northbound off-ramp and a southbound on-ramp at Table Rock Road and Interstate 5, which would divert all White City industrial traffic away from Pine and Hamrick. Easy condemnation, too. Let's do it. -- Jack S., Medford Nice try, Jack, but the area manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation says there are a couple of problems with your proposal. What you suggest would be so close to the north Medford interchange, Monte Grove said, "that there would be operational problems associated with an interchange there." Interchanges normally should be spaced a mile apart. Also, "it would tend to continue to support the use of I-5 as a local route, which we are trying to discourage as much as we can." An ODOT study earlier this year says the heaviest use of Medford's two freeway interchanges is for local traffic. Grove said that one of the alternatives for the redesign of the north Medford interchange would link I-5 with Table Rock Road, but the connecting road would be closer to Medford than you suggest. (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 1999, Medford, Oregon USA