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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 Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... Our View: Three elections that matter right now ... The Concord launches ... Mail Tribune 100: Oct. 20, 1915 ... OUR VIEW Our View: Viaduct study will confirm what everyone knows Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 24, 2014 at 2:00 AM Posted Sep. 24, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Social News The Oregon Department of Transportation is planning to spend $4 million to figure out what everyone already knows — the Interstate 5 viaduct through downtown Medford needs to be replaced. If it takes a study to make it official, so be it. But it's time to stop talking and start doing something to prepare for what seems to be inevitable. The 52-year-old viaduct will not withstand the major earthquake that is likely to hit this region sooner or later. The elevated roadway likely would collapse, cutting the city in two and severing the West Coast's main transportation corridor. The viaduct was built in 1962 because Medford city leaders at the time feared traffic would bypass the city without stopping if the freeway ran to the east of town, which was the original plan. At the same time, they fought against an interchange in the center of town, leaving Medford with an elevated thoroughfare splitting the town in two but without convenient freeway access. Now, the reality of the Cascadia Subduction Zone threatens the future of the city of Medford and the I-5 viaduct. And the city has grown and developed in the intervening half century, to the point that re-routing the freeway would be enormously expensive. Just acquiring the property needed for the right of way would be astronomical, let alone the construction costs. The three possible routes would be just to the east of the existing viaduct, roughly following Biddle Road, which would take out part of Hawthorne Park and residences to the south; around the eastern boundary of the city near North Phoenix and Foothill roads; and somewhere to the west of town. None is ideal, and all would be disruptive and filled with the potential for a long, drawn-out fight. But here's the reality: None of those options would be as disruptive — or nearly as expensive — as rebuilding the freeway after a major earthquake, when the city would be split in two by piles of broken concrete and the commercial artery that is I-5 would be blocked, possibly for years. The costs of that are almost incalculable. If we're going to spend $4 million to find out what we already know, at least some of that money should be spent on telling us what we don't want to hear: The freeway needs to be moved. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 24, 2014 at 2:00 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 2015 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