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75 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, August 28, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 4, 2004 Roundabout option for Medford intersection set for Thursday airing By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune East Medford residents are all over the map in their opinions on a simple new intersection design. They’ll all get a chance to speak about what might be Medford’s first roundabout, which is proposed for the intersection of Highland Avenue and Siskiyou Boulevard. For east Medford resident Charles Pedersen, the proposal suits the location. "I think for medium traffic and lower, they’re ideal because you don’t have to stop," he said. Sometimes you do. A roundabout (also known as a rotary or gyratory circus ) is a type of intersection at which traffic streams around a central island after first yielding to cars already in the roundabout. Advertisement The Medford City Council will have a public hearing on the proposal at its Thursday meeting. Construction of the $750,000 project could begin as early as spring. Pedersen drives the intersection frequently to get to places like the South Gateway Center at Barnett Road and Center Drive. And he’s driven several roundabouts, including in England where they are ubiquitous and remembers his first experience in one. "I thought: ‘My gosh, what a great idea,’ " he said. But native Brit Debbie Jordahl, owner of As You Like It Hair and Nail in the corner strip mall at Siskiyou and Highland, said it’s not such a great idea. "Would I like a roundabout? If they could offer traffic school, yeah," Jordahl said. The only reason they work so well in England is because everyone grows up using them, Jordahl said, adding that she’d rather see the intersection left alone. But city engineers say the intersection, which handles 20,000 cars per day, is confusing and dangerous. It’s a four-way stop with streets that don’t meet up in a perfect cross, and it has two additional stop signs at turn lanes. And because of its odd configuration, there are more ways for drivers to get hit. The proposed roundabout has one 18-foot wide travel lane, with a counter-clockwise flow. Pedestrian walkways would be marked and the center island raised. Public Works director Cory Crebbin said drivers easily figure out how to navigate modern roundabouts, which direct drivers in the proper direction, pretty quickly. "People tend to be more cautious in the beginning, so there are less accidents," he said. Because people are traveling in the same direction, accidents aren’t as bad as in intersections with stoplights, he said. Among those who would deal regularly with the new roundabout is the nearby Medford Fire Station #3. Medford fire Operations Chief Mark Burns supports the plan, one of several proposals for the intersection that the department examined. "From the fire department’s perspective, it’s the better option," Burns said. The change won’t affect the station’s response time, he said, adding that the long-term plan is to move the station to downtown. Dick Simonson, who has lived on Highland Drive just a few blocks from the intersection for 33 years, is skeptical of the proposal. With Bear Creek Park and its much-used skateboard park so close, an intersection with no crosswalk signal means pedestrians will have a hard time crossing the street. "This is a high-traffic intersection," he said. "If (roundabouts) were that great, we’d see them everywhere." But Crebbin said they’re easier for pedestrians because they just look in one direction for each street crossing, rather than in four directions. East Medford resident Mack Gossett said he’s made dozens of trips to Europe and driven many roundabouts. He said the roundabout won’t create any problems in an intersection he considers to be small. "Highland, my golly, that’s not considered heavy traffic at all," he said. Gossett said he thinks drivers worldwide seem to like roundabouts. "Once (drivers) become adapted to it, they just sail through it," he said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities