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76 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, May 14, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 12, 2005 Potential costs throw roadblock into name change for Hwy. 238 By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Changing the official name of Highway 238 to Applegate Valley Highway is a more expensive option than first thought, Jackson County commissioners learned Wednesday. John Vial, district manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation, told commissioners it would cost tens of thousands of dollars for the state to change databases, maps and other documents, so he proposed yet another name for the old route: "Historic Jacksonville Highway." "We have some real concerns with renaming the whole highway," he said. Residents and businesses along Jacksonville Highway have sent commissioners a petition opposing the renaming of their road "Old Jacksonville Highway," saying it would lead to confusion and cost money to change stationery. The old route follows West Main Street out of Medford to Jacksonville. ODOT says the name change is necessary because Jacksonville Highway is the official designation of Highway 238, which was rerouted in 2002 to follow Rossanley Drive and Hanley Road when the "Big Y" intersection at the Rogue Valley Mall was changed to a "Big X" configuration. Advertisement Vial said the state would offer to kick in money to help businesses change their stationery if residents would agree to changing the name of the old route to Historic Jacksonville Highway. He said ODOT has been surprised at the reaction to the name change. "This issue has certainly grown into something bigger than I thought it would be," he said. Vial told commissioners that they voted for the new name back in 1999 before work began on the new route. The Oregon State Police has sent the county a letter indicating it wants to end confusion over which route is actually Jacksonville Highway because it makes it difficult for dispatchers sending out emergency vehicles. He said Jacksonville Highway starts in Grants Pass, goes through the Applegate and ends in Medford, and noted that other highways in the area also have official names designated by the state. Commissioners, who last week appeared willing to consider renaming Highway 238 the Applegate Valley Highway, understood Vial’s concerns. "I’m not going to support spending a whole lot of money," said Commissioner Jack Walker. Commissioners did agree to name a small section of road built during construction of the "Big X" intersection as Rossanley Drive. This section begins east of Sage Road and continues to the intersection. They tabled discussion on the Jacksonville Highway issue for two weeks to allow time to gather additional information. Frustrated at the length of time it is taking to resolve this question, Walker said, "We’re making a mountain out of a molehill here." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Paris Hilton Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans Tatoo tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoos Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s