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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 Top tax delinquents in Oregon include four from Jackson County ... Wet March expected for southwest Oregon ... Emergency Services ... Top tax delinquents in Oregon include four from Jackson County ... Wet March expected for southwest Oregon ... Emergency Services ... OUR VIEW Our View: Don't make businesses fix downtown sidewalks Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News It's not clear why sidewalks installed just 12 years ago as part of Medford's downtown revitalization efforts are now failing. It's also not clear why the Medford Urban Renewal agency and city officials decided individual pavers were preferable to poured concrete, or why the pavers came with only a one-year warranty. What seems clear is that downtown businesses should not have to pay for repairs. The pavers, installed between Fifth and Ninth streets, are now uneven, and tree roots are pushing up from below. Rogue Community College's facilities director says trees planted when the sidewalks were installed have been causing problems, and cracked concrete in RCC's main building may have been caused by the poor installation. Business owners say water leaking down through the sidewalks may cause flooding in basements. It has long been city policy that residential property owners are responsible for repairing sidewalks in front of their homes, which makes sense. The city cannot reasonably be expected to maintain miles of sidewalks in residential neighborhoods installed many years ago. The downtown sidewalks, however, are still relatively new. It appears the city will attempt to determine why they are failing, but it's hard to see how downtown businesses could be at fault in any way. MURA is near the end of its life, and the money remaining in its coffers has been allocated to various projects such as the Hawthorne Park renovation. The pavers initially cost nearly $1 million, and replacing them won't be inexpensive. Not all the pavers are failing yet, and they were installed over a period of years. If the city has to budget money for repairs every year for 10 years or more to cover future repair costs, so be it. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 12:01 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 2016 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