March
10 2017
ODOT A Mail Tribune Advertising Department publication
Q&A with Paula Brown Caveman Bridge
Q&A with Jenna Stanke Marmon Oregon 99 Talent
Oregon 62 Shady Cove odotmovingahead.com
March 10, 2017
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Q&A WITH PAULA BROWN Longtime Ashland resident Paula Brown is the newest member of the Oregon Transportation Commission, appointed to a four-year term last December. She discussed her new role and what she hopes to achieve.
forward to implement the selected plan. I look forward to the challenges we face in developing a transportation plan and funding package that meets the needs for Oregonians and those that visit our wonderful state.
Q:
As an engineer, I also have a strong background in program and project planning and execution.
How did you describe the skills and perspective you bring to the OTC?
I have served since I was in college; first with the United States Navy, then with local communities and special districts. Upon retiring from the Navy, I realized the need to continue to serve. Having been active with Oregon transportation issues at the staff level for 15 years, it is an honor to serve on the Governor’s Transportation Commission to work for all of Oregon. My goal would be to ensure that all positions are heard and respected prior to making decisions and to help the Governor advance the vision for Oregon’s Transportation System. I enjoy working with a team that has divergent points of view but can be open to differences of opinion and perhaps a broadened sense of change. I look forward to innovative solutions for our future that will add value to the lives of Oregonians.
Q:
What previous experience is most helpful?
Over my last six years with the US Navy, I spent a great deal of time working on shrinking federal budgets and refining the quantity of support without compromising quality. We will always have competing priorities and must strive to understand each dimension of need before we make thoughtful recommendations. Some of the strengths I bring to the OTC: developing priorities among competing needs and desires; learning to explain needs in terms that policy makers and legislators understand, so that decisions can be made; and, then, developing next steps and ways
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Q:
OTC commissioners are challenged to represent different regions of Oregon while bearing in mind the larger, interconnected transportation system. How do you balance these responsibilities? I am excited to learn more about other parts of Oregon and what makes them special. Besides Ashland, I have family in Portland and Bend and am familiar with Interstate 5 and parts of the northern and southern Oregon coast. I love to travel and one of the best parts of my role on the OTC is to learn about the rest of Oregon and the differing needs of each region. We all do things a little differently and prioritize transportation needs a little differently. There are times when many of us that do not live in the Portland Metro area feel a little disenfranchised. I accept that one of my roles is to understand the differing needs and help to shape and translate the prioritization of program and project funding across each region. Although familiar with the needs of the Rogue Valley, I hope to be able to learn from other Area Commissions on Transportation about what challenges they face and understand their true needs. I also believe it is important to continue the vital links — highway, rail, transit and transportation innovations — we have with neighboring states.
Q:
This is an unpaid, volunteer post requiring significant time and travel commitments. Give us a sense of the obligations and sacrifices you make in this role?
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I can tell you for sure I did not expect to spend as much time as I already have, but…it will be worth it. For me, one is either all in or out. I am committed to learning as much as I can about the transportation needs, policies, and rules, and then to make sure we are doing the right things for all of Oregon. I am not sure I would call any of this a sacrifice as I feel an obligation to serve and right now, this is important to me and I hope I will make a difference for Oregon.
Q:
Your career took you to many places but you’ve chosen to live in southern Oregon. What attracts you to the Rogue Valley? I moved to the Rogue Valley in 1993 to get a life and I was successful in that pursuit. What keeps me here, besides my husband and our vineyard, is the sense of peace and beauty.
BROWN continued on page 6
About Paula Brown A registered civil engineer in Oregon and California as well as an environmental engineer in Oregon, Paula earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of the Pacific and a master’s degree from George Washington University. During 1982-2016, Brown served in the United States Navy, Civil Engineer Corps. She is a combat veteran. In the Naval Reserves, Brown was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and served as Deputy of the First Naval Construction Division. Most recently, she served as Deputy Naval Facilities Engineering Command, which manages the planning, design, construction, contingency engineering, real estate, environmental and public works support for U.S. Navy shore facilities worldwide. Brown owns and operates Dana Campbell Vineyards in Ashland with her husband. About OTC This body establishes state transportation policy, meeting monthly to oversee ODOT activities relating to highways, public transportation, rail, transportation safety, motor carrier transportation, and drivers and motor vehicles. The governor appoints five commissioners, ensuring that different geographic regions of the state are represented. One member must live east of the Cascade Range; no more than three can belong to one political party.
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BROWN continued from page 5 Every time I traveled, typically by air, and returned home to the Medford Airport, I was always so glad to be coming home. Even though it took one extra flight and a few more hours, I was very glad to be in my little piece of paradise. I appreciate the community atmosphere I have
EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Jared Castle, 541-957-3656 jared.b.castle@odot.state.or.us Gary Leaming, 541-774-6388 gary.w.leaming@odot.state.or.us ADVERTISING Athena Fliegel, 541-776-4385 afliegel@mailtribune.com
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in Ashland and the Rogue Valley, where people talk to each other and are interested in making things better. I appreciate being outdoors and the fantastic options we have to play (hiking, rafting, snow sports, etc.) and become connected to the environment. I appreciate the seasons. I appreciate the calmness.
CONTRIBUTORS Bret Jackson Publication Supervisor Steve Johnson Photography Brian Fitz-Gerald Illustration Shelley Snow, Carrie Brown Editing
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This feature publication is produced separately from the Mail Tribune’s editorial department. All content is developed and approved by the Oregon Department of Transportation. ODOT is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer committed to a diverse workforce. Accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities; alternate formats are available upon request.
Siskiyou Rest Area and Welcome Center Construction at the Siskiyou Rest Area and Welcome Center is expected to resume after wet winter weather idled much of the work. The second phase, constructing the facility’s buildings, is scheduled to begin later this year. The Interstate 5 facility is being built about two miles south of Ashland’s Exit 14 and two miles north of the former rest area. The old rest area was closed in 1997 for public safety, following a series of commercial truck crashes. Construction on the new rest area and welcome center began in November 2015. Prime contractor Wildish Standard Paving of Eugene focused on earthwork, paving and drainage during the project’s first phase. The work included grading and paving the I-5 ramps as well as construction of
the facility’s parking lot, driveways and a service road from Crowson Road. The service road is being used to deliver materials during construction and, later, will be used for daily operational needs, including staff and deliveries. The facility will serve as a signature destination for northbound travelers, those just needing to stretch their legs and visitors to Oregon wanting to learn more about the state’s tourism opportunities. The second phase will build two Cascadia-themed buildings, which add to the gateway theme for visitors. The environmentally-friendly design and sustainable ethic will match that of the Welcome to Oregon sign at the California border as well as the new interchange aesthetics constructed at Ashland Exits 14 and 19.
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CAVEMAN BRIDGE
Michael Oaks, past president of the Josephine County Historical Society, holds a 1930 photo taken during construction of the Caveman Bridge. He regularly posts historical pictures on the Facebook group, “ILoveGrantsPass.”
A project open house later this month will showcase the $5.3 million Caveman Bridge rehabilitation project scheduled to begin after Labor Day weekend in Grants Pass. The March 15 open house will showcase a walk-though of the bridge needs and improvements planned as well as detail the construction impacts to traffic and nearby businesses. The event runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Lodge at Riverside, 955 S.E. 7th Street. “During project scoping we encountered people with a personal connection to this bridge,” said ODOT Project Information Specialist Gary Leaming. “We’d like people to share
their memories, the mementos and keepsakes that connect them to the Caveman Bridge.” The public is encouraged to bring pictures, postcards or other mementos connected to the Caveman Bridge to the open house. Leaming said he will post pictures of the items shared on the project website. The rehabilitation project is the first major upgrade of the Caveman Bridge built in 1931. Designed by famed Oregon bridge designer Conde McCullough, the bridge is a critical link in Grants Pass, spanning the Rogue River. Caveman Bridge serves as the gateway to the Redwood Empire
CAVEMAN continued on page 10
March 15 Open House Join us Wednesday, March 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Lodge at Riverside, 955 S.E. 7th Street. To learn more about the Caveman Bridge rehabilitation project, watch our project video available online: https://youtu.be/itvuzuw10Kc
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Help us identify the family in this photo. The public is welcome to bring their photos and other bridgerelated mementos to the March 15 open house.
CAVEMAN continued from page 8 of southwest Oregon and northern California. The historic gateway sign on the north side of the bridge will also undergo rehabilitation by the city of Grants Pass.
The rehabilitation project will:
“Caveman Bridge is an important connection for the city and its identity,” said Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Colene Martin. “We know it will take some time to complete and have some impacts but know, in the end, it will all be worth it.”
• Pressure wash the bridge and recapture all water;
The bridge rehabilitation project is expected to be completed by early 2019.
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• Repair sections of cracked concrete, exposed rebar and failed joints along the nearly 550-foot structure;
• Repair bridge deck delamination by grinding off the existing asphalt cap and replacing it with a stronger, premixed polymer concrete; • Replace the bridge rail, maintaining its unique aesthetic while meeting today’s safety standards; and • Add new lighting that maintains the character of the bridge’s street lights.
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“Our goal is to return the bridge to its original glory,” said ODOT Bridge Engineer Bob Grubbs. “It will be restored as something the City of Grants Pass, the Rogue Valley and the state of Oregon can be proud of for many years.”
nearly 19 thousand “ With vehicles using Caveman
annual celebrations and other key community events.
Bridge every day, we understand the importance of minimizing traffic impacts. We need to find the balance between getting the work done and keeping traffic on the move.
“We’ve met with the City of Grants Pass, and several of the local businesses to hear their concerns and — ODOT Project Leader Stephanie Bentea. make project adjustments based on those conversations,” said ODOT Project Leader Stephanie Bentea. Construction work will take place “With nearly 19 thousand vehicles from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. with a single using Caveman Bridge every day, lane of traffic open. Twelve full-night we understand the importance of closures, from 9 p.m. until 6:30 a.m., minimizing traffic impacts. We need to will be scheduled as needed over the length of the two-year project. Special find the balance between getting the work done and keeping traffic on the project provisions targeted several nomove.” work weekends to avoid conflicts with
”
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Q&A WITH JENNA STANKE MARMON A familiar face and well-known advocate for bicycle and pedestrian programs, Jenna Stanke Marmon recently joined ODOT, after more than a decade with Jackson County. She discussed opportunities available in her new position.
Q:
Tell us about your new role and responsibilities as the agency’s first Active Transportation Liaison in southern Oregon. The role is to be a resource as well as, to some degree, an advocate. I like to call it an ‘advocrat’ for all things that allow people to travel throughout and between their communities by biking or walking. The position works with various business lines within ODOT — engaging in planning efforts, project designs, and maintenance topics — as well as with external partners, such as jurisdiction staff and citizens from local communities. There’s also a strong connection to transit, which serves as a critical option for longer distance trips and a backup option when situations arise.
Q:
How does your new role build upon and connect to your previous experience?
I quickly realized how critical community access is to a trail’s
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success when I started working on the Rogue River Greenway and that continued in my work with the Bear Creek Greenway. Trails are more successful when they are part of a safe, convenient and connected bike and pedestrian network. I started engaging with local and regional planning efforts to promote that kind of connectivity. Now, I’m working to that end here in the Rogue Valley and also throughout southwest Oregon.
Q:
You previously chaired the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. From that perspective, are the challenges and opportunities in the Rogue Valley unique or similar to the rest of Oregon? I’ve always found it funny when communities say “We’re not New York City, so we can’t do that here.” They don’t know this even happens in New York City, where people say “We’re not Copenhagen, so we can’t do that here.” Of course, every community is unique but many of the challenges and opportunities we face throughout the state and the country are similar. We cannot build our way out of congestion. Look to any massive freeway. There are still traffic jams every morning. We have a health epidemic caused by lifestyle choices. For the first time in two centuries, children will not
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live as long as their parents. Millennials and Boomers are the two biggest generations and both are clamoring for transportation options. The Rogue Valley has some unique opportunities. We have a great climate, we have an abundance of outdoor activities, and we have the spine of a great bicycle and pedestrian network in the Bear Creek Greenway. If we can continue and expand efforts like the Larson Creek Greenway, and if we improve our important street connections so everyone, young and old, is comfortable walking or biking, and if we promote our region as an area where you can get around safely and comfortably without a car…well, the sky is the limit!
Q:
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in your new role?
There are three upcoming planning efforts critical for advancing active transportation. The first is the regional Active Transportation Needs Inventory, which will help us identify gaps in the system and strategically work to create a complete network. The second is the Oregon Coast Bike Route Plan, which is a joint effort with the ODOT regions encompassing the entire coastline. There are an estimated 6,000-10,000 people who ride the coast route annually! Lastly, the Rogue Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization will kick off the region’s Active Transportation Plan, which will identify key destinations and potential improvements to critical connections that provide safe and comfortable walking and biking options.
Q:
Where do you like to bike, hike or walk? What are some of the lesser-known places and paths you recommend? Walking is by far my favorite way to explore communities, even my own neighborhood. Now that I’m not managing the Bear Creek Greenway, it’s really a nice place to walk
or bike. When I worked for Jackson County, it was pretty hard not to feel like I was working when I rode on it. I love to travel and we tend to take trips to places where we rarely, if ever, have to drive. It’s remarkably more relaxing.
About Jenna Stanke Marmon The former chair of the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Jenna has worked in trails and active transportation for the last decade, most recently as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager for Jackson County. Marmon is a licensed Landscape Architect in Oregon and holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Iowa State University. After a stretch with the Iowa State Parks Department, she moved west to the Rogue Valley in 2001 as an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Regional Ecosystems Applied Learning Corps, where she worked on various natural resources initiatives and projects, including fish habitat construction, trail building and fuels reduction. Prior to her service with Jackson County, Marmon worked as a Parks and Recreation Planner for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, where she focused on planning and grant funding for the Rogue River Greenway, working closely with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, ODOT, and the Rogue River Greenway Foundation. About Active Transportation Multimodal transportation options connect people to where they need to go — to work, to school and to access essential services — using active modes like walking, bicycling, and public transit. At ODOT, active transportation includes strategically investing in infrastructure in response to changing community and user needs.
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LANDMARKS
7
1 Fred Meyer
8
Buy 2 Best Walmart Hubbard’s 3 Hubbard’s Hardware 4 Lava Lanes
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5
46 Safeway
Rogue Valley 47 Medford Airport Highway 62 48 Expressway
Bullock Rd
Sportsman’s 45 Warehouse
Delta Waters 4 3
Crater Lake Ave
Whittle Rd
Hilton Ave
Skypark Dr
OREGON 62 EXPRESSWAY 2
Not to scale
dle
Bid
Corona Ave
After several months of winter rain 1 bogged down work on the Oregon 62 Expressway, prime contractor Knife River Materials is making the most of warmer, drier spring weather as activity is ramped up on the construction grade. Rd
Poplar Dr
Morrow Rd
The $120 million, multi-phase project will increase capacity and improve safety along the Crater Lake Highway (Oregon 62) corridor, a critical business connection for commercial freight, tourism and commuters from Medford to points east. “The constant wet, muddy conditions affected our work schedule, especially on the south side of Oregon 62, where we’re trying to get rock in for the third lane of traffic along with curb, gutter and sidewalks,” said Knife River Project Manager Tyler Douglas. Work resumed between Poplar Drive and Delta Waters Road outside the travel lanes at night. Knife River is constructing new curb and driveway
accesses along the south side of Oregon 62. A temporary, multi-use path provides pedestrian access during this work. Roberts Rd New, fish-friendly passages replaced the Lone Pine Creek and Upton Creek culverts. The realignment of the Lone Pine Creek culvert near Lava Lanes is permitting construction of a new directional interchange across from Hubbard’s Hardware. All south side construction is scheduled to wrap up later this year.
“The restrictions are designed to reduce traffic impacts because the daily volumes on Oregon 62 are so high,” said ODOT Project Manager Tim Fletcher. According to Fletcher, the schedule calls for two lanes of Oregon 62 to be open in each direction, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
OR62 continued on page 16
Project Updates Interested in receiving project updates via email? Sign up online: https://goo.gl/hSReOw
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Oregon 62 Corridor Connectivity Corey Rd Fowler Ln Overpass
LANDMARKS
Vilas Rd
11 Costco
a Crater L
2 Walmart Hubbard’s
3 Hardware
ke Ave
Rogue Valley 44 Medford Airport
Internati
Overpass
Coker Butte Rd
onal Wa
Lear Way
y
14
Commerce Dr Cardinal Ave
11 Owen Dr 12
Delta Waters Rd
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Big Numbers
Wh
Delta Waters Rd
ittl
eR
d
Skypark Dr LANDMARKS
461,000 cubic yards of soil moved, enough to fill a football field 216 feet deep;
Skypark Dr
Hilton Ave
Crater Lake Ave
223 tons of two-inch steel rebar, 126.5 miles, enough to travel from Medford to Eugene.
Delta Waters
Whittle Rd
45,300 cubic yards of concrete in roadway - 25.7 lane miles, 12 feet wide; and
Bullock Rd
To build the 4.5 mile expressway takes soil and building materials such as concrete and steel. Here’s a quick look at some of those quantities for the new roadway from Poplar Drive to Corey Road:
Roadways Open During Construction
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OR62 Express, BW photo, Steve
OR62 continued from page 14 Knife River submitted the winning bid “The safety concern is higher crash for the project’s second phase. rates at corridor intersections, especially from Interstate 5 to Delta Transit Improvements Waters Road,” said ODOT RVTD Manager Julie Brown Project Information cited another advantage Specialist Gary Leaming. of the upcoming “Oregon 62 and Delta expressway for transit Waters Road is the I see the riders could be a Bus busiest intersection expressway Rapid Transit route in the Rogue Valley from a Park-and-Ride with traffic volumes helping to alleviate in the White City area higher than those congestion. to or near downtown recorded on I-5 north — RVTD Manager Paula Brown. Medford. of Medford.”
“
”
Four-Lane Expressway Through traffic will travel along a 4.5-mile, four-lane expressway on the east side of the Medford Airport once the entire project is completed in late 2018. The expressway will cross over Coker Butte and Vilas Roads via an overpass, and connect at a signal to the existing Crater Lake Highway near Corey Road. The multimodal project also constructs sidewalks and transitrelated enhancements on the existing Oregon 62 corridor. Construction picks up this month near Crater Lake Highway and Crater Lake Avenue. The project schedule calls for this work to finish in November.
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“Better access through sidewalks, the possibilities of Park-and-Rides for commuters, and the addition of signal priority will help us get back on schedule,” said Brown. Signal prioritization allows bus drivers, when running behind due to congestion, to change upcoming traffic signals to the green phase, thus putting them back on schedule and reducing time the bus sits in traffic. “I see the expressway helping to alleviate congestion,” said Brown. “Signal prioritization will help transit deliver services on time.”
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Fender Benders New signs that direct motorists to move their vehicles off the highway after a fender bender-type crash are making a difference along the Oregon 62 corridor, according to ODOT Assistant District Manager Jeremiah Griffin. “We’ve seen an improved response from citizens, law enforcement, fire and tow operators,” said Griffin. “First responders are quick to think about moving the vehicle to get the road open and traffic moving in a congested construction zone.” Oregon law requires you to stop after a minor collision and pull out of any driving lanes, even if the traffic behind you is stopped. This is to avoid a secondary collision, as well as to not impede traffic flow. “Minor crashes are defined as when the vehicles are drivable and the people are without injuries,” said Griffin. Motorists are required to move their vehicles, either to the highway shoulder or to a nearby parking lot, and away from the travel lanes.”
If you are the front car in a collision, motion to the other driver to follow you to a close place where there’s room for both of you to pull over safely. If you’re on the shoulder, stay as far away from moving cars as possible while you assess damage and exchange insurance information. Safety concerns rapidly increase as the stopped vehicles in a fender bender affect traffic along the corridor and cross streets all the way back to the I-5 interchange and off-ramps. “The likelihood of a secondary crash increases with each passing minute,” said Griffin. Fortunately, fender benders are the least serious and most common type of crashes reported along the corridor. Even before construction began several intersections along the Oregon 62 corridor between Delta Waters Road and Interstate 5 had higher than normal crash rates. The Oregon 62 Expressway project is addressing all of those intersections with safety improvements.
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FERN VALLEY INTERCHANGE
WILL SERVE FUTURE GENERATIONS efficient interchange design, became more popular. The design is now operational or under construction in almost every state in the nation. The Fern Valley Interchange project also built a new Bear Creek Bridge, replacing a narrower structure that was load-limited. Sidewalks and bike lanes constructed as part of the project now safely accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists.
By Art Anderson Rogue Valley Area Manager The Fern Valley Interchange design in Phoenix looks great and functions well for the local community and travelers along Interstate 5. It’s never easy to complete a project of this size without changing a community, especially one the size of Phoenix. The success of this project is due in no small part to the participation and partnership of local citizens and the city. We started design and environmental process meetings in 2004 with the Phoenix community and nearby property owners. The process took more than seven years and was sometimes contentious. Early on, I stopped the design and environmental process to bring more community voices into the project’s development. In the end, we developed a thoroughly-vetted interchange design with the support and input of the Phoenix community. It was a challenging design given the geography and proximity of adjacent businesses. Prime contractor Hamilton Construction of Springfield began construction in April 2014. The Fern Valley Interchange project is especially notable as the first diverging diamond interchange developed in the state of Oregon. As the Fern Valley project progressed, the diverging diamond, a compact,
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I’m proud to say the $72 million project came in on time and on budget. I’d also like to acknowledge everyone who had a part in this project, including the city of Phoenix, Hamilton Construction, the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation, the local citizens who attended our design meetings and gave their opinions and suggestions, as well as the local businesses and travelers who endured two seasons of construction. This new interchange is a great addition to the transportation network and sets the stage for a new era of economic development in Phoenix and the Rogue Valley.
About Art Anderson As Area Manager for the Rogue Valley, Art manages state highway construction projects in Josephine and Jackson counties. He represents ODOT as a member of the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation. About RVACT Charted in 1997 by the Oregon Transportation Commission, RVACT address all aspects of transportation (surface, marine, air, and transportation safety) with primary focus on the state transportation system. The advisory body considers regional and local transportation issues if they affect the state system.
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Reach more than 100,000
Rogue Valley residents with
Inserted in the Mail Tribune, Ashland Daily Tidings, The Daily Courier, Rogue River Press, Upper Rogue Independent and the Illinois Valley News. We’re in all the right places, including the DMV, the Medford International Airport, the Medford Visitors Center and the Rogue Valley Transit District.
For more information, call 541-776-4422 odotmovingahead.com
March 10, 2017
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Makeover planned for
Oregon 99 from Talent to Ashland A makeover that will enhance safety and livability along Oregon 99 from Talent south to the Ashland city limits is slated to begin this summer. The $5.4 million project will improve Oregon 99 from Rapp Road to Creel Road in Talent with urban improvements including new curb, gutter and driveways in addition to sidewalks and bike lanes. The city of Talent is contributing $400,000 to the project. “What makes this a particularly great project is the impact it presents across the board,” said Talent Mayor Darby Stricker. “It’s not just safety but also livability and economic development potential for Talent.” One of the project’s early supporters, Mayor Stricker said it will contribute to a strong business corridor by providing better visibility for business and better access to driveways. The project will be constructed in various sections over two construction seasons. During this summer, Oregon 99 will be paved and restriped from the Talent city limits south to Ashland. Most of that work will convert the highway to three lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes. At the same time, work is planned in Talent to re-
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locate utilities across Oregon 99 from Rapp Road to Creel Road. In spring 2018, the main construction work in Talent begins. From Rapp Road to Creel Road, improvements will include the aforementioned curb, gutter, sidewalk, storm drain and driveways. “This will be one of the pivotal project for Talent and its future,” said Stricker. More improvements According to ODOT District Manager Jerry Marmon, the section of Oregon 99 from South Valley View to Jackson Road will remain in its five-lane configuration because of the weave-andmerge traffic that accesses Oregon 99, Interstate 5, nearby businesses and the Bear Creek Greenway. Sidewalks will be constructed south of South Valley View Road, where on average nearly 17,000 vehicles use the highway daily. The traffic volumes are roughly half that amount North of South Valley View Road. “We’re accommodating all users and making Oregon 99 safer for residents and business customers who make a left turn,” said Marmon.
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RVACT PROPOSES PROJECTS FOR 2018-2021 STIP The Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, known as the STIP, is Oregon’s four-year transportation capital improvement program.
5. OR 140: Avenue G-OR62 Paving: repair road base and provide structural overlay, with new striping, pavement markers and other requirements; 2020; $130,000;
The STIP identifies the funding for, and scheduling of, transportation projects and programs. It includes projects on the federal, state, city, and county transportation systems, multimodal projects (highway, passenger rail, freight, public transit, bicycle and pedestrian), and projects in the National Parks, National Forests, and Indian tribal lands.
Bridge 6. I-5: NB Rogue River (Homestead) Bridge: repair concrete girders, deck expansion joints and overlay the deck; 2019, $1.3 million;
The Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation reviewed the 2018-2021 draft STIP last January at its regular monthly meeting. ACTs provide a critical communication link between ODOT and local governments, the business community, and the public. RVACT is proposing the following projects in the 2018-21 STIP: Enhance 1. OR 99: Birch Street to Coleman Creek Culvert: replace box culvert, install transit signal prioritization on Oregon 99, and add sidewalks, bike lanes, pedestrian crossings; 2020; $7.6 million; 2. Josephine Community Transit Station Phase 1: 2020; $589,000; Preservation 3. U.S. 199: OR 99-Applegate River: grind out and replace existing pavement from milepost 69.0 to 6.9 (Grants Pass to Applegate River Bridge); 2019, $7.4 million; 4. OR 140: Bear Creek-Agate Road: repair roadway and overlay existing pavement from milepost 6.7 to 1.1; 2019, $4.9 million;
Operations 7. I-5: Siskiyou Pass Variable Advisory Speed Signs: install weather responsive variable speed system and other signs for northbound traffic from milepost 4.5 to 9.2; 2019, $6.6 million; 8. Region 3 Variable Message Signs Upgrades: upgrade or construct VMS signs at Interstate 5 milepost 28.0, 29.5, 36.0, 105.0, and Oregon 62 milepost 14.0; 2021, $2.2 million; Safety 9. OR 99: I-5 to Scenic Ave.: add traffic signal and convert roadway to three-lane configuration with center turn lane from milepost 0.4 to 1.6; 2020, $3.2 million; 10. OR 99: Ashland Pedestrian Upgrades: add street lighting at Lithia Way-3rd Street intersection and Siskiyou Boulevard-Morton Street intersection; install traffic signals at North Main Street and Water Street; add pedestrian signs and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon at Siskiyou Boulevard-Tolman Creek Road intersection; 2020; $1.1 million; 11. U.S. 199: MP 25 to Kerby: Widen highway shoulders from milepost 26.6 to 26.9; 2021, $571,000; 12. OR 140: Atlantic Ave. Intersection Improvements: improve safety at intersection with roundabout and raised median; 2019, $2.2 million;
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13. Josephine County Safety Improvements: install centerline rumble strips, curve warning signs, chevrons, recessed pavement markers and replace striping on Oregon 260 and Lower River Road from milepost 1.3 to 22.2; install curve warning signs and chevrons on Oregon 99 and Rogue River Highway from milepost 0.0 to 14.9; 2019, $827,000; 14. West Valley View Road Multimodal Safety Upgrade: implement road diet east from Oregon 99 intersection; repave, restripe and upgrade bike and pedestrian facilities; 2019, $537,000; 15. OR 238 @ West Main Street Roundabout: install roundabout and raised median; 2021, $3.8 million;
16. OR 234: Gold Hill - Sams Valley Intersection: increase sign distance, add pavement markings and signs, and provide flashing beacons on Oregon 234 from milepost 10.7 to 12.6; install lighting and increase sight distance on Interstate 5 at milepost 40.9; 2021; $674,000; 17. Freeman Road @ Pine St. Intersection (Central Point): improve drainage and install raised island; enhance striping to include bike lane; 2019, $121,000; 18. Azalea Drive and Robertson Bridge Rd.: install triangle sight distance and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon, improve intersection warning signs; 2019, $186,000.
Send comments directly to Region STIP Coordinator Lisa Cornutt Lisa.Cornutt@odot.state.or.us STIP Comments 3500 NW Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, Oregon 97470 www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION3/Pages/STIP.aspx
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SHADY COVE PREPARES FOR
COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT PROJECT A $2.7 million community enhancement project in Shady Cove will include a number of roadway safety improvements to a repaving project on Oregon 62. The project extends north from the Rogue River Bridge to Cleveland Street in Shady Cove.
egon 62 from the Rogue River Bridge to the north side of Chase Bank;
“We can’t wait for it to start,” said Shady Cove Mayor Tom Sanderson. “Since the highway is the gateway to Crater Lake, this project will provide a better image for us and increase tourism. It’s extremely important to us.”
• Marked crosswalks and rapid flashing beacons north of Rogue River Drive and between Chaparral Drive and Williams Lane;
Work is scheduled to begin after the Labor Day weekend in 2017. Project plans are wrapping up in time for a contractor to bid in May. “We adjusted the construction schedule with Shady Cove’s summer tourism season in mind,” said ODOT Project Information Specialist Gary Leaming. “Some utility relocation work will occur this spring and summer but the bulk of the construction work won’t begin until after Labor Day.”
• Curb, gutter, sidewalks, and bike lanes on the west side of Oregon 62 from Chaparral Drive north to Cleveland Street;
• Continuous, two-way, left-turn lane on Oregon 62 from the bridge to Williams Lane; and • A right-turn lane with sidewalks from Rogue River Drive onto southbound Oregon 62. There are no plans on the horizon to improve the highway from the Rogue River Bridge south to Brophy Road. Jackson County is contributing project funds for the right-turn lane from Rogue River Drive.
In addition to a new roadway surface, the project will build: • Curb, gutter, sidewalks, and bike lanes on the river side of Orodotmovingahead.com
More project information is available online: www. oregon.gov/ODOT/ HWY/REGION3/Pages/ OR62_ShadyCove.aspx.
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