ODOT Moving Ahead - June 2010

Open for Summer

Highway 62 Corridor MULTIMODALODOTMOVINGAHEAD.COM DESIGNS

June 11, 2010

Oregon Department of Transportation A Mail Tribune Advertising Department publication

ROCK POINT BRIDGE

June

11 2010

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ON OUR COVER Wildish Standard Paving crew members install new railing on the Rock Point Bridge. The historic bridge is located west of Gold Hill on Highway 99.

INSIDE COVER Multimodal transportation options, including bicycles and a partnership with the Rogue Valley Transit District, are being considered in Unit 2 of the Highway 62 Corridor project.

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Rock Point Bridge

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TripCheck.com

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Highway 62

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OTC Commissioner David Lohman

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Historic bridge reopens for summer

10 years of service

Developing multimodal solutions

Transportation progress

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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 CONTRIBUTORS Kristine DeVries Publication Supervisor

Summer Construction

Be prepared

ADVERTISING Dena DeRose, (541) 776-4439 dderose@mailtribune.com For information on advertising in this publication please contact Patti Phillips-Kahn (541) 776-4446 pphillips-kahn@dailytidings.com

This feature publication is produced separately from the Mail Tribune’s newspaper editorial department. All content is provided or 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 available upon request.

Bret Jackson Graphic Design Steve Johnson Photography

June 11, 2010

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NEW I-5 BRIDGES OPEN AT

Grants Pass exit 55

Prime contractor Holm II is putting the finishing touches on new, twin Interstate 5 bridges at Grants Pass exit 55. The $24 million Grants Pass bridge bundle is part of the agency’s Oregon Transportation Investment Act. OTIA funds are repairing or replacing hundreds of bridges, paving and maintaining city and county roads, improving and expanding interchanges, adding new capacity to Oregon’s highway system and removing freight bottlenecks statewide.

Oregon Transportation Investment Act The agency’s $1.3 billion OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program is repairing and replacing hundreds of bridges across the state to ensure the unrestricted movement of freight and spur economic growth.

OTIA III is the third Oregon Transportation Investment Act. The $2.46 billion package allocates $1.3 billion to the bridge program and $1.16 billion to fund county and city maintenance projects, local bridge repair and replacement work, and modernization projects statewide.

Oregonians had not seen an investment of this magnitude in highway

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“This hasn’t been a typical bridge replacement project on I-5,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson.

Constructing the bridges at exit 55 was a challenge because the location is on the edge of a hillside.

“We couldn’t take advantage of prestressed concrete girders because this section of I-5 is on a curve and has a tilt, or super, to accommodate traffic at interstate speeds,” said Anderson.

In addition to building two new bridges at exit 55, prime contractor Holm II constructed a new, southbound Louse Creek bridge at I-5 exit 61 (Merlin).

and bridge construction since the state’s interstate freeway system was built in the 1950s and ’60s.

Through 2009, the bridge program created or sustained more than 16,000 jobs. Overall, the 10-year bridge program will sustain an annual average of approximately 2,300 jobs.

In 2008, the program spent more than $215 million on construction, design and program management. Of those expenditures, 85 percent went to Oregon firms. Since work started in 2003, businesses and individuals have earned more than $750 million after taxes.

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June 11, 2010

Rock Point Bridge

reopens for summer tourism season The Rock Point Bridge spanning the Rogue River northwest of Gold Hill reopened on May 27, following a ninemonth closure designed to rehabilitate the historic bridge back to better-thanoriginal shape.

The $3.9 million rehabilitation project targets the bridge’s damaged deck and side rails as well as cracked concrete beneath the bridge. Prime contractor Wildish Standard Paving of Eugene is using rebar-enforced concrete to replace the bridge’s original concrete rails and urn-shaped balusters and applying a new bridge deck to the nearly 90-year old historic structure.

ODOT kept its promise to area businesses by reopening the bridge to oneway traffic ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, widely considered the official start of the summer tourism season. The one-way traffic configuration provides access for drivers traveling eastbound from Interstate 5 exit 43.

The bridge is a key connector that links I-5 traffic to tourism-related businesses like Del Rio Vineyard and the House of Mystery. The span is also a notable feature on the popular Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway.

ODOT distributed detour maps to local businesses and placed detour signs in the area to assist drivers traveling back to I-5 this summer.

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“We reopened as promised even though there is still some work ahead of us to complete the project,” said ODOT Public Service Representative Dennis Steers. “The contractor will continue working on the bridge rail

June 11, 2010

this summer in a single-lane configuration and finish the remainder of the work under a full closure after Labor Day.”

WE REOPENED THE BRIDGE AS PROMISED EVEN THOUGH THERE IS STILL SOME WORK AHEAD OF US TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. ODOT Public Service Representative Dennis Steers

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The bridge will undergo another full closure shortly after Labor Day weekend to allow the contractor to remove and

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Top: Construction workers set forms during the construction of the Rock Point Bridge.

Below: A historical photo showcases the bridge’s guard rails.

Conde B. McCullough McCullough arrived in Oregon in 1916 to teach engineering at Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University). A pioneer of the movement to create a well-planned American highway system, McCullough argued that bridges should be built efficiently, economically, and aesthetically. He became Oregon’s state bridge engineer in 1919. His legacy of beautiful bridges lives today and most of his bridges are considered significant landmarks. Historical photographs of Oregon bridges are available online at the ODOT History Center: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/BSS/historycenter.shtml.

replace the concrete bridge deck and pave the bridge approaches. According to Steers, this last stage of construction work is expected to take less than two months to complete.

Problems arose earlier this year when more deterioration was found in the historic bridge than the agency had anticipated. Incomplete drawings dating from the bridge’s 1920 construction added to the repair delays.

Once it was apparent the rehabilitation project would not be completed within the original timeline, ODOT made adjustments to reopen a single lane of traffic for the summer tourism season.

Bridge history The Rock Point Bridge was unveiled in 1920, a time when Oregon’s paved roads totaled only 620 miles and its designer, Conde B. McCullough, had barely settled in as Oregon’s state bridge engineer. McCullough would later go on to leave a legacy of beautiful bridges along Oregon’s coast. Both his trademark aesthetics and efficient,

custom-designed spans are present in the Rock Point Bridge.

McCullough illustrated how form could complement function and the nearby landscape. Using a reinforced concrete deck arch, he designed a 505-foot span bridge over one of the rockiest sections of the Rogue River, hence the name Rock Point.

According to Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon, construction was a challenge: “Because of the great depth of water at the bridge location, it was impossible to build falsework under the main arch span. The contractor (Parker and Banfield, Portland) solved the problem by building a temporary wood truss span over the bridge to give support to the forms.”

The bridge’s south approach was replaced in 1953. In 2000, the Rock Point Bridge underwent expedited repair work to strengthen the crossbeams, which lifted a 10,000-pound weight restriction on the span.

For more information about the rehabilitation work, visit the project web site: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION3/234_rock_point_bridge.shtml.

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TripCheck Drivers who rely on TripCheck.com for advice on how to get around the state can now take advantage of two new services — Twitter messaging and an interactive iPhone format.

The new services coincide with the website’s 10th Anniversary. Launched in May 2000, TripCheck.com offers statewide incident information, weather conditions affecting the roads, and construction zone details, among other valuable travel information.

“We know from surveys that the information people get from TripCheck.com changes travel behavior,” said Galen McGill, Intelligent Transportation Systems Program manager with ODOT. “The more ways we can get that information out, the better. People can make informed deci-

adds Twitter, iPhone services

sions about routes, when, where and even how they are going to travel and more. Ultimately, that makes our roads safer for everyone.”

TripCheck.com is especially popular during winter storms, when travelers use the website to check on chain requirements, pass conditions and road closure information.

The new Twitter service allows users to sign up for particular highways of interest. When there is an update on TripCheck.com for that road, the user will receive a text message to a phone, computer or Personal Digital Assistant. To sign up for the new TripCheck Twitter service, visit TripCheck.com/pages/twitter.asp.

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STAY OUT OF THE

NO ZONE

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What should you do if you find yourself

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DON’T GET BETWEEN A PILOT CAR AND A BIG TRUCK.

ALLOW TRUCKS ADEQUATE SPACE TO MANEUVER.

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A FEW SIMPLE ACTIONS ARE ALL IT TAKES TO KEEP OUR HIGHWAYS SAFE FOR EVERYONE AND KEEP OREGON ON THE MOVE. Oregon motorists are getting plenty of practice sharing the road with trucks carrying super-size loads as construction work spreads throughout the state with projects funded by the Oregon Transportation Investment Acts, the 2009 Jobs and Transportation Act, and the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Large trucks have blind spots, or “No Zones,” around the front, back, and sides of the truck.

Stay out of the No Zone. Make your car visible by either pulling ahead or dropping back so the driver can see you. If you can’t see the truck’s mirrors, the truck driver can’t see you.

Let’s practice courteous driving so we can all go home safely

WATCH FOR LARGE LOADS WHEN MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. June 11, 2010

PASSING A TRUCK SAFELY MEANS PASSING QUICKLY AND COURTEOUSLY.

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sharing the road with a load like that?

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eorn OPreagvoinn6g2, 140 Sreusummm es Prime contractor Knife River Corporation will return to Crater Lake Highway this summer for the final year of a paving project from Medford to north of Shady Cove.

This $6.9 million paving project is funded with federal stimulus dollars.

The federal program requires the work be finished this year. The project entails grinding out and repaving a total of 16 miles of old pavement.

The areas that have yet to be completed include near Poplar Drive to

east of Delta Waters; Highway 234 to south of the Shady Cove city limits; and, north of the Shady Cove city limits to just north of the Tiller-Trail Highway junction. Some corrective work on Highway 140 is also part of the project.

ODOT will issue weekly construction updates as the work progresses this summer. Road condition updates are available at www.Tripcheck.com or by calling 511.

t n e v e y a d r u t a S y t Safe ilies set for June 19 for fam

Free child car seat checkups are available at the Safety Saturday event held at the Rogue Valley Mall (on the corner of McAndrews Rd. and Riverside Ave.) on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Participants include the Jackson County Child Safety Seat Coalition, Avista, Rogue Shred, Pacific Power, Medford Fire-Rescue, American Red

Cross, the Medford Police Department and State Farm Insurance.

Other safety events and activities available during the event include: fire prevention; disaster preparedness; identity theft prevention kits; avoiding financial scams; electricity and natural gas safety; and personal document shredding. Refreshments and balloons will be provided as well.

Tripcheck continued from page 7 A new Web application now provides easier navigation of TripCheck “Mobile” from an iPhone. TripCheck “Mobile,” introduced in 2007, is a condensed version of TripCheck.com that provides faster loading and easier navigation on mobile devices. See the mobile service at www.TripCheck.com/mobile or http://m.tripcheck.com.

Several other upgrades over the years have made improvements users requested, such as an alert system that pops up when there is a major incident and a Transportation Options database that contains information and links on transit options in communities all around the state.

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Camera views from around the state — and the ability to create a favorites page — are other features travelers find valuable. The site now offers more than 200 cameras statewide.

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June 11, 2010

Oregon 62-Owen/Coker Butte project aims to improve safety and reduce congestion

Prime contractor Knife River Corporation begins work this summer on the Oregon 62-Owen/Coker Butte project in northeast Medford. The project will improve safety, traffic flow, and reduce congestion on Crater Lake Highway and Crater Lake Avenue.

The City of Medford plans to host an open house before construction begins to allow residents and commuters another opportunity to see how the project will function when completed and how the contractor intends to stage the project.

“This project will improve safety and congestion on both city streets in north Medford and Crater Lake Highway’, said Medford City Engineer Larry Beskow. “We’ve done an extensive mailing to nearby residents and businesses in the immediate project corridor to inform them of the project and the changes it will bring.”

The two-year project makes the following transportation improvements: • Moves the Cardinal Avenue traffic signal south to the improved Owen Drive, which will become a four-way intersection; • Limits right turns only at the intersection of Cardinal Avenue and Oregon 62; • Closes Webfoot and Coker Butte Road intersections east of Oregon 62; and • Improves Crater Lake Avenue by moving it farther east from the highway at both Owen Drive and the new four-

way Coker Butte intersection. This will improve the safety of the intersection by removing the frequent conflicts that arise because the intersections are too close to one another.

“These changes will also improve northsouth connectivity in east Medford by connecting Springbrook Road to Owen Drive, north of Delta Waters Road,” said Beskow.

For more information visit the project website at www.ci.medford.or.us

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Fern Valley project EA North Phoenix Through design

Work continues on the federally-required Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Fern Valley Interchange project.

posed development on the east side of Interstate 5, and development growth within the Rogue Valley, are choking the interchange’s capacity and causing safety concerns.

The Fern Valley Interchange experiences traffic congestion throughout the day, especially during the morning and afternoon commute. New and pro-

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requested more information

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awaits federal approval before approving the Draft EA for public distribution.

“We were asked to provide a visual simulation of how the roadway will appear with the area terrain,” said ODOT Project Leader Dick Leever. “Once we get approval from FHWA, we’ll ask the public to look over the document and the design and give us their comments.”

The North Phoenix Through design alternative and the no build option will be the subject of a 30-day public comment period and open house. The document will include the design’s impacts to the natural and human environment.

The purpose of the Draft EA is to evaluate the design alternative. Public comments are included and addressed in the Revised EA. The $73 million project is scheduled to begin construction in 2012, will make improvements with a new type of interchange and provide changes to the connecting roads on either side of I-5.

The Missouri Department of Transportation was the first agency to construct an interchange of this design in the United States. This interchange design can be constructed for a relatively smaller price tag than more conventional designs, and is safer because there are fewer conflicting moves. Vehicles crossing the interchange move to the opposite side of the road to either enter I-5 or to cross it, reducing the number of traffic signal cycles for traffic to clear.

Project design background

The Fern Valley Through design alternative was eliminated late last year, on the counsel of the Department of Justice, because it would have an adverse impact on nearby farm land.

The project’s design phase started in 2004 and went through a major overhaul in 2006 when local opposition rose against plans to The design process has widen Highway 99 in Phoenix. taken much longer than

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we anticipated. more importantly, the project now has good community support and the funding to make it happen.

“The design process has taken much longer than we anticipated,” said ODOT Area Manager Art AnThe Fern Valley interderson. “But, more ODOT Area Manager change is expected to be importantly, the project Art Anderson constructed using a ‘crossing’ now has good community or ‘diamond’ design that provides support and the funding to a higher capacity to move traffic while make it happen.” requiring lower right-of-way needs.

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For more information about the Fern Valley Interchange project, visit the web site: www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION3/fvi_index.shtml.

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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

in Ashland

ODOT is keeping local businesses near Ashland’s Interstate 5 exit 19 informed of the bridge construction project.

The first signs of construction are underway at both of Ashland’s Interstate 5 exits (exit 14, Green Springs Highway (Oregon 66) and exit 19, North Ashland interchange). Brush clearing and other initial site work began earlier this spring.

Heavy construction is expected to begin later this month and July. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2012.

The Green Springs Highway Bridge at I-5 exit 14 is being widened from the center out to accommodate higher traffic volumes and improved bicycle and pedestrian safety. The bridge deck will nearly triple in width and will feature two 12-foot travel lanes, a center turn lane, traffic signals at both ends of the bridge, and bike lanes and sidewalks. Plans call for repairing the existing deck, replacing non-standard bridge rails, and adding roadway lighting, decorative pedestrian lighting and a bike signal.

The South Valley View Road Bridge at I-5 exit 19 will be entirely replaced with a new, wider structure. The replacement bridge will provide two

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12-foot travel lanes, a center turn lane, and widened shoulders.

NEW BRIDGES WILL FEATURE ART DECO DESIGN The new bridges at I-5 exits 14 and 19 will feature artistic treatments that reflect downtown Ashland’s historic architecture and natural environment.

A nine-member Aesthetic Advisory Committee, appointed by the City of Ashland to make design recommendations for the project, met six times in 2009. After considering several design options, the group recommended an Art Deco theme for the bridges.

The group found inspiration in design details from the rooftop of the 1925 Ashland Springs Hotel. Ten-foot tall concrete pylons at the ends of the bridges are topped by pointed “chevron” designs also found on the hotel’s parapets. The shape also is featured on the supports for the light poles. The pedestrian fencing with a rust-colored powder coating features a central arch design that can be seen on the hotel’s rooftop facade.

In another nod to downtown Ashland, the light poles on the bridge will provide supports for banners. The

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June 11, 2010

light fixtures will be “dark-sky compliant” to minimize any light pollution at night.

The exit 19 design will be a more simplified version of exit 14. Both interchanges will be painted a light tan color to match their natural surroundings. New landscaping will also be included.

Funding for both of these projects is provided by the Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA). The agency’s $1.3 billion OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program is repairing and replacing hundreds of bridges across the state to ensure the unrestricted movement of freight and spur economic growth.

Oregonians had not seen an investment of this magnitude in highway and bridge construction since the state’s interstate freeway system was built in the 1950s and ’60s.

Exit 14 construction will improve bike facilities and aesthetics.

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OREGON 1005 North Riverside Ave. Suite 100

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Recent developments show

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PROGRESS

By David Lohman, OTC Commissioner Strong transportation partnerships and the recent success of the South Medford Interchange project well position the Rogue Valley to build upon its past successes as Oregon enters a new generation of transportation investment.

Most people would readily concur with the goal of having an effective, efficient transportation system in the Rogue Valley, and in the rest of the state. And most people would readily agree that having an effective, transportation system in the Rogue Valley is essential to its long-term economic vitality.

But getting consensus on what constitutes an efficient, effective transportation system, how to pay for it, and how to preserve its functionality is challenging, if not impossible. Especially challenging is developing substantial agreement on the sometimes-necessary trade-offs between transportation improvements and preserving community values, protecting the natural environment, or reducing public expenditures.

Despite citizens’ understandably differing views about the meaning, objectives, components, management, and funding of the transportation system, there are some recent developments that should rightly be seen as Rogue Valley transportation system progress.

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South Medford Interchange — (a) The funding and planning partnerships between ODOT and the City of Medford on this project are role models for collaboration between state and local jurisdictions and show that local funding can make difficult state projects possible. (b) The innovative design of the new interchange functions much better than the old one and reduces the project footprint. (c) Separating the state system components — Interstate 5 and the interchange — from the local arterial Barnett Road enables them both to perform their respective roles more effectively.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus) Projects — Whatever one thinks of the federal stimulus program, ODOT and local jurisdictions expended Oregon’s share of the transportation funding efficiently on projects that needed to be done in any event. Several projects in the Rogue Valley provided construction jobs at the time they were needed most. Without the spending from these transportation-related jobs, the Rogue Valley’s economic downturn would be even deeper and longer.

Rest Areas — ODOT recently transferred responsibility for operation and maintenance of several I-5 rest areas to

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the Travel Information Council, including the Manzanita rest areas north of Grants Pass. The change will allow local communities to promote area attractions and highlight local businesses, while improving parking and landscaping and offering coffee.

Hard decisions about specific projects, non-highway modes, and transportation-related land use, air quality, and funding issues are on the near horizon.

ODOT will not have the resources to tackle every problem or opportunity, and its handling of the critical ones it does undertake surely will not please everyone. But with support from our legislators, insights from local jurisdictions, guidance from Area Commissions on Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and input from active citizens, major mobility enhancements are possible even in an era of strong differences of opinion and shrinking resources.

I’ll touch more on shrinking resources in the next issue.

About David Lohman The Governor appointed David Lohman of Jacksonville to the Oregon Transportation Commission in January 2008.

He is a lawyer in private practice in Medford and Ashland.

Lohman served as Director of the Port of Portland’s Policy and Planning Department from 1992 to 2003 and was the Port’s delegate to Metro’s Joint Policy Committee on Transportation.

Lohman also served as Deputy Director of the Oregon Economic Development Department from 1987 to 1991.

About the Oregon Transportation Commission The five-member Oregon Transportation Commission is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. The commission meets one or two days per month to set state transportation policies and oversee ODOT activities. Commissioners’ compensation is $30 per day for OTC meetings.

Highway 62 continued from page 14 Washington, DC based national transportation research organization, the May 2010 report stated that chokepoints “impede local, regional or interstate travel, diminish the quality of life of residents and visitors, reduce economic competitiveness and stifle economic growth and recovery by hampering commuting, commerce and other travel.”

The 2009 Jobs and Transportation Act dedicated $100 million toward the project; however local funds and support are still needed to make the project a reality.

“We are looking for a solution that addresses transit, bicycles, and pedestrians, too, while providing a solid foundation for a Unit 3 project in the future,” said Anderson. “There are no perfect solutions for transportation challenges of this size.

“All of the transportation stakeholders in the Medford area will need to work together in order to improve the transportation challenges on Highway 62.”

More information is available online at www.oregon.gov/odot/hwy/region3.

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SUMMER BRINGS more cars, more work zones

Get ready for the orangest summer in state history. Oregon will have more than 165 active work zones on state highways – a record number – so drivers need to be prepared to slow down and pay attention.

traffic lanes are often narrow, rough and have little or no shoulder in a work zone.

The majority of people injured or killed in work zone crashes are drivers, passengers or pedestrians, not workers. The single biggest factor in crashes is driver According to Rosalee Senger, regional inattention; that’s why orange cones, traffic safety coordinator for the Oregon variable message signs and other tools Department of Transportation, highway are used to alert motorists. The work zones can be especially other major contributing fachazardous, and more so for tor is speed, which is why motorists and passengers work zones often require than for workers. lower speed limits.

Drivers should take “Nearly all crashes the color orange as “We refer to these are preventable,” incidents as crashes Senger said. “Drivers their cue to slow not accidents,” need to treat work down and pay extra said Senger. “Most zones as places to attention in these vehicle crashes are slow down and pay the result of choices extra attention.” work zones.

– choosing to follow too close, not paying Even if you don’t see ODOT Regional Traffic Safety Coordinator attention, driving under anyone working in a Rosalee Senger the influence, and so on. work zone, it’s still important to slow down because

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SUMMER 2010 ROAD PROJECT MAP AVAILABLE Want to know where and when you may encounter orange cones and work zones as you travel around the state this summer? ODOT is distributing the Summer 2010 Road Projects map so motorists can plan ahead and be prepared.

The construction map is a helpful guide for general information about construction activity on state highways. Oregon will have more than 165 active work zones on state highways this summer.

The Summer 2010 Road Projects map is available at locations around the state, including Driver and Motor Vehicle Services offices, truck stops, welcome centers, and ODOT offices.

You can also download the map online at www.oregon.gov/ODOT/

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MAKE YOUR SUMMER TRAVEL SAFE Plan Ahead — Give yourself plenty of extra time. Construction zones, traffic jams, or other incidents can add delays. That extra time will help cut down on excessive speeding and tailgating.

Pay Attention — Eliminate distractions ahead of time. Be sure important items — directions and maps, sunglasses — are within easy reach. Make sure you use a hands-free device with your cell phone.

Bring a Friend — It is well recognized that when driving alone, especially when sleep deprived and at night, your chances of a crash are dramatically increased.

Practice Safety — Make sure everyone is properly buckled. If traveling with children, educate yourself on child safety seats and restraints. Children age 12 and

under should always be in the back seat.

Clear Your Head — Alcohol can severely impair your driving skills but so can many types of overthe-counter and prescription medications. Read the label. Obey the warnings.

Keep a Safe Distance — Maintain a following distance of at least two seconds. Add an additional second for each adverse driving condition, such as rain showers or night-time driving.

Watch for Signs of Fatigue — If you start feeling tired, let someone else drive. If you are driving alone, pull into a rest stop or another safe location and take a short nap or walk around for a few minutes.

Stop as often as necessary. Eat light on long trips. Large, heavy meals can make you drowsy.

continued from page 20 “Drivers should take the color orange as their cue to slow down and pay extra attention in these work zones.”

The following tips will help you safely travel through a work zone: • The most important action drivers can take is to pay complete attention to the driving task, especially in the transition zone before the work area.

• Remember, work zone traffic lanes often are narrow, without shoulders or emergency lanes.

• Reduce your speed when you see orange signs, barrels and barricades.

• Be aware of temporary construction accesses on either side of the roadway.

• Double your following distance.

Don’t tailgate.

• Expect delays. In fact, plan ahead before you leave by calling 511 or visiting www.TripCheck.com.

• Move over as soon as safely possible.

Don’t wait until the last moment to get in the correct lane.

• Be as courteous to other drivers as you’d like them to be to you.

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Senger said drivers should also remember that two new laws went into effect last January: the ‘Move Over’ law and the ban on mobile communications without a hands-free device.

side assistance vehicles to the list of emergency vehicles. In addition, the law clarifies that “slow down” means slowing down to at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit.

The Move Over law requires a motorist to move over to another lane if there is an emergency vehicle on the shoulder with its lights flashing. If you cannot move over safely, you are required to slow down. The new law adds tow trucks and road-

The mobile communications law specifically prohibits drivers from using such a device for talking or texting while driving unless the driver meets a specific exemption. Those in violation face a minimum fine of $142 (a Class D violation).

What can you do to avoid the potential for disaster when your car stalls on the highway? Your first concern must be your safety and the safety of your passengers.

side of the road. Marking your vehicle’s location to give other drivers advance warning of your location can be critical. Remember to turn on your hazard lights.

The following safety tips will help when your car breaks down:

• In the case of a blowout or a flat tire, move the vehicle to a safer place before attempting a repair — even if it means destroying the wheel getting there. The cost of a tire, rim or wheel is minor compared to a fatal injury.

• Never get out of the vehicle to make a repair or examine the damage on the spot. Get the vehicle to a safe place before getting out.

• If you can’t drive the car, it may still be safer to stay in the car and wait for help or use a cell phone to summon help. Standing outside the vehicle in the flow of traffic, under most circumstances, is a bad idea.

• Carry flares or triangles to mark your location once you get to the

• Roadside tragedies remind us of the importance of having wide shoulders or safe places immediately available for motorists to use when they need them. When safe places are not readily available, motorists should move their vehicles to the nearest safe pull-off area.

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June 11, 2010

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Oregon 140 Project realigns roadway between White City and I-5 The project will remove the stop sign for westbound traffic at Kirtland Road. Travelers on that roadway will continue through a new curve and intersection, which acts as an extension of Oregon 140 in White City to the Blackwell Road interchange. The project also adds a Kirtland Road under crossing for bicyclists and pedestrians as part of the Rogue River Greenway.

Construction is expected to begin in July on a $5.9 million project to improve mobility on Oregon 140 (Kirtland Road). Project plans call for a realignment of Kirtland and Blackwell Roads near Interstate 5 exit 35.

“This is a much-needed project north of Central Point because of the large volume of trucks and other traffic that travels from I-5 to the White City area,” said ODOT Project Leader Jayne Randleman. “This project will make it much easier to move to main routes west of White City.”

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An exchange of roadways between ODOT and Jackson County several years ago allowed this first step of a possible four-project improvement to move traffic more easily from White City to I-5. Future improvements may be made at Agate Road and Leigh Way; Agate Road and Avenue G; and Avenue G, Pacific and Kirtland Roads.

Knife River Corporation was awarded the contract. Construction will initially begin off the roadway with a mix of daytime and nighttime construction.

Motorists will then encounter delays of up 20 minutes during later stages.

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June 11, 2010

Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n a d v o c a t e s c e l e b r a t e

SOUTH M E DFORD PROJ ECT

Rogue Valley transportation advocates instrumental in the approval, funding and construction of the $72 million South Medford Interchange project joined together May 11 to commemorate the project’s completion.

Current Oregon Transportation Commissioner David Lohman and his predecessor Stuart Foster attended the ceremony, which included the unveiling of a marble plaque that will be mounted at the new interchange.

ODOT Deputy Director Doug Tindall expressed gratitude to the Rogue Valley Area Commission on Transportation and local transportation leaders for their work on the interchange project.

A joint venture with the City of Medford, the South Medford Interchange project was designed to improve safety and congestion.

“This interchange allows traffic to move better in south Medford and will help Medford grow as a community and as a regional commercial

center,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson.

A joint venture with the City of Medford, this was the largest state highway project in the Rogue Valley since I-5 was constructed. The City of Medford contributed $15 million to the project, which helped the local street network and by adding sidewalks and bike lanes.

The project’s centerpiece is the new interchange design, a single point urban interchange (SPUI) that handles large volumes of traffic while minimizing the amount of land required for on-ramps and off-ramps. This was only the second SPUI design constructed in the state of Oregon. The other is located in Salem at the Market Street interchange beneath I-5.

The project completion ends more than 10 years of planning, and meetings at the city and neighborhood level. The design eventually constructed was thoroughly studied in a federally-required Environmental Impact Statement.

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I-5 paving up next for

Seven Oaks Interchange project Major construction work remaining on the $24 million Seven Oaks Interchange project north of Central Point includes final paving of Interstate 5 in the work zone and moving I-5 traffic to a permanent alignment.

The project constructed a new, wider Blackwell Road overpass; new on- and off-ramps to the I-5 interchange; and two new I-5 bridges over the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad tracks.

The old southbound “off-ramp could only handle two or three cars if they were turning toward White City. It was a safety issue that needed to be addressed.

ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson

take the exit and turn right at the signal to travel east.

The wet spring weather has delayed the work schedule. The final roadwork is dependent on warmer temperatures and dry weather, so finding the right combination has been a challenge this year.

“Much of the work has been done at night to keep traffic moving, but when the contractor can work behind the barrier during the day, we’ve been able to keep the project moving along,” said ODOT Project Information Specialist Gary Leaming. “The work zone is very active this spring, so it’s been important for drivers to pay attention to the lane changes and observe the speed limit.”

Contractor changes

”

The reconfigured southbound off-ramp includes a traffic signal at the end of the ramp and provides more storage capacity for vehicles.

“The old southbound off-ramp could only handle two or three cars if they were turning toward White City,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson.

“It was a safety issue that needed to be addressed.

“If you had several vehicles, including trucks, traffic started to back up onto the off-ramp and toward the interstate.”

Several legal and contractual problems arose during construction, forcing ODOT to terminate its contract with the original prime contractor Ross Bros. and Co. of Brooks, Ore. “This has been a difficult project for the agency,” said Anderson. “We originally planned for an October 2008 completion date but due to contractor issues the project will wrap up this year instead.”

The Seven Oaks Interchange project was one of a few projects around the state that ODOT allowed the successor company, Legacy Contracting Inc. of Salem, to finish. ODOT inspectors were later brought in to oversee the work and ensure contract provisions were followed.

“ODOT stepped in because of its responsibility to taxpayers,” said Anderson. “The timeline is unfortunate but we will complete the project to today’s safety standards and specifications.”

When the southbound off-ramp is completed, vehicles bound for White City will stay on I-5, go under the overpass,

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Construction work is picking up at Seven Oaks interchange north of Central Point.

June 11, 2010

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