2
11
Siskiyou Summit Line Reopens
6
Winter Driving
17
22
Oregon 62 Corridor Project
Fern Valley Interchange
19 Siskiyou Safety Rest Area and Welcome Center
odotmovingahead.com
December 11, 2015
3
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 Dena DeRose, 541-776-4439 dderose@mailtribune.com
CONTRIBUTORS Bret Jackson Publication Supervisor Steve Johnson Photography Brian Fitz-Gerald Illustration Sally Ridenour, Shelley Snow Editing
The cover story artwork for the Siskiyou Summit Rail Revitalization Project was created with the assistance of Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad, Bruce McGarvey and Shonna Zimmermann, who provided the costume design and construction. We want to thank them for their help and support.
4
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.
KNOW
Before You Go
Pay attention to these four snow zone messages:
1
2
Carry Chains or Traction Tires The chains or traction tires must be in or on your vehicle, and they must be the right size for your vehicle and of sufficient number to comply with the chain rules. Chains Required on Vehicles Towing or Single Drive Axle Over 10,000 GVW You must use chains if your vehicle is rated 10,000 pounds GVW (gross vehicle weight) or less and is towing; or is a single drive axle vehicle rated over 10,000 GVW. Chains must also be used on the trailer or vehicle being towed to comply with chain rules.
3
Chains Required on Vehicles Towing or Over 10,000 GVW Vehicles towing or rated for more than 10,000 pounds GVW must use chains.
4
Chains Required-Traction Tires Allowed on Vehicles Under 10,000 GVW Vehicles towing or rated for 10,000 pounds GVW must use chains. Vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds GVW or less and that are not towing must use chains or traction tires.
CHAIN REQUIREMENTS Chains include link chains, cable chains, or any other device that attaches to the wheel, vehicle, or outside of the tire, which is specifically designed to increase traction on ice and snow. Traction tires include studded tires or tires that meet tire industry standards for use in severe snow conditions. Studless traction tires that meet Rubber Manufacturers Association standards for use in severe snow conditions carry a special symbol on the tire sidewall: a threepeaked mountain and snowflake. Research shows these tires provide better traction than studded tires on bare pavement.
When towing, cars and light trucks must use chains on both tires of the drive axle; chains also must be on the two outside tires of at least one axle of a trailer that is equipped with a brake. In most winter conditions, four-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles are exempt from the requirement to use chains or traction tires if the vehicle is not towing.
Learn more online
5
5
ODOT MAINTENANCE READY FOR WINTER CHALLENGE Maintenance Manager Everett Carroll and his crew based in Ashland are responsible for ten miles of the Siskiyou Pass on Interstate 5, ODOT’s highest priority in southern Oregon due to its importance as a regional freight route and high traffic volumes. The Ashland crew transitions its work schedule to provide 24-hour coverage during winter. A common public misconception is ODOT maintenance employees dread winter and its related headaches — rain, sleet, snow and ice — dumped on state highways. Carroll dismissed this false impression. “Bring it on,” said Carroll. “Our crew is prepared, equipped and looking forward to the winter challenge. “Sadly, it is the public who are often unprepared and ill-equipped for winter storms.”
6
Siskiyou Pass Other mountain passes in Southern Oregon are maintained at lower levels of service than the Siskiyou Pass. While the Sexton, Smith and Stage Passes on I-5 in Josephine County have equal priority to the Siskiyous, those mountain passes are at significantly lower elevations and do not see the same frequency of winter storms. The Siskiyou Pass is Oregon’s only mountain pass where all-weather or studded tires cannot be substituted for chains. “We go to a higher standard of traction devices on the Siskiyou Pass because of the grades, the traffic and drivers’ experience,” said ODOT District Manager Jerry Marmon. “When we light our signs, every vehicle on the Siskiyous has to chain up except vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive.”
Highway Advisory Radio I-5 travelers approaching the Siskiyou Pass can learn the latest road condition information by tuning their radio to the ODOT Highway Advisory Radio at 1660 AM.
over the Siskiyous in shorts and sneakers shows a lack of common sense, as does sitting in the wet snow, trying to chain up at night without either a flashlight nor gloves. Yet, we see it happen every winter.”
“The HAR is a great communication tool,” said Marmon. “Drivers get real time updates on the summit conditions, so they can adjust their plans whether to either stop and rest or proceed over the pass.”
Preparation and patience You need to prepare your vehicles to gear up for winter weather driving.
According to Marmon, the HAR signal broadcasts north to Central Point. Unprepared drivers Motorists are often caught illequipped to travel over the I-5 mountain pass. Winter storm-related delays and short-term closures are a common occurrence on the Siskiyou Pass. “We often see people unprepared for a long wait,” said Carroll. “Traveling
You need patience, too. “You can’t expect to travel over Siskiyou Pass or Sexton Pass without occasional delays during winter storms,” said Marmon. “We’re at the mercy of the weather and the public’s ability to drive in adverse conditions.” For example, chain requirements on the Siskiyou Pass come with delays. “Big snowstorms test the public’s patience,” said Marmon. “Drivers who are prepared stay warm and safe until they get over Siskiyou Pass. Don’t take chances. Prepare for the worst.”
7
WINTER DRIVING ON
RESTRICTIONS ON THE SISKIYOU PASS ODOT and Oregon State Police maintain check points on either side of the Siskiyou Pass and will turn motorists around if they aren’t prepared. The basic carry chains requirement and three additional types of restrictions are used.
8
Carry chains When signs say you must carry chains, the chains must be in or on your vehicle all winter, and must be the right size and of sufficient number to comply with chain laws. Single axle trucks and vehicles pulling trailers Under this restriction, all single axle trucks over 10,000 GVW (gross vehicle
THE SISKIYOU PASS
weight), trucks pulling double trailers, and any vehicle pulling a trailer is required to install chains. Traction tires cannot be substituted for chains.
Full chain restriction This is the most severe winter restriction used in Oregon (short of a full closure).
All trucks and vehicles pulling trailers Under this restriction, all trucks over 10,000 GVW (as well as any vehicle pulling a trailer) need to chain up. Traction tires cannot be substituted for chains.
Under the full chain restriction all vehicles with the exception of 4-wheel drive and emergency response vehicles are required to install chains. A traction tire is not allowed to substitute for chains.
9
9
PLANNING STUDY UNDERWAY FOR I-5 EXITS 40 & 43 NEAR GOLD HILL
According to ODOT Senior Planner Tom Guevara, the success of a twoyear study for Interstate 5 Exits 40 and 43 near Gold Hill relies on public input.
Guevara said the IAMP is expected to be adopted by the Oregon Transportation Commission in 2016. A public open house was held in October at the Gold Hill City Council Chambers. That presentation illustrated major concepts to extend and improve the turning radius at each ramp. The improvements could add up to as much as $10 million for Exit 40 improvements and $3.9 million for Exit 43 improvements.
The Interchange Area Management Plan helps guide future development. The IAMP develops preferred alternatives and proposed access control measures with the help of local, transportation stakeholders. These measures are designed to improve safety and We want to hear capacity over the from local business next 20 years.
“
Plan development included a technical owners, property advisory committee “We want to hear consisting of owners, residents, and from local business representatives commuters who use owners, property from Gold Hill, these exits regularly. owners, residents, Jackson County and and commuters the Rogue Valley who use these exits Metropolitan Planning — ODOT Senior Planner Tom Guevara regularly,” said Guevara. Organization. Once the “The alternatives must plan is finalized it goes meet several requirements, before the city and county including a 20-year window to plan wfor adoption. for the needs and growth around A review of interchange ramp Exit 40 and Exit 43.” characteristics indicated inadequate Exit 40 provides access to Gold Hill acceleration and deceleration and outdoor recreation areas, while distances at all four I-5 Exit 40 ramps Exit 43 provides access to outdoor as well as the northbound and recreation areas and associated southbound off-ramps of Exit 43. The activities. The IAMP provides specific I-5 Exit 40 and 43 intersections are transportation improvement projects forecast to meet operational targets for future consideration based on in the future year (2038); however, current and future development near traffic safety and a multimodal the interchange. system that supports all forms of transportation are issues. “The IAMP evaluates the operation of the Exit 40 and 43 interchanges and “Although no funding is currently determines if there are any areas of allocated for the transportation concern, now or in the future,” said improvements identified in this IAMP, Guevara. “The plan also identifies the completion of the plan itself long-term needs based on planned brings these concepts much closer to development in the area.” reality,” said Guevara.
”
10
FREIGHT RAIL RETURNS TO SOUTHERN OREGON
The November reopening of the Siskiyou Line signals a new, vibrant era for freight rail shipping in southern Oregon that will create long-lasting, positive effects for the local economy as well as improving safety on the Interstate 5 corridor. “The reopening of the Siskiyou Summit Line is a big win for our local economy, and it will help create jobs in southern Oregon communities,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Walden. “The line will give added flexibility to local businesses to help get their products to market quicker and at a lower cost. And it will help improve transportation efficiency and safety on our highways.” The fact that the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad’s Siskiyou Summit
Line would benefit from rehabilitation was evident long before it closed in 2008. However, the nationwide reality is most rail facilities experience challenges because the direct return on investment for the managing company from facility upgrades are not covered by additional revenues. During the Siskiyou Summit Line closure, timber companies and other southern Oregon manufacturers had to ship by freight rail north to Eugene to meet the Union Pacific Line and southwest markets. Much of CORP’s Siskiyou Summit Line, which first opened in December 1887, had been constructed at the turn of the last century. Tunnel 14,
FREIGHT RAIL continued on page 12
port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives.
FREIGHT RAIL continued from page 11 located south of Ashland, was in such bad shape that some of its 175 timber supports were collapsing. Tunnel repairs included spraying the walls with shotcrete and adding new rail, ties and ballast, the rock foundation for the rails. And like other forms of freight transportation, rail cars evolved to handle heavier weights. The Siskiyou Summit Railroad Revitalization project upgraded freight capacity to handle the 286,000-pound industry standard for rail cars. A diverse, regional coalition of public and private stakeholders from Oregon and California supported getting the project moving. The project was awarded $7.1 million from the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant program, which invests in road, rail, transit and
Each project is multimodal, multi-jurisdictional or otherwise challenging to fund through existing programs. Applications were evaluated through a competitive process by technical and professional experts at the USDOT, and project benefits were analyzed to ensure that limited funds were spent most effectively. The $13 million Siskiyou Summit Railroad Revitalization project followed a smaller project funded through the ConnectOregon IV program, which improved tunnel clearances and improved other rail infrastructure between Douglas and Jackson counties. The $5.7 million project, which received a $4.5 million ConnectOregon IV grant, opened access to the Rogue Valley with modern, high-capacity rail car equipment. The Coos-Siskiyou Shippers Coalition was at the forefront of bringing together industry, CORP, and local, state, and federal government representatives to pursue the TIGER grant. “These rail line improvements give local companies a competitive edge, protecting jobs and enhancing industrial growth,� said Bob Ragon,
FREIGHT RAIL continued on page 16
12
Economic benefits of rail are many By Bob Ragon In spring 2009, Siskiyou Summit Line shippers and the Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad were negotiating new rates for hauling freight from Weed to Ashland. A combination of difficult circumstances, including reduced car loads and increased maintenance and reconstruction costs, led to an impasse and CORP was forced to discontinue service. Much of the needed work included repair of significant safety hazards that had developed over time. The shippers expended considerable effort trying to find an alternative operator but the reconstruction costs were insurmountable. Shortly after determining that we needed outside financial support, the shippers and CORP met and developed an action plan to restore service. A short-term plan was developed to improve service to the Rogue Valley by raising the ceilings inside five tunnels in the Glendale area, allowing passage of new high-capacity cars and lowering shipping costs by increasing freight loadings per car. It was agreed CORP and shippers would apply for a ConnectOregon IV grant to fund the $5.7 million project. Submitted in 2012, the application was approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission and the tunnel project was completed in 2014. Shipping costs for customers have substantially improved since. The long-term plan was to seek a federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant to reconstruct the Siskiyou Summit Line, since it involved assets in Oregon and California. The two main shippers on the line, Roseburg Forest Products and Timber Products Company, funded the grant writing, which was submitted by the Oregon Department of Transportation in early 2012. Chosen from more than 1,000 applications, the Siskiyou Line
received an $8 million grant to repair and reopen the line. The shippers and CORP agreed to a 20 percent match of the total repair cost. We celebrated the line reopening last month in Medford. Benefits to the economies of southern Oregon and northern California are many. A large number of trucks will be taken off Interstate 5, reducing road maintenance costs and improving safety over mountain passes that have challenging winter maintenance issues. Fuel usage to transport products will be substantially reduced because of rail’s efficiency over trucks. Products manufactured in the southern part of Oregon will now be hauled directly south to California, reducing the number of cars that had been hauled to Eugene, over the Willamette Pass and then back south to California. These improvements will significantly reduce production costs for our local industries, helping to maintain competitive advantages and insuring the long-term viability of our industrial producers as well as family wage job opportunities in rural Oregon. This truly is a time for celebration, well worth the determination and energy expended to make it happen. Bob Ragon has a long list of accomplishments in the timber industry since moving to Roseburg in 1976. He is the Executive Director of Douglas Timber Operators, a communitysupported forest products organization. Ragon also serves as spokesman for the Coos-Siskiyou Shippers Coalition. The Coalition’s goal is to maintain safe and efficient rail service for members of the Douglas Timber Operators and their associates who ship raw materials and finished products on the Coos and Siskiyou short rail lines.
13 13
SISKIYOU SUMMIT LINE
• • • •
•
SISKIYOU SUMMIT RAILROAD REVITALIZATION PROJECT Rail – Replaced nearly 50,000 linear feet of continuously welded rail Ties – Replaced 42,000 railroad ties Bridges – Repaired 28 existing bridge decks Surfacing – Resurfaced 60 miles, 3 in Oregon and 57 in California; and added 21,000 tons of ballast Tunnel 14 – Added new steel-fiber reinforced shotcrete and rock-bolt supports, lined with timber sets; installed new drainage system; and replaced track
Watch how this public-private partnership reopened the Siskiyou Summit Line.
14
HISTORY The Siskiyou Summit Line had its starting point in 1855 and is significant as the first main line to be completed by the Southern Pacific Railroad in Oregon. Completion in 1887 provided a major north-south link and boom to the communities served. From 1887 to 1926, the Line served as the mainline between Portland and San Francisco over the Siskiyous. August 5, 1955 was the last day a passenger train traversed the Line. Freight and timber products have kept the Line functioning since.
FREIGHT RAIL • 40% of U.S. intercity freight traffic moves by rail. • One-third of U.S. exports move to port by rail. • Rail is 4x more fuel efficient at transporting freight than by truck.
RESPECT TRAINS • About every 3 hours, a person or vehicle is hit by a train. • Each year, about 900 people are injured and 270 are killed in grade crossing crashes; and more than 440 people die and 400 more are seriously injured while trespassing on railroad tracks. • More people die in highway-rail grade crossing crashes than in all commercial and general aviation crashes combined each year.
•
•
•
•
•
WALK SAFELY AROUND TRAIN TRACKS Always cross at a designated public crossing with a crossbuck, flashing red lights or gates. Anything else is trespassing and you could be ticketed or fined. Stay away from railroad trestles and yards. They’re private property and you could get arrested or fined. The more severe penalty could be a serious injury or death. Tracks are for trains. Don’t walk or run on or beside railroad tracks or through tunnels. Don’t get trapped on the tracks. Cross tracks only when you can clear the crossing without stopping. Do not attempt to hop aboard railroad equipment at any time. One slip could cost you a limb or your life.
FREIGHT RAIL continued from page 12 spokesman for the Coos-Siskiyou Shippers Coalition. Completion of the Siskiyou Summit Railroad Revitalization project reopened 95 miles of track, so freight trains are once again running the entire 296-mile short line between Eugene and Weed, California. “This project will benefit California to Oregon, with jobs for all of us,” said Roseburg Forest Products President and CEO Allyn Ford. U.S. Rep. Walden joined CORP officials, freight stakeholders and other elected officials to celebrate the reopening of the Siskiyou Summit Line on CORP tracks in downtown Medford. The event included a variation on the classic ribbon-cutting ceremony, as a locomotive tore through a decorative banner to signal the line’s reopening.
16
Efficiency and safety Transporting goods by rail is more efficient than by truck since one rail car carries the equivalent of 3.5 trucks worth of cargo. Increased use of rail to transport freight opens up more capacity on highways and interstates. Trucks account for as much as 35 percent of all traffic and more than 40 percent of all crashes. However, on Siskiyou Pass, trucks account for 90 percent of all crashes, which is twice the statewide average. “The Siskiyou Summit Railroad Revitalization project provides many positive impacts to southern Oregon,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson. “Reopening the Siskiyou Summit Line saves local shippers transportation costs, gets goods to market more efficiently, and takes heavy trucks off I-5, reducing road damage.”
OREGON 62 CORRIDOR PROJECT DELAYED AGAIN
The first phase of construction for the Oregon 62 Corridor project is expected to bid in February 2016 with construction scheduled later that spring.
This latest project delay is a result of the Rogue Valley InternationalMedford Airport’s updated Runway Protection Zone at the south end of the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration defines a Runway Protection Zone as a trapezoidal area “off the end of the runway that serves to enhance the protection of people and property on the ground” in the event an aircraft lands or crashes beyond the end of the runway. Runway Protection Zones underlie a portion of the approach closest to the airport. A corner of Rogue Valley lnternational-Medford Airport’s
updated Runway Protection Zone at the south end of the runway is in conflict with roadway design established earlier in the Oregon 62 Corridor project’s design phase. That roadway design had received previous federal approval. FAA officials need additional time to review the changes and approve the $120 million construction project. “Unfortunately, this delay means the project won’t begin this year as planned,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson. “However, if we can get the project contractor ready to start by late spring, we should be able to meet the critical time period for work in Upton Creek and Lone Pine Creek.” Expressway The 4.5-mile expressway project’s will start with three lanes of
17
17
eastbound traffic at Poplar and Bullock Roads near Fred Meyer. Through traffic will turn left on a small directional interchange located across from Whittle Road. Traffic will then travel along a four-lane expressway on the east side of the Rogue Valley lnternational-Medford Airport, span over Vilas Road, and connect to the existing Crater Lake Highway near Corey Road. Traffic destined for commercial centers will continue as is done today.
18
“Project staging is crucial to keep traffic moving and business access open,” said ODOT Project Manager Tim Fletcher. “We expect much of the first phase work will be completed away from traffic.” The second phase of the Oregon 62 Corridor project, scheduled to bid in late 2016, will continue the roadway north; a corridor bridge will span Vilas Road and follow the Old Medco Haul Road before meeting Oregon 62 near Corey Road north of White City.
SISKIYOU SAFETY REST AREA AND WELCOME CENTER PROJECT
First phase under construction
The new facility will help enhance and inspire “the journey of those visiting Oregon for their first time or for their 10th — opening their eyes to the wonders of our state. — Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson
”
Construction began in November on the new Siskiyou Safety Rest Area and Welcome Center project being constructed two miles south of Ashland’s Interstate 5 Exit 14.
more efficient and safer approach for construction needs versus driving southbound on I-5 and turning back northbound at Exit 6 to reach the property from I-5.
Prime contractor Wildish Standard Paving is building the facility’s parking lot, roadway and I-5 onand off-ramps during the first phase of construction.
“The service road helps reduce impacts to I-5 drivers during construction,” said ODOT Project Manager Tim Fletcher.
The project’s second phase will bid in 2016 and will include construction of the buildings and related facilities on the property, which is located east of northbound I-5. Work began with construction of a service road from the property to Crowson Road. That service road will provide Wildish Standard Paving a
According to Fletcher, the project’s first phase is weather dependent, so work may be intermittent during the winter. Replacement of the rest area spans two decades. Located on a six-percent grade, the old facility closed in 1997 due to safety concerns, following a series of crashes that included commercial trucks.
According to Fletcher, the new rest area won’t be used by commercial trucks. A restroom for commercial truck drivers was recently built at the Ashland Port of Entry station, located between Ashland Exits 14 and 19. Gateway design The Siskiyou Safety Rest Area and Welcome Center 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 project’s second phase will build two Cascadia-themed buildings. The Cascadia designs will add to the facility’s gateway look 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. The second phase of construction also features an outdoor kiosk, restrooms, picnic tables and an office for Oregon State Police troopers, who patrol southern Jackson County and the Siskiyou Pass. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017. Tourism investment “The Welcome Center, co-located with the rest area and operated by Travel Oregon, will be a local, regional and statewide economic generator,” said ODOT Area Manager Art Anderson. Local and state tourism officials are looking forward to project completion. “The Siskiyou Safety Rest Area and Welcome Center project will serve as the gateway to Oregon,” said Travel
An artist rendering of the Siskiyou Safety Rest Area/Welcome Center viewed from the west
2020
Oregon CEO Todd Davidson. “The new facility will help enhance and inspire the journey of those visiting Oregon for their first time or for their 10th — opening their eyes to the wonders of our state. Tourism in Oregon is a $10.3 billion industry and opening a Welcome Center at such a significant entry point to the state will help drive economic growth.” More than three million vehicles travel north on I-5 into Oregon each year. According to the Oregon Tourism Commission, each dollar spent operating a welcome center equals $41 in visitor spending.
County Chamber Executive Director Brad Hicks. “Additionally, this facility will help the chamber and our visitor department, Travel Medford, fulfill its goals of enhancing the brand of the Rogue Valley, attracting newcomers, encouraging longer hotel stays, and increasing visitor spending in all of our area’s hospitality industry businesses.” Learn more online at the project web page.
“Welcome centers have long been recognized as an important element in a local area’s hospitality and tourism tool kit, and this should be no exception,” said Medford-Jackson
Siskiyou Safety Rest Area/Welcome Center viewed from the east.
21
n Fern Valley I terchange With most state highway projects already wrapped up for the winter, the Fern Valley Interchange project is looking ahead to its next milestone, a partial opening of the Diverging Diamond interchange on Interstate 5. The project addresses traffic congestion, during morning and evening commutes. Existing and proposed development along the east side of I-5 in Phoenix had reduced the capacity and created safety issues. The Fern Valley Interchange project’s size and complexity, encompassing I-5, Oregon 99 and Fern Valley Road, requires more than two full construction seasons to complete. In addition to construction of the Diverging Diamond interchange, the project realigns North Phoenix Road between Peterbilt Motors and The Home Depot. The $72 million Fern Valley Interchange project, scheduled for completion in September 2016.
22 22
Concrete pours The project’s prime contractor Hamilton Construction has focused on concrete work on the east side of the new I-5 bridge. The Luman Road intersection is scheduled for another weekend closure in December, so it can be finished in concrete. The connection between Oregon 99 and I-5 was closed for a weekend last September, allowing workers to raise the intersection’s elevation and pave it with asphalt. As in September, access into the Shoppes at Exit 24 is maintained from Oregon 99 during weekend closures. “Concrete pours have been the critical path for Hamilton to reach the next project milestone, which is opening the new I-5 interchange,” said ODOT Assistant Project Manager Eric Finney. “To get the intersection open by 5 a.m. Monday, the pour needs to
be finished by early Sunday morning,” said Finney. According to Finney, the roadway surface in the entire interchange area is being constructed using concrete, which has a lifespan decades longer than asphalt, especially in areas where there will be a great deal of stop-and-go traffic with heavy trucks. Partial opening “The key to a partial opening of the interchange is connecting the temporary northbound offramp, south of Pear Tree Lane and South Phoenix Road,” said Finney. “Once that’s complete, the new interstate bridge can open.” Hamilton Construction plans on a gradual opening of the interchange, by bringing traffic to individual interchange ramps over the course of several nights. “Traffic coming from or to Medford from Phoenix will be on the permanent ramps instead of temporary ones, but it will open in phases,” said Finney. Temporary ramps will still be in place on the south side
of the new interchange, including the existing temporary southbound on-ramp and the new northbound offramp, using either Pear Tree Lane or South Phoenix Road. Demolition of the old interstate bridge must occur before the contractor can build the permanent, new northbound off-ramp.
How Do You Drive a
Diverging Diamond Interchange?
The Diverging Diamond Interchange is a different driving experience. The DDI moves traffic more safely and efficiently. Do your homework now. Learn how to drive the DDI. View the project page online: http://1.usa.gov/18Ez0y7
24
Watch the project video, which shows you how to drive the new Fern Valley interchange at I-5 Exit 24.
Diverging Diamond interchange The Fern Valley Interchange features Oregon’s first Diverging Diamond design, which reduced ODOT’s right of way needs for construction. Traffic will begin to experience the DDI design with the partial opening of the interchange. “The Diverging Diamond design provides more traffic capacity and safety for motorists,” said ODOT Public Information Officer Gary Leaming. “To enter I-5 or cross over it, drivers will move to the opposite side of the bridge, which reduces the number of signal phases a driver needs to clear.”
Westside phases Paving and curb work is underway west of the Bear Creek Bridge on the south side of Fern Valley Road, near the recently developed commercial triangle. Traffic is running on the recently completed north section. Once Fern Valley Road is complete, Hamilton Construction is expected to shift over to the east side of Oregon 99 and then transition to Bolz Road. Business driveways will be marked with cones and blue Business Access signs. When complete, Oregon 99 will feature new turn lanes, bike lanes, sidewalks and traffic signals.
The Missouri Department of Transportation was the first public agency in the United States to construct an interchange with this diamond design. Since then, several more DOTs across the nation have adopted and built them. Bridge aesthetics Aesthetic features inspired by the hills and grasses — the natural colors surrounding Phoenix — are being incorporated in the new Fern Valley Interchange project. The utilization of concrete form liners and different stains and paints presents opportunities to design a bridge with a local look instead of the drab concrete structures common when I-5 was initially built.
25
Fern Valley Interchange New design opens in 2016
26