City of Medford's mega-corridor project advancing, after securing $15.5 million federal grant

MEDFORD, Ore. — The city of Medford’s mega-corridor project is picking up steam in South Medford, after securing nearly $16 million in grant funding.

N. Phoenix Road and Foothill Road will undergo some drastic changes in the next couple of years.

Its part of an effort to expand the city’s growth and cut down on traffic congestion.

“We are hoping that sometime in late 2021, early 2022 that the bids will go out for this project and that construction will start after that,” said city manager, Brian Sjothun.

With help from Oregon’s U.S. senators, the city of Medford successfully secured a $15.5 million federal build grant.

Sjothun says the first portion of this project will cost $36 million.

“This $36 million project that will extend N. Phoenix and Foothill [Road], actually expand the width of the roads and also the first 1000 feet of extension of S. Stage Road from N. Phoenix Road headed to the west,” Sjothun said.

The project will be the start of Medford’s mega-corridor, which will extend from Phoenix to White City.

The Director of Roads and Parks Department for Jackson County, John Vial, says fixing Foothill Road is a necessity.

“It has a crash rate that is higher than many other county roads and it needs to be fixed. So we’re thrilled that we get to address this long-standing safety issue on what’s turning into a very busy corridor,” said Vial.

Sjothun says the city has until September of 2021 to obligate the grant money and finish the road designs.

He hopes construction will be begin in early 2022.