Expect delays on Highway 99 in north Phoenix Wednesday

PHOENIX, Ore. – If you’re planning on traveling on Highway 99 between Medford and Phoenix on Wednesday, March 30, you may want to pick another route.

For years, a concrete culvert allowed water from Coleman Creek to flow under the roadway. However, the pipe is undersized, presenting a barrier to fish passage. It’s also slowly eroding. So, the Oregon Department of Transportation decided to replace the culvert with a bridge about 500 feet from the North Phoenix Road intersection.

While Highway 99 traffic in the area is usually guided through orange cones around construction equipment, on Wednesday the roadway will be under flagger control to allow contractors to set concrete beams for the bridge.

Anyone traveling through the area is being told their trip could be delayed by up to 10 minutes. Drivers are encouraged to budget extra time and consider alternate routes.