By Amy Sienicki
 
November 17, 2008
 
MEDFORD, Ore. -- The new Interstate-5 northbound off ramp at the South Medford Interchange opened Monday afternoon.
 
It is part of the 70 million dollar South Medford Interchange Project that hopes to improve safety and congestion in the area. As soon as ODOT opened the new off-ramp, crews barricaded the old one.
 
"Typically, when you open a new roadway, there's always some sort of confusion. There's hesitancy if this is the right way to go, so it's vitally important that the signage be very clear, and the cones and barrels direct people to where they need to go," says Gary Leaming with ODOT.
 
The Oregon Department of Transportation has been working on the South Medford Interchange near Exit 27 since June 2006. ODOT officials say they are about nine months ahead of schedule in the project.
 
The new southbound on-ramp is scheduled to open in January 2009.