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Commissioners approve letter supporting Medford’s South Stage Road extension BUILD grant application
Summary
Jackson County commissioners voted to approve a letter of support for the City of Medford’s BUILD grant application to advance the South Stage Road Extension project and fund NEPA work; county staff and Medford officials outlined route options, environmental concerns and property acquisition implications.
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 10 to approve a letter backing the City of Medford’s application for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to fund National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) work for the South Stage Road Extension project. Commissioner Randy Sparacino moved to approve the letter and Commissioner Colleen Roberts seconded; Commissioners Sparacino, Roberts and Chair Rick Dyer voted in favor.
Medford Public Works Director Dan Worth told the board the extension would connect Oregon Highway 99 across Interstate 5 to North Phoenix Road to improve east–west arterial connectivity and support planned growth in the Medford and Phoenix urban growth reserve. Steve Lambert, Director of Jackson County Roads and Parks, introduced the city presenters and framed the county’s role in reviewing project implications for local roads and resources.
Worth said the city’s BUILD application, if awarded, would provide funding to complete the NEPA process required before federal permitting and construction can proceed. He described multiple design options — overpass, underpass, and variants with interchange configurations — and confirmed that interchange options would require property acquisition from a small number of landowners. He also noted the project’s proximity to Bear Creek and the environmental sensitivities that will factor into the NEPA review. Commissioner Sparacino noted that U.S. Representative Cliff Bentz has been supportive, particularly for an interchange option that could provide resilience if the Medford I‑5 viaduct were to become inoperable.
County commissioners and staff discussed cost trade-offs and the approximately three‑mile length of the proposed corridor. The board’s approved letter of support will accompany Medford’s BUILD grant application, which the city says would fund the environmental review phase rather than construction. Commissioner Dyer thanked the presenters — Lambert, Worth and Medford Transportation Manager Karl MacNair — for the update.
Next steps: the approved letter will be provided to the City of Medford as part of its BUILD application; no formal county commitments to funding or construction were made at the meeting.
