Roseburg (KMTR) - A controversial freeway project has pitted more than one hundred jobs at a lumber mill against a potentially-large number of jobs at Costco and other retailers.
The Oregon Department of Transportation wants to move the Del Rio Road-Interstate 5 interchange at Winchester, farther to the north. The proposal would take out a log yard at the Douglas County Forest Products mill, potentially shutting down the business.
ODOT says the new interchange is necessary to handle increased traffic from a proposed Costco store in north Roseburg. But the Roseburg Chamber of Commerce is asking ODOT to take a second look.
"We can not in good conscious support a project that has the promise of potentially closing a business with 165 employees," said Dick Baltus of the Chamber board.
Baltus says ODOT’s original proposal would have kept the interchange where it is. The Chamber continues to support the original proposal.
