The Oregon Department of Transportation broke ground Tuesday on a new ramp onto I-5 southbound in Ashland, one that will be reserved for emergency situations like the Almeda Fire.
The emergency evacuation ramp is being installed on Mountain Avenue. The project was given the green light back in the fall, and is expected to only take about three weeks to complete.
In case of an emergency evacuation, this new ramp could help many people, but Ashland residents should first know their evacuation zone. ODOT says that the major traffic jams during the Almeda Fire evacuations led to the establishment of this route.
"Depending on the emergency, there's lots of uncertainty," said Gary Leaming, public information officer for ODOT. "They don't know where to go. And so that's why the City is recommending people know their zone, where they live."