Intersection of Beltline, Delta to receive attention
■ lo decrease congestion, a
traffic light is on the way,
and a roundabout may follow
By Brian Goodeil
Oregon Daily Emerald
Commuters to the University
from Beltline Highway will soon
find their journey a little less hectic.
Lane County Public Works and
the Oregon Department of Trans
portation (ODOT) have agreed on a
three-phase plan to alleviate con
gestion at the intersection of the
Beltline and Delta highways. Their
proposal came last week after
months of brainstorming and years
of complaints from weary travelers.
“I’m very pleased that ODOT and
Lane County will be working to
gether to solve the safety and con
gestion problems at the
Beltline/Delta intersections,” said
Gary Johnson, ODOT region man
ager. “This solution offers both a
short-term fix and an opportunity
to study the innovative approach of
a roundabout at the site. ”
Roundabouts, sometimes called
traffic circles, are popular in Europe
but seldom used in the United
States. Drivers will merge into the
roundabout from the right and con
tinue in a counter-clockwise direc
tion until they reach their turn-off.
Construction of the roundabout
is one of several alternatives that
will be brought to a public forum
early next year. The county will
propose changing some of the
ramps and widening the Delta
Highway overpass over Beltline
Highway. One alternative is to use
signals for traffic control. The other
alternative is to use a roundabout.
If built, the roundabout would be
the first at an intersection of a state
highway in Oregon.
Lane County Public Works Di
rector John Goodson said the solu
tion of a roundabout would help
traffic congestion at the intersection
more cost-effectively than a full
blown interchange-type solution.
More changes to the intersec
tion include the installation of a
temporary left turn signal at the
north end of the Delta Highway
overpass. It will control turns from
the westbound lane of Beltline
Highway to the southbound lanes
of Delta Highway. The signal
should be in place this winter for
$100,000, shared by ODOT and
Lane County.
This stop sign located on the north end of the Delta Highway over crossing wilt be re
placed with traffic lights this winter to decrease congestion.
Arm yourself for cold and flu season with immunizations
■ Students get advice on
how to stay healthy from
University, community health
centers
By Brian Goodell
Oregon Daily Emerald
The common cold or influenza
virus can be ugly welcomers to a
student’s first week of classes. For
tunately, Lane County Public
Health Services and the Student
Health Center are offering some pre
ventative measures for students to
ensure a healthy start to school.
Flu season generally lasts from
November through April, so the
best time to prevent it is now. Lane
County Public Health Services
will offer influenza and pneumo
nia immunizations at locations
throughout the county beginning
Oct. 1. Influenza immunizations
cost $8 each, and pneumonia im
munizations are $16.
“The flu climes offer immuniza
tions to people wanting to reduce
their risk of contracting the dis
ease,” said Sally Weaver, public
health community service worker.
“We especially encourage high-risk
groups to take the vaccine. ”
Weaver said high-risk groups
include people older than 60,
adults and children with chronic
health problems, children with
asthma and pregnant women in
their second or third trimester.
If all preventative measures
fail, officials at Lane County
Health and the health center do
not advise visiting a doctor as the
best primary course of action.
Most area health care providers of
fer a telephone or e-mail hotline as
a matter of convenience and safety
for their customers.
Health center Director Dr. Ger
ald Fleischly said it’s usually best
to call ahead of time. “When it’s
cold and rainy and the person
feels miserable, we don’t want
them to come to the health center
for advice that we could have giv
en them over the phone,” he said.
Sandy Mowrer, clinic services
supervisor for Lane County, said
patients should call ahead if flu
symptoms persist for more than
three days so they don’t share their
germs.
“It’s also easier for patients to
contract other diseases because
their immune system is in a weak
ened condition,” she said.
Flu symptoms include stuffy
nose, sore throat, sneezing, fatigue,
fever, chills, headache and major
aches and pains, according to Ihe
American Medical Association’s
Website.
Although these symptoms are
not largely affecting students right
now, the health center is always
on the lookout for a flu epidemic.
“We’re periodically excited by
the potential of outbreaks on cam
pus based on world-wide cases,”
Fleischly said. “Fortunately we
have had no serious influenza epi
demics on campus as far as I can
remember.”
Staying sick-free
In addition to vaccinations, there
are a number of preventative mea
sures people can takethat do not
involve needles. Student Health
Center Director Dr. Gerald Fleischly
cites six simple ways to reduce the ■
odds of contracting the influenza
virus or any other type of upper
respiratory infection:
Always wash hands before a meal .
Avoid chewing fingernails.
Avoid chewing on pencils.
Keep hands away from face,
Avoid sharing drinking glasses.
Live a healthy lifestyle:
Get adequate rest
Eat nutritious foods
Get plenty of exercise
■■KMS9BSHK8MHHH
How to keep your parents from having a cow.
Sign up for health insurance, like they told you to do. Remember?
It’s easy - just go to the Health Center at 13th and Agate.
But don’t miss the deadline. Sign-up runs now through October 8th.
And you’ve got insurance choices. So check them out
on our web page, (darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uoshc)
Questions? Call us at 346-3702.
Because we (and your parents) don’t want medical bills
to stop you from getting your degree.
UNIVERSITY
HEALTH CENTER
We’re a matter of degrees ^
Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Tuesdays (9 a.m.) and Sundays (10 a.m.).
Appointments and after hours: 346-2770 • Web: darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uoshc
■fiw**.* S Mr V -a ■