For the past 10 years, Bob Reeves has watched Jackson Creek devour more and more of Grant Road in Central Point.

"It’s eroded to the point where it’s dangerous," said the 74-year-old Reeves.

After years of debate over what to do about the problem, the county is ready to change the course of the creek by moving it about 50 to 60 feet to the east to create a quarter-mile channel that is wider and farther away from Grant Road.

Getting approval has required permits from various federal and state agencies, such as the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Salmon also spawn in the creek, making it a particularly sensitive project.

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County officials have fought a losing battle for years to keep the creek from undercutting the road, which runs parallel to the creek.

"There have been a lot of Band-Aids for a lot of years," said county project engineer Tim Hurn. "It’s a situation that gets worse and worse every year."

With a 14-foot drop into the creek bed, county road crews have struggled to keep the paved, two-lane road passable, even having to push the center line of the road several feet to the west because of erosion.

A guard rail clings to the edge of the creek, creating potential safety concerns for motorists. "If anybody hits that rail, they’re in the creek," said Hurn.

Although the county doesn’t have a precise estimate on how much the project will cost, Hurn said it will probably be at least a half-million dollars.

He expects to go out to bid in the next couple of weeks, with construction possibly starting by late spring.

One old house and two barns are being torn down to make room for the new creek channel. Dirt excavated will fill the old creek channel.

The creek sits on the western border of a new development off Taylor Road that has 1,500 housing units, including homes and apartments.

Hurn said the county considered moving Grant Road to the west, but figured that land acquisition and potentially razing homes would prove far too expensive.

Hurn said altering the course of a creek is an unusual event in the county.

"It’s kind of like the last resort, " he said.

Tom Humphrey, Central Point Community Development Director, said this is one of two creeks whose channels are being altered in town.

Griffin Creek, on the eastern edge of the same subdivision, is having its channel moved and widened, making it more fish-friendly, improving flood control and easing its use to farmers for irrigation. Humphrey said a fish barrier on Jackson Creek also is being removed.

Both creeks will have an extensive green belt along their borders, which the developer of a new subdivision is building. The developer is Twin Creeks Development Co.

"The city and county are collaborating with the developer to make this happen," said Humphrey.

Reeves said he will be happy to see the roadway moved farther from his property after Jackson Creek is moved.

Pointing out how dangerous the area is, he said in an accident a few years ago, a vehicle ended up in his front-yard flower bed.

He said drivers often travel 60 mph or more down the road, turning sharply around a corner.

Looking at the corner and the narrow road, he said, "A truck barreling down here and a car coming from over here, and you go down in the ditch."

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com