The Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board on Oct. 17 authorized a consultant contract with Kittelson & Associates to update the Bend Transportation Safety Action Plan (TSAP), approving a contract amount not to exceed $234,931.

Tyler Deakey, Bend MPO manager, said the MPO received a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant to support the TSAP update. The project timeline presented anticipates kickoff in late October or early November and completion in April 2027, a roughly 16–18 month effort. Deakey said the consultant team is expected to provide initial data analysis within three months and draft recommendations roughly a year after kickoff, followed by public review and final document preparation.

Several board members expressed frustration at how long the procurement process took before reaching contract approval. Councilor Mike Riley, Commissioner Phil Chang and others noted prior delays associated with procurement staffing changes that delayed the RFP and contract timeline; Deakey and city staff described a procurement delay of about 14–16 months from initial scope to RFP award. Councilor Riley and other board members asked staff to seek ways to accelerate the consultant schedule where feasible and requested an update on accelerating interim deliverables at the December meeting.

A motion to authorize the contract was made by Omar Ahmed and seconded by Commissioner Phil Chang; the motion passed unanimously.

Kittelson & Associates will analyze crash data, review previous TSAP recommendations, identify locations and systemic improvements, and coordinate with city and state safety planning so the TSAP can feed into the City of Bend’s forthcoming Transportation System Plan update.