Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bikeways topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City of Bend presents design and construction plan for Bend Bikeways network
Summary
City staff gave a detailed update on the Bend Bikeways plan, describing funding sources, specific street treatments (diagonal diverters, modal filters, infrared-triggered RRFBs), schedule, and construction contracts the city will pursue through 2026.
City of Bend engineering staff presented a planning and design update on the Bend Bikeways network at the council work session, outlining a phased program of corridor improvements, quick-build “modal filters,” and related contract work to construct a connected north–south and east–west bike spine.
The city’s engineering director, Ryan Oster, said the project pulls money from several sources: $1.3 million from the accessibility fund, $2.3 million from the general obligation bond and a larger share from the transportation construction fund. Oster also reported the city secured three grants — a Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) routed through ODOT, an arts grant, and a Safe Routes to School award — that together add about $1.5 million but are restricted to specific segments tied to the grant applications.
Oster described a program of quick-build and capital treatments. Examples include diagonal diverters (Cumberland at 15th and at 12th) to prioritize bicycle east–west movements, partial modal filters (Colorado at Sizemore) to discourage cut-through car traffic while allowing bikes, and raised or separated cycle tracks along Midtown/Franklin between Fourth and Eighth where right‑of‑way allows. At Delaware and Bond, and Delaware and Wall, the city plans to install rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons (RRFBs) with infrared sensors to detect approaching cyclists and trigger the beacon automatically.
The update explained how several work items will be delivered as “synergy” elements inside other projects: Midtown contract work will construct parts of Franklin and Fourth–Eighth cycle tracks; new roundabouts at 15th & Reed and 15th & Ferguson will be used to build the 15th‑Street key route instead of separate bids; and the Butler–Market protected intersection will be coordinated with a separate Butler Market project broken into two phases. Oster said some items will be done by city crews to reduce costs while longer‑lead items (lighting poles, larger intersection work) will be bid as construction contracts.
The council and staff discussed design details and neighborhood impacts. Councilors and members of the public asked about raised crossings at roundabouts, speed and emergency vehicle access where mountable curbs are planned, and the ability of trucks to use mountable curbs or armadillo delineators at industrial intersections. Oster said the mountable curbs are intended to be drivable by fire trucks and school buses when necessary, but he committed to exploring alternatives and to test turning templates for truck access. Staff emphasized additional outreach and preconstruction open houses planned before construction starts.
Schedule and contracts: work began in 2023 (public open houses and alternatives analysis), design contracts were approved in late 2023 and amended in 2024. Oster said design spending to date is roughly $2.2 million and construction is currently estimated about $11.5 million total; staff reported they expect to deliver projects into 2026 with construction packages released in phases later in 2025 and into 2026. Council will see several bid packages later this year for miscellaneous intersection/lighting items, corridor contracts (9th Street, Bear Creek, 15th north of Reed Market) and the Midtown contract guaranteed maximum price that will build parts of Franklin.
