Council pauses Neighborhood Street Safety contract after objections to Chamberlain and Century crossing designs
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Summary
Councilors on June 4 declined to authorize KNE Excavating’s construction contract for three Neighborhood Street Safety Program projects (Archie Briggs sidewalk infill; Chamberlain/Redmond median and sidewalk improvements; and a new enhanced crossing of Century Drive at Mammoth). Speakers from nearby neighborhoods raised safety, sight-line and
Bend City Councilors decided June 4 not to authorize the construction contract for three Neighborhood Street Safety Program (NSSP) projects after extended public comment and council discussion about site selection and safety tradeoffs.
Background: NSSP is a multi‑year, neighborhood-driven program funded by a general obligation bond; earlier rounds built 22 of 25 projects. The three projects included in the bid package submitted by staff to council were: (1) sidewalk infill on Archie Briggs Road; (2) paving, a speed hump, and enhanced median crosswalks on Southwest Chamberlain Street at Reed Market; and (3) an enhanced crosswalk across Century Drive at Mammoth Drive to connect to the Hall Road Trail.
What happened at the meeting: Staff presented designs and budgets and explained that the three projects had been bid together. Members of adjacent neighborhoods spoke at length in opposition to the Century/Mammoth location and questioned Chamberlain’s selection as a “key-route” crossing. Critics cited inadequate prior notice, private ownership of part of Mammoth Drive, sight-line and winter-ice safety concerns, loss of a deceleration lane into Mammoth (eastbound), likely increases in neighborhood cut‑through traffic, and pedestrian connections that land on an unimproved private road rather than a trail access. Supporters and some councilors said the Chamberlain design is a greenway-style conversion that improves safety and that delaying work will leave existing hazards in place.
Outcome: Council did not approve the contract as presented. Rather than awarding the contract, council directed staff to:
- pursue a “self‑perform” (in‑house) option or lower‑cost approach for the Archie Briggs sidewalk infill so the project still can be completed, - reassess Chamberlain and the Silver Lake/Chamberlain intersection holistically and return with a coordinated design and proposals, and - reevaluate alternative locations and corridor-level options for safe crossings on Century Drive (including Campbell/Mount Bachelor Drive locations) before returning with a revised proposal.
Staff noted the construction window and referenced bidding and pavement-season timing that make delays consequential; council members acknowledged that timing constrains delivery and that rebidding could require pushing projects into the next construction season. Council did not specify which projects — if any — would be rebid this season. The council’s direction effectively deferred awarding the KNE Excavating contract and asked staff to return with alternatives and additional outreach.
