Bend MPO-funded street and bike projects: four complete, several under way, three upcoming

Bend MPO staff presented annual status updates on seven projects funded through competitive awards in 2020 and 2022, reporting that four projects are complete, several are underway and three are upcoming.

The projects are dispersed across central Bend and include added sidewalks, buffered bike lanes, pedestrian islands, signal redesigns and corridor work intended to slow traffic. The MPO said the award pool for those competitive projects totals $3,000,000; staff reported roughly $500,000 has been spent so far. An award for the Archie Briggs crossing carried an unspent balance of about $100,000; MPO staff said their engineering group will follow up to decide whether that remainder will be used for further design or revert to the program.

Completed projects cited by staff include: - restriping to add buffered bike lanes on Ninth, Second and Third streets and on Fifteenth Street, with travel lanes narrowed to accommodate 5- to 6-foot bike lanes and buffer zones; - sidewalk gap closures approaching Pine Ridge Elementary School on Larkwood and a short sidewalk section from the Murphy roundabout to the school; and - construction of two pedestrian crossing islands on Eighth Street to improve crossings to Palms Head Park and transit service.

Staff described a pilot for buffered bike lanes using delineators and said the pilot demonstrated both safety benefits and user acceptance; business owners surveyed reported the changes were "workable" and staff cited positive feedback from pedestrians and cyclists.

Several projects remain in design or early construction. Downtown signal redesigns at Franklin/Wall, Franklin/Oregon and other intersections are included in a combined corridor scope intended to improve signal infrastructure and extend bike facilities through the corridor; staff said one of the intersections is among the city's worst-performing signals and will receive pre-evaluation to determine whether signal replacement remains the appropriate treatment.

The Deschutes River Trail at Archie Briggs Road is undergoing feasibility work for a grade-separated crossing; staff said early results indicate a grade-separated (elevated) crossing is feasible. The riverfront/river trail project has completed concept work and public outreach and will move into 30% design; staff said funding to build remains to be identified.

Gilchrist (park) bridge replacement work is coordinated with Bend Park & Recreation District design work; staff said a 30% park design should be available by April and that the bridge's final configuration and grade remain under study. Drake Park bridge resurfacing and widening was noted as a higher-priority need in comparison.

Staff identified Colorado Avenue corridor work — including curb extensions, reconfiguration at the Highway 97 ramps, and coordination with private development projects and ODOT because the intersection is on state-managed right of way. The city will resubmit design materials to ODOT for review and approval.

Staff said they will seek additional local funding to seed signal and corridor projects when federal or state funding alone cannot cover full scopes. They credited the State Highway Fund and STBG-like awards for enabling pilot and retrofit projects that would otherwise be difficult to deliver at small scale.

Staff closed by noting the program showed how relatively modest competitive awards can advance multiple projects and that program oversight will continue as the MPO prepares a new call for projects later in 2025.