Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bend advisory committee authorizes draft letter urging restored OSU Cascades–COCC transit link
Summary
Members authorized a draft letter supporting either a revived Route 12 or microtransit options to reconnect OSU Cascades and Central Oregon Community College and set a March deadline for review.
Members of the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee authorized a committee member to draft a letter asking regional transit decision-makers to consider restoring or replacing the former Route 12 connection between OSU Cascades and Central Oregon Community College (COCC).
Committee member Andrew outlined the issue, saying the lack of a direct transit link forces students and community members to make lengthy multi-leg trips: "the way to get to and from campuses requires you to take, depending on the campus that you're at, the 11 bus to Hawthorne Station and then the 3 bus from the station to the other campus." He told the committee that students with disabilities and others who lack cars have faced long, impractical commutes and that restoring a direct connection — whether via a reestablished Route 12 or a microtransit alternative — would reduce travel time and improve access.
City Manager Eric King also addressed the committee’s interest in improved transit, noting potential funding mechanisms under discussion at the state level and local planning efforts. King said the city is monitoring legislative proposals that could add revenue to expand service and improve coverage.
The committee authorized the draft letter with a motion and second; the body directed Andrew to prepare a draft for review at the March meeting and to include both fixed-route and microtransit options for consideration.
Next steps and timeline Andrew will prepare the draft letter and present it at the committee’s March meeting (target date March 27, 2025). Committee staff and members asked that the draft be concise and include specific operational asks to aid regional partners and CET in evaluating options.
Ending The committee’s authorization creates a clear, near-term deliverable: a draft letter to be reviewed and possibly transmitted to the Regional Public Transit Advisory Committee and relevant transit agencies after committee approval.
