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Bend‑La Pine Schools outlines phased plan for COVID‑relief trail near High Desert Middle School
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Summary
Bend‑La Pine Schools updated the Bend MPO on a planned multiuse trail funded with a $125,000 COVID‑relief award. Staff presented a construction cost range of $86,000–$186,000 and recommended phasing work from Hearthstone Lane north to avoid a steep, higher‑cost segment near the Ferguson roundabout.
A Bend‑La Pine Schools representative told the Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization policy board that the district is moving forward with planning and a phased construction approach for a multiuse trail funded by a $125,000 MPO COVID‑relief award.
Andrea Napoli said the award, made in June 2024, supported planning and construction of a multiuse trail near High Desert Middle School; Doug Pigman described existing conditions and a wide contractor cost range. Pigman said project siting difficulties around the southeast area and an upcoming Ferguson roundabout design influenced the recommended scope. "They had received an award of a 125,000," Napoli said, introducing the update.
Pigman presented photos and a map showing a steep incline at the Ferguson segment that would not meet path requirements and could require rock excavation and blasting. He said the project's contractor cost estimates ranged from about $86,000 at the low end to $186,000 at the high end, and that the midpoint average was "roughly a 136,000." Using a roughly 1,930‑foot length, Pigman calculated an averaged cost of about "$70.47 per linear foot of path." He recommended focusing available funds on southern segments that could be brought up to current standards and leaving northern sections flexible until the roundabout design is finalized.
Pigman outlined a realistic near‑term approach tied to available dollars: a $75,000 construction allocation plus about $10,000 in remaining planning funds would make an effective project budget of roughly $85,000, enabling construction of an initial 1,000–1,200 feet of trail, depending on contractor bids.
Board members asked technical questions about rerouting or adding sinuosity to reduce grade, whether right‑of‑way existed for alignment changes, and whether a raised crossing would improve school safety. Pigman said the sewer work and recent pavement in the southern segment made that area suitable for immediate work, while the Ferguson segment’s grade and interaction with the planned roundabout increased cost and risk of rework.
The policy board indicated consensus to continue with the awarded funding and the phased approach; Pigman said he would proceed with construction documents and seek bids. No formal vote was required or taken on the project at the meeting.
Background: the board initially awarded the district COVID‑relief funds in 2024 for planning and construction of a trail connection to High Desert Middle School. The district and MPO staff will return with construction bids and may adjust scope based on final pricing and the evolving roundabout design.
