Consultants deliver Cascade Avenue safety audit to Sisters board, recommend near‑term signs and longer‑term design changes

Kittleson and Associates presented a condensed three‑day road safety audit for Cascade Avenue to the Sisters Public Works Advisory Board on May 12, 2026, summarizing field observations and a 10‑year crash review. Matt, a Kittleson consultant, said the audit examined the corridor from Pine Street to Jefferson Avenue and reviewed crash data from 2015–2024.

"There were a total of 71 crashes in this 10 year data set," Matt said, adding that about 75% of those crashes occurred at intersections and seven involved pedestrians or bicyclists. The consultants noted that a recent pedestrian fatality location was not reflected in the dataset summary.

The presentation grouped recommendations into a toolbox of near‑term and long‑term measures. Near‑term suggestions included doubling speed‑limit signage at key approaches, adding lane‑reduction pavement markings, installing speed feedback signs, and targeted stripe‑and‑sign changes that staff could implement more quickly. Longer‑term options ranged from mini‑roundabouts at Pine Street to raised intersections and corridor reconfiguration that would require freight‑route coordination with state highway authorities.

Paul, city staff, said staff will incorporate board feedback into a technical memo and bring the report to city council in June with a request to fund near‑term improvements. The board and consultants stressed that some changes will require ODOT coordination because Cascade Avenue functions as a state highway.