News

Corridor Construction Commences

The long-awaited improvement to the most congested section of U.S. 97 in Bend finally broke ground

By Jack Harvel

Courtesy of ODOT

Bend city officials and ODOT staff all pitch in for the ceremonial shovel groundbreaking.

The North Corridor project broke ground on Monday, Oct. 17, after nearly two decades of planning. The $174 million project will realign U.S. 97 with a nearby railroad and will convert what’s currently U.S. 97 into an extended Third Street.

“We were really looking ahead this far 20 years ago, and about 10 years ago is when we really started going after working on the funding and the plans and how we were going to execute this project,” said Kacey Davey, spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Transportation. “As more people have moved to the area and more freight traffic is using 97, we thought about designing a project that not just would get vehicles through the area, but what also helped move people through the area, even if they weren’t using a car.”

The area has gotten more congested over the past 20 years as the population soared, and the project aims to reduce traffic, improve access to the Cascade Village Shopping Center, make the section of the highway faster and create options for walking and biking along the highways. The stoplights on that section of U.S. 97 and mergers from Empire and U.S. 20 can often cause rear-end collisions.

“One of the things that this project will do is really help to relieve congestion in that area. We’re going to be extending the parkway north following along the railroad tracks and so folks won’t have stoplights that they have to stop at, you can just continue all through that area if you don’t need to stop on the north end of town,” Davey said.

Traffic lights are also getting replaced by roundabouts on U.S. 20 at the intersections of Robal Lane and Cooley Road. Davey said roundabouts reduce serious and fatal crashes by about 90%.

“You don’t have head-on crashes or T-bones or other types of high impact crashes that you usually see at signalized intersections,” Davey said. “It also provides a safe place for pedestrians and cyclists and everyone else to cross those roundabouts as well.”

Improvement to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is one of the key benefits of this project, according to ODOT. A new bus station is going in on Robal Lane, and a 12-foot-wide path will be constructed along what’s now U.S. 97 from Empire Avenue to Cooley Road.

“Their design is what we call lowstress systems, which means that it’s not safe just for someone who’s an avid cyclist and used to riding on busy roads, but it’ll feel safe for everyone who wants to use that type of transportation,” Davey said.

The funding for this project is made up of federal, state and local money. The biggest contributor is the $60.4 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant from the federal government, followed by a $50 million investment the state legislature approved in HB2017, $39 million from the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and $10.3 million of ODOT funds. Both the City of Bend and Deschutes County are also throwing $5 million into the pot.

ODOT’s first steps will be installing roundabouts and pedestrian infrastructure on U.S. 20, which is expected to be finished by the end of 2023. Spring of next year it’ll start work on the existing U.S. 97 and by fall will be constructing the new U.S. 97 by the railroad — both of which should be completed by the end of 2024. ODOT acquired three businesses along the railroad through eminent domain to build the new U.S. 97. Though most of the construction will happen at night, people can expect some traffic impacts.

“We will be maintaining access to all the businesses on that side of town, but there will be construction, maybe similar to what you’re seeing on Third Street right now,” Davey said. “Our teams are actually working on some innovative ways of staging the project so that we can have as little impact to traffic as we can just because we know that’s such a busy, important area for people.”

Courtesy of ODOT

To Speed or Not To Speed

New digital speed signs south of Bend monitor real-time road conditions to set a dynamic speed limit

By Jack Harvel

The Oregon Department of Transportation has installed digital speed limit signs along a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 97 between south Bend and La Pine. The signs can modify speed limits based on road and weather conditions, supported by weather stations that monitor traction, humidity, temperature and visibility. When road conditions are poor the speed limit will decrease, and will rise again once conditions improve.

“If the road surface gets covered in snow, or it gets slick or visibility goes down, these sensors will tell the speed limit sign to lower the speed,” ODOT spokesperson Kacey Davey said in a video announcing the new signage. “And it is a regulatory speed so if you see that speed goes from 65 to 55, or even lower, that is the actual speed limit.”

ODOT said over 40% of crashes on that section of the highway occurred when a driver was going faster than advisable under road conditions. A study by the U.S. Department of Transportation showed the digital speed limit signs can reduce total crashes on freeways by 34%, rear-ends by 65% and eliminate half of all fatal and injury crashes.

“You’re going to have less impact, you’re going to have more stopping distance, and it could really help reduce the severity and the frequency of crashes,” Davey said.

ODOT turned the signs on on Monday, but it won’t implement a variable speed limit until November. ODOT said it’ll see if the signs are successful in reducing crashes, and if successful will look for more opportunities farther south on U.S. 97.

Highways are the most common place to find variable speed limit signs, but they’re also used in school zones, work zones and transitional zones — where higher speed roads transition into more pedestrian-friendly areas with dramatically lower speeds. Oregon established new criteria for variable speed areas in 2021, but the system has been tested out as far back as 2012 when it installed variable speed limits on the I-5 and I-405 in Portland and on U.S. 26 between Banks and Manning. USDOT estimates the signs could save more than $9 per every $1 spent.

Courtesy of ODOT

Seven over-road speed limit signs that cover a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 97 between Bend and La Pine will change the speed limit in real time if there are poor road conditions.

Two Children Killed in Juniper Acres Fire

A household caught fire on Saturday morning in an off-the-grid community south of Prineville

By Jack Harvel

A housefire in Juniper Acres killed two children in Juniper Acres, an off-grid community south of Prineville, on Saturday, Oct. 15, just before 6 am according to the Crook County Sheriff and Crook County Fire and Rescue.

By the time fire crews arrived the residence was fully engulfed in flames. Several members of the household were able to escape, including the children’s two sisters.

“Most family members safely made it out of the house,” said Crook County Sheriff’s Deputy Javier Sanchez in a press release. “Even with the quick response from Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue and residents on scene, two children were not able to get out and are deceased due to the fire.”

A GoFundMe campaign to raise money for funeral arrangements identified the children as Cobain and Nyla, who were six and nine-years old respectively. A separate GoFundMe was created to support the family after losing loved ones and most of their possessions.

“They have no place to live. They have medical bills, they have, you know, a lot of expenses as well. My main specific point (of creating a GoFundMe page) was to make sure both babies were able to have the proper arrangements, you know, right out the gate,” Brad Deane, a family friend and organizer of one of the GoFundMe’s, told KTVZ.

Deane announced on GoFundMe that the fundraiser made enough to cover the costs of funeral arrangements, and that any more donations will go directly to the family. Sanchez said the investigation into the fire, which is being led by CCSO, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, Oregon State Police and the Crook County District Attorney is ongoing, and that there’s no risk to the public. Crook County District Attorney Kari Hathorn told KTVZ she anticipates it’ll take a few weeks for the investigation to be completed.

Acelerar o No Acelerar

Nuevos letreros de velocidad digitales en el sur de Bend monitorean las condiciones del camino en tiempo real para señalar un límite de velocidad dinámico

Por / By Jack Harvel. Traducido por / Translated by Jéssica Sánchez-Millar

La Secretaría de Transporte de Oregon (ODOT por sus siglas en inglés) ha instalado letreros digitales para el límite de velocidad a lo largo de un tramo de 10 millas de la carretera U.S. 97 entre el sur de Bend y La Pine. Los letreros pueden modificar los límites de velocidad basándose en las condiciones del camino y del clima, apoyados por las estaciones meteorológicas que monitorean la tracción, la humedad, la temperatura y la visibilidad. Cuando las condiciones de la carretera son malas, el límite de velocidad disminuirá y aumentará de nuevo una vez que las condiciones del clima mejoren.

“Si la superficie del camino se cubre de nieve o si se pone resbaloso, o si la visibilidad disminuye, estos sensores le indicarán al letrero que indica el límite de velocidad que reduzca la velocidad, “indicó la vocera de ODOT, Kacey Davey, en un video que anuncia los nuevos letreros. “Y es una velocidad reglamentaria, por lo que si ve que la velocidad va de 65 a 55, o hasta menos, ese es el límite de velocidad actual.”

ODOT dijo que más del 40% de los accidentes en esa sección de la carretera ocurrieron cuando el conductor iba más rápido de lo recomendable conforme a las condiciones del camino. Un estudio realizado por la Secretaría de Transporte de los Estados Unidos (USODOT por sus siglas en inglés) mostró que los letreros digitales del límite de velocidad pueden reducir el número de accidentes en carreteras en un 34% y por un 65% en los choques traseros y elimina la mitad de los accidentes o daños fatales.

“Vas a tener menos impacto, vas a constar con más distancia para frenar y de verdad podría ayudar a reducir la gravedad y la frecuencia de los accidentes,” |dijo Davey.

ODOT activó los letreros el lunes, pero no se implementará el límite de velocidad variable si no hasta noviembre. ODOT dijo que verá si los letreros son eficaces en la reducción de accidentes, y si son efectivos, buscará más oportunidades más al sur de la carretera U.S. 97.

Las carreteras son el lugar más común para encontrar letreros de límite de velocidad variable, pero también se usan en zonas escolares, zonas de trabajo y de transición, en donde caminos con alto límite de velocidad pasan a ser áreas de transición más amigables para los peatones con un límite de velocidad mucho más bajo. En 2021, Oregon estableció nuevos requisitos para las áreas con límite de velocidad variable, pero el sistema se probó desde 2012 cuando instaló límites de velocidad variables en las autopistas I-5 y I-405 en Portland y en la carretera U.S. 26 entre Banks y Manning. USODOT calcula que los letreros podrían ahorrar más de $9 por cada $1 gastado.

“Vas a tener menos impacto, vas a contar con más distancia para frenar y de verdad podría ayudar a reducir la gravedad y frecuencia de los accidentes

—KACEY DAVEY

HELP SAVE

DESCHUTES SOUTH CANYON!

The Deschutes South Canyon is Bend’s last large open space remaining by the Deschutes River and currently functions as a de facto natural area park.

The Central Oregon Irrigation District (COID) has submitted a series of 5 Type II Property Line Adjustments (PLAs) to the City in order to partition this land to be able to sell a large portion to a developer. Two of the resulting parcels do not conform with Bend Development Code 3.1.200.C4.

Urge the City to follow its own rules and say NO to COID’s PLAs.

Submit your public comments on the PLAs by Thursday, October 27, 2022. Learn how at SaveBendGreenSpace.org Two Twisted Sisters Productions, in association with Cascades Theatrical Company,

bring together an ensemble of local artists for an engaging evening of one acts, art, dance, comedy, and music.