Murphy Road extension plans bring mixed reaction

If you live or travel in southeast Bend, there’s a $32 million construction project heading your way.

The project will extend Murphy Road from Brosterhous Road to 15th Street.

Right now, Murphy Road heading east ends at Brosterhous Road in a three-way “T” intersection. City engineers want to turn that intersection into a roundabout.

On the other side of the roundabout, city engineers plan on adding a railroad overpass, so you’ll be able to drive straight on through to 15th Street.

NewsChannel 21 spoke with people who will be affected by the change on Thursday evening at an open house for the project. Some said the new link will be beneficial, but others are concerned.

“Once this road is pushed through, and there’s a bridge over the railroad, we’re going to be able to shoot right over there,” said Dave Howe, battalion chief for the Bend Fire Department. “Our response time is going to drop like a rock.”

“We’re concerned with light, noise, you know, people racing back and forth,” said William O’Grady, who recently bought a house in southeast Bend. “So we want to see what they’re going to do to look out for us when they put that road in.”

Two other roundabouts will be installed along murphy, one at Country Club Drive and the other at 15th Street.

Garrett Sabourin, a project engineer for the city of Bend, said the project will alleviate traffic congestion in southeast Bend, also increasing safety for bicyclists and pedestrians.

” In addition to that, it adds a little bit of connectivity in southeast Bend that’s needed,” Sabourin said.

City engineers expect the first phase of construction to begin this summer on the 15th Street roundabout.

Engineers hope to finish the entire project by the summer of 2021. That way, everything will be ready in time for the opening of the new high school, at 15th Street and Knott Road.

Follow this link to learn more from the city about the Murphy Road corridor improvements.