Bend lowering Century Drive speed limit to 50 mph

Following community input and engineering analysis, the city of Bend announced Tuesday that the speed limit will be lowered this month on a stretch of Southwest Century Drive.

City officials said the speed limit will be lowered on the following road section:

· SW Century Drive between Mammoth Drive and Bend City limits near the Entrada Lodge – from 55 mph to 50 mph

The new speed limit signs will have orange warning flags on top for a few weeks to call attention to the changes.

Also, the city said, a speed radar feedback sign will be installed this summer to increase driver speed awareness leaving rural areas and entering into residential communities. “The reduction of speed increases safety for surrounding communities,” the announcement said.

The lower speed limit was requested by adjacent residents in response to increasing development, traffic, and bicyclist and pedestrian travel in the area, the city said.

Century Drive is not only a route to recreational areas, it serves as the access to and through residential developments.

The city asked that drivers “please be considerate of turning motorists, bicyclists and crossing pedestrians.”

In Oregon, speeds for roads within the city that are not highways or local residential streets, such as the stretch of Century Drive, are set by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

The new speed limits are established based on a traffic study that looks at existing driving speeds, road characteristics, adjacent land use, access locations and more.

The city asked drivers to pay attention to the new speed changes and be aware of conditions. Oregon’s basic rule speed law requires driving at the speed that is safe for conditions – this may be a speed slower than the posted speed.