City of Bend to hold open house for public input on plans for more ‘people-centered streets,’ ‘low-car districts’

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) --Community members are invited to attend a City of Bend open house on a project called Planning for People Streets. Bend has great people-centered streets, like Brooks Street Alley, and is expecting more in the future. This study will help the city plan for where and how Bend could have more of these kinds of vibrant People Streets in Bend.

The open house will take place on Friday, Nov. 15 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Commons Cafe & Taproom, 875 NW Brooks Street in Bend.

This will be an opportunity for community members to learn about best practices for People Streets and “low-car districts” to understand possible street types, design considerations and supportive policies and programs to allow for more vibrant, people-centered streets in the future.

Community input will help the city define terms like “people street” and “low-car district” to meet new state land use and transportation rules, which will guide the future development of our town.

The city has identified the Juniper Park to Drake Park route as a case study to test the “people street” ideas on an actual route. Input at the open house will help inform the Juniper Park to Drake Park case study in order to explore ways to connect key destinations with People Streets as an addition to the planned Hawthorne Pedestrian & Bicycle Overcrossing.

An online open house will be available after the in-person open house. Learn more about the project at bendoregon.gov/peoplestreets.