Frequent crashes spark safety concerns on curving stretch of Murphy Road in SW Bend

Neighbors say many speeding drivers appear unaware of upcoming corner

(Update: Adding video, comments from nearby residents, Romaine Village maintenance manager)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Some southwest Bend residents are voicing concern about the safety of a stretch of Murphy Road, from South Highway 97 to Brookswood Boulevard.

With winter comes snow and slick roads, and they believe it only makes the road, which they believe to be dangerous on a dry day, a bigger hazard.

Two nearby residents posed the concern Monday that drivers might not be aware there is a sharp turn at the end of the road, which has resulted in frequent crashes.

Mike Ahner said that while living along that stretch of road, he's witnessed about three head-on collisions, as cars come quickly around the sharp turn. During the winter months, he said, it's especially bad, because the road either doesn’t get plowed or sanded, or it's plowed down so far, a sheet of ice results.

Ahner also shared that one homeowner living on a curve set up a concrete barrier to protect his property, since drivers have crashed into it before.

Bo Potts is the maintenance manager of Romaine Village, a manufactured home park, and confirmed many crashes into the panels that separate the private community from Murphy Road. He said it's not at all a rare sight to see.

“It’s gotten to the point now that I don’t put these posts back in concrete, because I know it’s going to be taken out," Potts said.

He said he replaces the panels on what's turned out to be a yearly basis. He added the cost of replacing the panels, is no small expense.

“When they hit that corner in the wintertime, they come through this fence," Potts said. "It happens at least once a year, sometimes twice a year. The last incident was at 3:30 in the morning. It was a hit and run. And the person was coming from the opposite direction and obviously did not hit the corner, he just lost control and took out five of these panels."

Ahner's neighbor shared that he had a close call in the event of another collision. A driver lost control, and their car launched through the panels, landing pretty far onto his property. He said it's scary to know that at any moment, a car can fly through and land where he sleeps.

The road was recently built in 2015, as part of the Murphy Corridor Improvement Project -- the eastern stretch of which is marking its completion later this week, with a railroad overpass and connection to 15th Street..

However, those living near the western stretch of Murphy Road believe some extra safety measures are necessary.

Potts said many drivers simply don't realize how sharp the turn is, and much of the problem, he presumes, is speeding.

The part of Murphy Road that's of concern recently underwent a city traffic study -- and as a result, the speed limit was raised, from 30 to 35 mph, due to low safety risks.

However, that hasn't quite solved the problem, in these residents' view.

As far as solutions go, Potts said there needs to be more than the current reflectors that line the corner.

“I think there needs to be some kind of flashing light that warns them that there’s a turn coming," Potts said.