Direct route: Murphy Road railroad bridge opens, offers new east-west link for growing SE Bend
(Update: Adding video, comment from residents, city engineer and city councilor)
City event marks completion of corridor project
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A new bridge crossing over the train tracks and extending Murphy Road to 15th Street in southeast Bend, opened Thursday with a ribbon-cutting, a cake to cut and a chance for hundreds to walk, bike or scooter across the road before it opened to traffic.
“I live a few blocks from here, and I’ve been waiting for years for this place to open,” said Clinton Park, who was one of the first people to walk across the new bridge. “It’s a straight shot to the other side of the town.”
Sean Palagyi, another nearby resident, agreed.
“It’s going to make a much more direct route to Third Street,” he said before mentioning one of the biggest reasons for construction of the bridge: “And without having to stop for the train.”
The new Murphy Road railroad overcrossing provides a key connection for southeast Bend. It’s the only way under or over the BNSF railroad tracks between the Brosterhous Road and Third Street underpasses.
The other two crossings, at Wilson Avenue and Reed Market Road, are still at-grade crossings.
“I’m from Honolulu -- we don’t have trains,” Park said. “And when that, woo woo, comes across— I feel like burning it,” he joked.
The bridge over the tracks also completes the city's Murphy Road Corridor improvement project, which reconstructed 1.75 miles of the road, added 3.5 miles of bike lanes and sidewalks, and built three new roundabouts at the intersections with Country Club Drive, Brosterhous Road and 15th Street. The project started in January of 2019.
Deedee Fraley, principal Engineer for the city, said, “The southeast area of town is really growing and booming over these past few years, and it’s continuing to grow. So getting this bridge over the railroad is huge for connectivity purposes.”
Before the bridge opened to traffic around 3 p.m. Thursday, it was open just to walkers and cyclists. Even some amateur bridge builders to test it.
The city held a ceremony to officially open the bridge.
City Councilor Gena Goodman-Campbell, on hand for the event, told NewsChannel 21 there was still no timetable for a similar overpass to be built on Reed Market Road with voter approved transportation bond funds.
