SW Bend homeowner worries about traffic gridlock if future wildfire sparks major evacuation

More homes mean more traffic, one road to get to town

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A southwest Bend homeowner who lived through one of the most destructive wildfires in area history over 30 years ago is still worried about traffic gridlock during an emergency. He wants Deschutes County to update its plans now, for future evacuations.

There are several neighborhoods off of Century Drive that extend for miles.

John Cosgrove, a resident of Sunrise Village, has lived in the development for 37 years.

Back then, "this was basically the end of civilization, as far as Bend goes," Cosgrove told NewsChannel 21 on Friday.

Cosgrove remembers well the Awbrey Hall Fire of 1990 -- one that tore through Bend's west side, destroying 22 homes.

"That evacuation was frightening, and sudden, and chaotic. and despite everyone's best efforts, we lost several homes in Sunrise Village," he said.

Since then, hundreds of homes have been built in the area, and plans for more are in the works.

But, he says, the evacuation routes have stayed the same.

Cosgrave and his neighbors worry Bend has outgrown its evacuation plan.

"There's only one way out for all these people -- for them to evacuate a forest fire coming from the west or the south. And that is a problem, until there is another viable exit," he said.

Century Drive is the only way in or out for people who live in Bend's southwest neighborhoods to reach town.

Cosgrave said he wants to start the conversation now, before Central Oregon enters another summer of severe drought -- including traffic studies on how new developments impact evacuation routes.

On Tuesday, he sent a letter to the City of Bend, asking for help, as the first step in revising the evacuation plan.

Calls to government agencies for their response to his concerns were not immediately returned.