Deschutes Co. to honor Big Chainring Award winners

On Wednesday, D eschutes County commissioners and the Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) will honor local leaders for their efforts to make Deschutes County bicycle and pedestrian friendly.

Since 1996, Deschutes County’s Big Chainring Awards have been awarded annually to recognize individuals, businesses and public agencies that make significant contributions in support of better bicycling and walking.

The 2017 Big Chainring Award recipients are:

Individual: Matt Cromwell

Matt Cromwell is the track operator at the High Desert BMX track, which is located at the Big Sky Park in Bend. His nominator called him “an amazing source of energy and motivation working tirelessly to improve cycling in Bend and the Deschutes County area.”

Public Agency: City of Redmond Public Works Department

The City of Redmond Public Works Department is being recognized for their support of improving biking and walking conditions in Redmond.

Last year, the department completed improvements on NW 19 th Street that included the addition of a painted buffer to the bike lane. This change helped make travel more comfortable for cyclists and also reduced traffic speeds, which made things safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The city says this project will be replicated in the future and is one of the tools they’re using to increase the number of people who bike and walk in Redmond.

The Big Chainring Award ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21 , in the Barnes and Sawyer rooms of the Deschutes County Services Center, located at 1300 NW Wall Street in Bend. For more information, contact Deschutes County Associate Planner Matthew Martin at (541) 330-4620 .