Bend’s NW 14th Street project could impact businesses

Bend’s 14th Street (or Century Drive) between Colorado Avenue and Newport Avenue is set to be improved in the coming months.

This project is the last project funded by the city’s transportation bond measure and has been allotted $3.5 million to fix the street, add a bike lane with a buffer and make improvements to the sidewalk.

Project Manager Garrett Sabourin said Thursday the stretch of city-owned roads is being redone with not just cars in mind, but pedestrians and bikers as well.

“We’re also looking at adding buffered bike lanes, additional transit stops, wider sidewalks that would be continuous down through the corridor connecting that commercial district to residential district,” Sabourin said. “As well as several other pedestrian improvements and other sub-infrastructure, like stormwater and water.”

The city is looking to work with businesses along the street that may be affected by the construction in the coming months.

Ben Hemson, the city of Bend’s business advocate, said he is working to make sure there is an open dialogue between the city and businesses.

Hemson said that for the most part, while the program might cause problems for some businesses, they understand why it is taking place.

“I think the business community recognizes the need for the project,” Hemson said. “But there is a diverse amount of businesses out there, and really a diverse number of concerns as well, and so how we accommodate them is kind of almost on the individual basis.”

The owner of Pine Mountain Sports, Dan McGarigle, said the city has done a great job of working with them so far on the project, and he added that the improvements are needed on the road.

“Really, sidewalk-wise, having a sidewalk adjacent to the street, obviously that could be improved. And the bike lanes on Century Drive — where they are there, there is obviously room for improvement there,” McGarigle said. “So I think that it’s a really good idea for the city to be proactive on this.”

McGarigle said he is excited to see how things are going to turn out, so he and his business can determine just how much of an impact the construction might have.

The city is still taking bids from contractors on the project, and no date has yet been set for the start of construction, but it will begin in 2018.