ODOT lowers Hwy. 20 speed limit in fatal crash area

(Update: Comments from area resident, ODOT)

Oregon Department of Transportation highway managers said Friday they have lowered the speed limit near the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and Hamby Road east of Bend, where a Bend man was killed in a crash last month.

Effective immediately, the speed limit 500 feet east of the intersection, to the vicinity of 850 feet east of Dalton Street, has been reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph, the agency said.

“Motorists should be aware of these changes and be mindful of their speed in the area,” ODOT’s announcement concluded.

Marc Price, 48, of Bend, was killed Dec. 13 when he tried to turn left in his Ford Transit van at the intersection and was struck by an oncoming pickup driven by Michael Deleone, 59, Oregon State Police said.

Price died at the crash scene, while Deleone was uninjured. Troopers said Price failed to yield to oncoming traffic and that they were investigating distracted driving as a factor in the crash.

In a five-year period, there were 20 crashes at the intersection, 17 of which happened because a driver did not give the right of way.

NewsChannel 21 traveled through the neighborhood nearest the intersection on Friday to ask people if they think the speed limit change was warranted. Most said yes.

“I definitely think it’s too dangerous,” resident Amy Blalack said. “We avoid going that way because there’s too much traffic going so fast, and it’s risky trying to pull out and turn left and come into town.”

An ODOT official said that’s exactly why the change is being made. Also, it has the added benefit of making law enforcement easier.

“This will have an effect on alerting them that they’re entering into a different kind of speed area,” ODOT spokesman Peter Murphy said. “It’ll also help the officers in enforcement. There’s now a 10 mile an hour lower speed limit than there was, which will give officers a little more ability to write effective tickets in the area.”

Murphy also said new signs would be going up soon to reduce the speed limit in that area.