Cracker Barrel, Chick-fil-A eye site at Bend’s north end

A new proposed shopping center on the north end of Bend could bring in two new restaurants by next year — ones very familiar to many: Cracker Barrel and Chick-fil-A.

The city of Bend confirmed to NewsChannel 21 on Friday that a developer has submitted an application to build a new 55,000-square-foot shopping center on Robal Road and Highway 97.

The shopping center would have four retail buildings and space for three restaurants, according to the proposal submitted to the city.

Cracker Barrel and Chick-fil-A have filed plans to the city to build their first locations in Bend.

“It’s a site that has unconsolidated fill, old rubble and things like that were dumped on this construction site that will need to be excavated and re-compacted,” Bend Senior Planner Aaron Henson said.

OXARC, an industrial supply business, has a location next door to the proposed retail center, and its officials said they are looking forward in seeing more development on the north side of town.

“It’s going to do really well for us as far as more business, more traffic flow,” OXARC Bend Manager Larry Mennie said Friday.

But with more businesses coming to the north side, that means traffic could become more congested with the new shopping center.

According to the traffic study conducted by the developer, from 2006 through 2011, there were 54 reported crashes at Hwy. 97 and Robal Road. Of that,73 percent were rear-end crashes.

The developer is proposing ways to improve traffic on Highway 97, such as modifying the stop lights to make green lights last a little longer, adding sidewalks, and providing direct connections between the Cascade Village Shopping Center and the new retail site.

For some area shoppers we talked to, it’s good news all around.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Rachel Dunn said. “It’s an empty lot, so why not put some extra things in there for Bend? We’re getting so big, extra shopping for all of us.”