More funding put toward Tumalo intersection fix
More money is being put toward improving the Cook Avenue and Highway 20 intersection in Tumalo.
A total of $1.1 million was approved as additional funding to help the Oregon Department of Transportation figure out the best solution for that intersection.
From 2009 to 2014, there were 21 crashes on Highway 20 between Cook Avenue and Fifth Street; 14 of them were intersection-related, and the major cause of the crashes was failure to yield the right of way.
That’s why ODOT is looking to make changes. But first, they needed to approve the additional funding with the Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization, which City Councilor Sally Russell chairs.
“The original options were so expensive, nothing ever got done,” Russell said Tuesday. “What we have now is much more flexibility to choose from a range of options. And now we need to see what else could be done. And we know it will cost us less, and that’s really a big benefit to our taxpayers.”
There are three options ODOT is considering for that intersection. The first is a roundabout at Highway 20 and Cook Avenue. The second is an overcrossing on Cook Avenue, allowing Highway 20 traffic to pass beneath. And the third is an undercrossing, allowing Highway 20 traffic to pass above Cook Avenue.
When finalized, the project is expected to cost $10 million to $15 million. Public outreach and project refinement will begin this fall and continue through next spring.
