Bend sets left-lane restriction on Empire Avenue

Effective next Wednesday, left turns will be prohibited from eastbound Empire Avenue to northbound High Desert Lane, the city of Bend announced Friday

A new “no left turn” sign will be installed in the median on eastbound Empire Avenue restricting left turns to northbound High Desert Lane. Eastbound travelers on Empire should instead use the left turn lane at Black Powder Lane or the roundabout at Empire and 18 th Street to access northbound High Desert Lane.

With the development of McCall Landing and the Escena Apartments north of Empire Avenue, the eastbound, left-turn lane to northbound High Desert Lane was eliminated to build a pedestrian crossing.

Some drivers were turning left from the through lane where visibility is limited and the movement is unexpected by through-traffic, decreasing safety, officials said. The “no left turn” sign is installed to prohibit those turns.