Community weighs in on Terrebonne traffic options
It’s hard to turn left across traffic on Highway 97 or even get through Terrebonne at times. The Oregon Department of Transportation is trying to fix that, and gathering public input along the way.
On Tuesday, ODOT hosted a concept development workshop to engage the public about a potential redesign of Highway 97.
The highway is busier every year, which has led to congestion and difficulty turning left across traffic. Eventually, the highway will be redesigned, but ODOT is seeking the community’s help to figure out which concept would be best for the area.
Corridor alignment, intersections and highway transitions are the three main elements of the project. ODOT has about $20 million to do this project and is also analyzing the most cost-effective way to go.
“The way all this works is that we have to make sure ODOT’s plan aligns with the county’s transportation system plan and all those documents are sort of saying the same thing,” said Abbey Driscoll, ODOT’s community liaison.
“Basically three different categories — different alignments for U.S. 97, maybe its something like a bypass, maybe it stays in its existing alignment, or like a couplet option,” Driscoll said. “We are looking at intersection configuration, what do we do at Lower Bridge Way. There’s a lot of congestion there as folks get out to Crooked River Ranch and at Smith Rock Way.”
An advisory committee is in charge of making preliminary decisions and recommendations to ODOT and Deschutes County. One of the members, Nick Kezele, said the ultimate constraint is the cost of a project.
“They basically gave us possible costs for possible solutions to the problem, and it’s little bit like they gave us tools in a toolbox,” Kezele said. “We get to pick and choose those tools in a toolbox that would best fit the solutions of the traffic problems in this area, against the costs.”
Many community members said they are thankful for this public outreach process and want to see safer options for residents.
“It seems like converting 11th Street to part of 97, like the way Redmond used to be, so you got southbound and northbound traffic split, with some kind of control,” Redmond resident Laingdon Schmitt said regarding his preference on reconstructing the highway.
“I’m a cyclist, so it’s really scary trying to find your way across 97 from either direction,” said Terrebonne resident Elizabeth Schock. “I would love to see stoplights and sidewalks for the kids and for everyone that’s a pedestrian or cyclist, at some point in time.”
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