Bend, ODOT seek $66 million from feds for Hwys. 97-20 upgrade
A project with a nearly $170 million price tag could take a step forward Wednesday, as Bend city councilors take up a resolution to support the Oregon Department of Transportation’s $66 million federal grant request to relieve congestion on U.S. highways 20 and 97 on the city’s north end and upgrade their intersections with Cooley Road.
The city and ODOT did much the same two years ago, seeking funding in the last round of INFRA (Federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America) grants, Nick Arnis, the city’s growth management director, noted in an issue summary to councilors.
“That INFRA application made it to the final funding stages but was not advanced,” Arnis wrote. “The 2019 application has improved local partnerships and matches to make the application more competitive.”
The background summary takes note of a situation that any driver on Bend’s north end during a morning or evening commute is well aware of: “The north end of the US-97 (Bend) Parkway has reached its designed capacity and must be improved in order to ease congestion, enhance safety and provide connectivity and access.”
Along with design work done over the past decade, ODOT and the city have been able to secure $50 million from the state Legislature for the Highway 97-Cooley Road grade-separated interchange, setting up the renewed federal grant request. Final numbers are being refined by ODOT for the application, which is due March 4.
Other key elements of the plans, as shown on this map, call for realigning Highway 97 to the east of its existing location, near the BNSF Railway tracks, and converting that stretch of the existing highway into a business route.
Also planned, along with the 97-Cooley Road interchange: a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 20 and Cooley Road, an extension of Hunnell Road and two roundabouts on Tumalo Road, at Tumalo Place and the Old Bend-Redmond Highway.
The city of Bend is proposing to contribute $5 million as a match to the federal grant in 2022, funded by system development charges, according to the resolution.
Arnis also noted to councilors that other existing, already funded city and county projects are being included in the application, such as the plans to extend and improve Empire Boulevard, with roundabout connections at Purcell Boulevard and 27th Street.
Learn more about ODOT’s project at: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pages/project-details.aspx?project=14020.
