Bend’s Neighborhood Street Safety Program brings changes with impact

(Update: Adding video and more information)

Crosswalk, speed humps, lower speed limits cut speeding on NW Harmon Blvd. by half

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ ) -- In late 2019, the city of Bend and its neighborhood associations identified 25 projects that would help improve safety.

It's called the Neighborhood Street Safety Program and Robin Lewis, a transportation engineer with the city, is the effort's lead manager.

Last year, the city was able to complete eight of the listed 25 projects with about $800,000 in city grants.

“Most of these projects have been a long time coming,” Lewis said Friday.

One of those projects is a crosswalk and other improvements on Northwest Harmon Boulevard.

Before the crosswalk and other safety improvements like speed humps were installed, 67% of drivers were driving above the speed limit, according to Lewis.

Since the improvements were installed last summer, only about 33% of drivers on Harmon are topping the posted speed limit of 20 miles per hour.

The city was only able to get eight projects done with the grant money from the city, but more funds from the city's transportation bond will allow the city to allocate at least $100,000 per scheduled project.

There's three other projects planned this year: sidewalk improvements along Northwest Sisemore Street, a crosswalk at Reed Lane and Southeast Parrell Road and a crosswalk at Hollygrape Street and Brookswood Boulevard.

The $312,000 construction contract is before city councilors next Wednesday night.

Elizabeth Weltin, the president of SW Bend's Neighborhood Association told NewsChannel on Friday just how important a crosswalk will be at Hollygrape Street and Brookswood Boulevard.

"I know a lot of parents have been concerned for their children crossing this street," Weltin said.

There are two parks in the area, Hollygrape Park and River Canyon Park which Weltin said is another reason to get a crosswalk at the intersection.

“I don’t think that this is an intersection where you need a stoplight or flashing lights," Weltin said. "You just need a safe passageway halfway through and a place where cars can see you. They just can’t see you until it’s almost too late.”

The city still has 14 other projects on its list to tackle, which Lewis said will probably take a couple of more years to complete.