Three years after voters’ OK, some Bend GO Bond projects are are nearly done or under way, others still in planning

 The Bend transportation GO bond is headed into its 3rd year of a 10 year plan. It's designed to improve safety, traffic flow, and East-West connections.

Voters passed measure 9-135 in 2020 also known as the transportation bond which provided funding for 29 projects which will impact drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

“We would primarily be looking at you know what is the opportunity for on street bike lanes, shared use paths, sidewalks and how we provide the safety and mobility and connectivity for bikes and pedestrians.” Garret Sabourin, GO bond program manager, said.

One of the first projects in the GO bond's 10 year improvement program is scheduled to be finished next April.

“We are standing here at Wilson and 9th right now, this was one of the first major investments with the go bond. uhm they started out here with 9th and Wilson, continued out to 15th, and now are focused on the west end of the project,” Sabourin continued.

The city created an oversight committee to monitor the bond , report expenses, and track progress. A project in the planning process on Olney avenue addresses the needs of bikers. 

“We are looking into having an option of a curb protected bike lane, the goal of that is to give each user, bikes, pedestrians, vehicles, their own set space so they’re separated from each other, so that there are additional safety benefits,” associate engineer Carrie Theus stated.

The bond gave the city a budget of $190 million for 10 years, $18 million has been spent. The funding is collected through a property tax increase in Bend starting last year at $41 and by 2027 it'll be $207; an $162 increase. The Olney upgrades will cost roughly $4.5 million.

“We are also looking to include some synergy projects with water work, water line work, and sewer line work, because we are already going to be digging up the road, and having construction, so we want to go ahead and do those improvements that are needed on our sewer and water infrastructure systems at the same time,” Theus concluded. 

During the next year 13 projects are planned with the GO bond money. Eight will either begin or continue construction, and five others are in the planning process.