Next big Highway 97 shift coming up: Bend Parkway’s southbound traffic shifts to new lanes Friday evening

ODOT provides three diagrams for drivers to check out

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Friday evening, southbound traffic on U.S. Highway 97 on the north side of Bend will be permanently shifted to the newly built southbound Bend Parkway lanes, and the southbound U.S. 97 onramp at Robal Lane will open, ODOT said Monday.

For access to shopping from U.S. 97 southbound, take motorists should take Exit 134/ U.S. 97 Business at Grandview Avenue. There is no access to the shopping areas once you have passed Exit 134.

"If you miss the exit, please continue to Exit 136/Butler Market to turn around. Please do not perform dangerous U-turns on U.S. 97," ODOT said.

For access to shopping from Empire Avenue, travelers will cross over U.S. 97, turn right at the stoplight to U.S. 20 and access the shopping center from the Robal Lane Roundabout. This will continue until the new Business U.S. 97 access road is built at Third Street, which is scheduled to open mid-August.

Travelers wanting to access shopping from northbound U.S. 97 will do so by taking Exit 135A and continue to Business U.S. 97. There is no access to the shopping areas once you have passed 135A. If you miss the exit, continue to Deschutes Market Road to turn around.

Again, they said, "Please do not perform dangerous U-turns on U.S. 97."

Travelers wanting to access U.S. 20 from northbound U.S. 97 will do so by taking exit 135A to the Sisters Loop Ramp.