‘It’s been needing it for years’: City of Bend completes street preservation work for 2023
(Update: Adding video, comments from Bend street supervisor)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The City of Bend’s Street Preservation Program is wrapping up for the season after spending over $3 million this year.
Paint striping, chip sealing and overall reconstruction were part of the makeovers.
City Streets Supervisor Paul Neiswonger told us Tuesday, "It's based off our Pavement Condition Index, ADTs (average daily trips) -- how many cars are driving on that, what's the next viable treatment?"
One of the roads that got a facelift is OB Riley Road, where the KTVZ studios call home.
City street crews and contractors from Knife River Corporation Northwest and VSS International Inc. improved 37 (4%) of Bend’s 889 lane miles of roads.
Crews ranged anywhere from a handful to a few dozen at certain sites: "When your accounting for flaggers, pavers, laborers and all the trucks on there combined, you can have anywhere from 35 to 45 folks" Neiswonger said.
Slurry was completed in various residential areas throughout the City. A slurry is a treatment for low-volume residential streets where one-day closures are typically expected.
Other street preservation work took place on the Butler Market Road and Eighth Street roundabout, 15th Street from Bear Creek Road to Reed Market, Pinebrook Boulevard from Highway 97 to Brookswood and 27th Street from Butler Market Road to Neff Road.
"Pinebrook, we had lots of root heaves. It needed a treatment on there -- it's been needing it for years," Neiswonger said. "It was almost to the point we had a completely failed road. We went in there and upgraded some curves and sidewalks."
Another reason for roads to crack and break down over time is due to thermal expansion.
This occurs when pavement expands due to fluctuating temperatures, causing roadway surfaces to expand where moisture has seeped in.
The city says bicyclists and drivers should notice the benefits of traveling on newly repaved roads.
Neiswonger explained the benefits of the summer's work: "One is that it'll be a quieter ride. Two, for the bike riders, we did lots of enhancements. You're going to have bike lanes, buffered bike lanes."
Street preservation treatments this year included:
- Grind/inlays – Old asphalt is ground out and replaced on the existing roadway. The process can take a couple of days.
- Slurry – A treatment for low-volume residential streets. One-day closures typically expected.
To learn more about Bend’s street preservation practices, visit bendoregon.gov/streetpreservation.
