Next Bend U.S. Highway 97 change moves northbound traffic onto new on-ramp north of Cooley Road

Also, another blasting operation planned Saturday morning north of Empire Avenue

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Thursday, northbound traffic on U.S. Highway 97 at Bend's north end will be temporarily moved to the newly built parkway on-ramp at Cooley Road, ODOT announced.

Vehicles along this route will travel on the newly built U.S. 97 on-ramp and tie back into the existing highway just north of Grandview Avenue. This will remain until all new northbound travel lanes are complete in July, the agency said, and is not expected to affect travel time for commuters. 

As a reminder, the existing northbound U.S. 97 on-ramp at Empire Avenue is closed and access has temporarily moved to the newly built U.S. 97 parkway. Vehicles along this route will travel on the newly built U.S. 97 parkway to Robal Lane, where they will reconnect with the existing highway at the stoplight. Travelers should expect some congestion and are advised to take a different route when possible.

U.S. 97 closed Saturday morning for up to 15 minutes for blasting 

On Saturday, crews will complete another blast of hard basalt along U.S. 97 near Empire Avenue to make way for the new section of the parkway, part of the Bend North Corridor project. The road will be closed for up to 15 minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. This brief closure of the highway allows for a clear zone around the blast site. 

If you travel this route the morning of April 20, plan ahead and give yourself extra time. Be prepared to stop and give our crews space. If you want to avoid the delays, consider an alternate route. Last week's blast stopped traffic for only 7 minutes.  

Work is weather dependent and our schedules may change. Learn more about the work by visiting the project page.