Next big change to U.S. Highway 97 in northern Bend: northbound traffic shifts to new lanes on Friday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Friday, northbound traffic on U.S. Highway 97 will be permanently shifted to the newly built northbound U.S. 97 parkway, ODOT officials said Monday.

With this change, the new northbound Empire Avenue and Cooley Road on-ramps will open, and the southbound onramp at Robal Lane will temporarily close.

Travelers wanting to access the Cascade Village Shopping Center from Empire Avenue will do so from U.S. 20 at the Robal Lane roundabout until the new southbound U.S. 97 lanes open.

Southbound U.S. 97 traffic will remain on the existing parkway until the new southbound lanes are completed in mid-August, officials said.