‘Perfect storm’: City of Bend says it’s taken steps to ease construction-related traffic delays amid snowy winter weather
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The City of Bend says it recognizes that last week's "closure of the Olney Avenue and Wall Street intersection, coupled with our first substantial winter storm of the season, has led to traffic delays around town."
"This has not gone unnoticed by the City, and we are actively working to lessen those impacts," a city statement sent last Wednesday to KTVZ News stated.
Last Wednesday evening, City Manager Eric King briefed city councilors on the situation and efforts to ease the headaches, including longer green lights on Greenwood Avenue - with Portland closed, one of the few east-west connections.
"It's a very painful project," King said, but he added, "It needs to happen due to aging, critical infrastructure" and for safer travel for all, including pedestrians and cyclists.
With "so few crossings" of the river in Bend, King said that "folks are experiencing gridlock." But he said there was "no other way" to get the work done and asked of the community, "Please allow yourself some extra time."
And he warned of more work to come down the road - on Franklin Avenue next year and the Reed Market overcrossing as well, all efforts to address needs from the voter-approved 2020 General Obligation (GO) Bond.
Here's the rest of the city's statement last week, in full, along with a map of more detours to go around the trouble spots:
The City has coordinated with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to temporarily adjust signals on Greenwood Avenue to mitigate some of the traffic congestion going east and west. We continue to monitor the situation and will make small adjustments as needed as we continue to assess them over the next few weeks.
We have also developed a map to help identify alternate routes that can be utilized to move across town. Some potential alternate east-west connections:
- Mt. Washington Drive and Butler Market Road on the north end of town
- Newport Avenue and Greenwood Avenue through downtown
- Franklin Avenue through Downtown
- Reed Market Road on the south end of town
The Olney Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement project will address both water and sewer infrastructure that needs to be upgraded to keep up with the needs of our community and safety improvements will make it easier for all users to drive, walk, roll and bike through this stretch of road. Completing all this work at once saves time and money.
The work at the intersection was planned intentionally for the winter/spring, to complete the work before the summer months. This intersection is a vital intersection that needs to be completed before fire season and before more traffic is on the roadways in the summertime. The intersection work is also taking place as the water line utility upgrades have to take place before the peak water demand season begins in April.
For more information on the Olney Avenue Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Project head to bendoregon.gov/olneypedbike.
