Redmond City Council gets updates on new Public Safety Facility, major airport expansion

Also approve next step in 'Eastside Alternative' route to ease Hwy. 97 traffic

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) - Redmond city councilors got updates Tuesday on two major projects getting underway soon, the new Public Safety Facility and a big airport upgrade, and approved moving ahead on a third project, aimed at relieving Highway 97 traffic.

Redmond's new police department will be on North Canal Boulevard. Chief Devin Lewis expressed excitement about the design for the lobby: “It's going to be very open and welcoming enough room to serve multiple people at the same time.

"Also, it’s going to be designed in a way to give auditory and visual privacy for people that may be coming in to make a report, if they need to have a private room or a private area. We're going to have those built right off the lobby.”

Off the lobby, the chief says, will be an emergency operations center, and a training room which will also be used as a community meeting room. In addition, the building will have a larger holding facility and there will be more  interview rooms.

“We went out for a $40 million GO (general obligation) bond, and it passed," Lewis said. "We're very grateful and thankful to the citizens for passing that. The remaining funding has come through ARPA funds, a state grant and also $100,000 out of the city's general fund.” 

The Public Safety Facility expansion is expected to break ground in February.

The council also heard from Redmond Airport Director Zachary Bass: “Really, what the customers are going to see is the opportunity for more airlines, more counter positions, but really there's going to be a full second-floor concourse.”

Bass says the new concourse will include seven jet bridges, so passengers can board in any weather and not have to be out in it. The bigger airport space will also offer more amenities. 

Bass said, “Once we get this terminal expansion built, we're going to look to expand parking, and so that might mean more off-site. That might mean some shuttles, but what that means is another opportunity for maybe cheaper parking for individuals to take. if they want to take advantage of it.”

Some behind-the-scenes construction is set to begin next summer, but Bass says it could be 2025 before passengers start to notice changes at the airport.

 Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch says another improvement was approved Tuesday by the city council: “The project that I've pushed for and I'm so excited about is the Eastside Alternative. That's a $30 million project that will take Veterans (Way) and move it through the old Juniper Golf Course and connect in with Ninth Street. It'll provide a great alternative to Highway 97 for the other side of Redmond.”

Here's Tuesday's city council agenda packet, with the presentations on all three projects and more city projects also underway: