Traveling around town
Plans are in the works for a more walkable, bikeable, rollable Bend!
Big things are afoot for Bend!
LandWatch has long advocated for equitable redevelopment in Bend’s Central District. We know the heart of Bend is a place for a ‘complete community’ that can provide more housing and jobs near essential services while protecting the forests and farms outside city limits from sprawl.
With recent victories for innovative housing options and mixed-use development in the City of Bend, the next step is making sure we have transportation networks that accommodate everyone. If you want to help make our communities safer, healthier, and more pedestrian-friendly, this is a pivotal moment to make your voice heard.
Curious which projects are on the list in your neighborhood? View this interactive map to find out.
More options to get around
In 2019, Bend voters approved a $190 million bond to fund transportation projects that would improve connectivity between east and west Bend. The Transportation Bond supports safe and abundant walking and biking routes, improving key intersections, and increasing access to transit.
Right now, the Transportation Bond Oversight Committee (TBOC) is determining which transportation projects will be recommended to move forward over the next five years.
LandWatch has advocated for many of these projects for years. They are vital to being the Bend we want to be: A vibrant, healthy, and inclusive community with safe, abundant, and accessible choices for how people get around.
And now?
It’s go time!
A rendering of a potential pedestrian bridge over Hawthorne Avenue, from Ten Over Studio and Ashley & Vance Engineering.
Make your voice heard
What transportation projects do you want to see in the next 5 years?
The City of Bend’s Transportation Bond Oversight Committee (TBOC) wants to hear from you. Send an email to tboc@bendoregon.gov before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, and let them know you support investments in safe, abundant pedestrian transportation projects.
If you can show up and comment in person, attend TBOC’s meeting via Zoom, Tues. Oct. 5 from 4-6 p.m.
Key messages to consider
The committee wants to hear your perspective. We encourage you to add your own thoughts and stories. Want to take a deeper dive as you craft your comments? Find key materials here.
Ask TBOC to prioritize projects that improve the midtown crossings at Hawthorne, Franklin, Greenwood, and Olney. Early investments in safe, abundant walking and biking routes that safely connect east and west Bend must be top priorities for this first round of funding. These are core values and promises made to voters - and it’s ultimately what helped win Bendites’ support for the Bond. We cannot wait until 2025 or 2026 to see improvements made at these critical east-west connections. We want to see these as top priorities in this first round of projects!
Ask TBOC to make sure vital investments are made now in a safer, more accessible transportation network. For example, Bear Creek Rd. and Neff Rd. projects are absolutely essential for people who live and work in these areas to connect to housing and employment opportunities - and these areas are some of the most deficient in safe and accessible pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. These projects should be a priority in this first round of projects. We can wait on the larger, long-term, and car-focused projects, such as Reed Market, knowing that if they happen later in this process, the improved transportation system can better absorb disruptions from that road closure.
Ask TBOC to go big with the Hawthorne Bridge! This project can transform Bend’s Central District and Downtown by creating an iconic pedestrian bridge that would safely connect the east and west sides of town. This means that people who live in the Bend Central District and beyond can safely commute to work, school, businesses, and services. This bridge is also central to increasing accessibility to Central Oregon’s public transportation systems by creating a safer route to and from the Hawthorne Station. And imagine being able to easily connect the west side’s Drake Park and Deschutes River Trail to the east side’s Juniper Park and Larkspur Trail systems!
Current bike lane on Franklin Ave.
A rendering of a possible improvement of the Franklin Underpass.
Protected bike lanes and safety islands are two possibilities for improvements from the City of Bend’s concepts for Safer by Design.
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