Bend’s Midtown Crossings: A Victory Years in the Making
A rendering of an undercrossing at Franklin Avenue, showing widened pedestrian avenues: City of Bend
Big moves, investments, & improvements coming to the heart of Bend
Big news: some transformative Midtown Crossings projects will soon be underway that will make Bend a more accessible and safer place for people who walk, bike, and roll!
Since 2017, we’ve seen the overwhelming need and widespread community support for making the Bend Central District a vibrant, connected, safe Complete Community. Improvements to the corridors and crossings of Franklin Avenue, Greenwood Avenue, and Hawthorne Avenue - also known as the “Midtown Crossings” - are a high priority for making this future a reality.
After years of advocacy and groundwork, we are thrilled to see that the stage is now set for some big improvements to the Midtown Crossings.
The City of Bend has been analyzing a slate of projects and alternatives over the past year to determine which options should be prioritized for initial investments and improvements. In October, the City of Bend announced its decision, prioritizing the Franklin and Hawthorne projects while doing some quick-build solutions and stormwater improvements on Greenwood. These improvements on Greenwood will improve safety and facilitate safer detours while Franklin is undergoing construction.
Big investments, needed change
With your help, LandWatch has been working with the City of Bend and stakeholders from all walks of life to help deliver these three projects to our community. We’ve advocated for prioritizing Franklin and Hawthorne, asking for quick, near-term improvements to the Franklin corridor and undercrossing while moving the Hawthorne corridor and overcrossing (a larger, long-term project) forward.
The near-term Franklin corridor project will increase the accessibility and safety of an existing corridor and crossing that is the most frequently used bike and pedestrian route in the area.
The Hawthorne project will advance a longer-term, visionary, and iconic project that sets the stage for Bend’s next chapter as a safe, vibrant, equitable, and climate-resilient city.
This approach advances the Core Area’s redevelopment goals centered on transforming this area into vibrant Complete Community. It also leverages City and GO Bond funding to secure additional state and federal funding. This will help ensure the most safe, accessible, functional, and inspiring versions of these projects are delivered to our community.
A concept of the Catalyst Project in winter: Petrich Properties & Stemach Design + Architecture
It’s all happening in the Bend Central District
We’ve recently seen another great sign that redevelopment in the Bend Central District (BCD) is real and rolling. The City of Bend announced it purchased a property in the heart of the BCD on 1st Street near Franklin Avenue. This 1.2-acre lot, near the popular Campfire Hotel, is part of the City’s public investment goals to meet community needs, such as affordable housing or a public plaza.
According to Bend City Councilor Anthony Broadman, “The Central District will help connect our city and spur the kind of housing, community, and smart development we need now and into the future.”
We also know that plans for “The Catalyst” are moving forward! The Catalyst is a unique, community-focused project that will help spark the ongoing transformation of the BCD. The potential for this place to become a hub is truly exciting.
The Catalyst also recently received $450,000 in funding from the Bend Sustainability Fund, a project of Visit Bend. The Catalyst is the largest award the Bend Sustainability Fund has given out to date!
The Bend Sustainabilty Fund shares, “This project is aimed at creating a safe, vibrant, and open-to-the-public gathering space in the core of the Bend Central District that fosters tourism, community building, and inclusion. The Catalyst hub will activate the northeast corridor at 2nd Street and Hawthorne by providing a public space for all to enjoy.”
This project is all about what makes Bend such a special place: distinct, local, welcoming gathering places throughout all of our neighborhoods that feature local food, drinks, art, and businesses.
Complete Communities for Central Oregon
Central Oregon is growing, giving us both a challenge and an opportunity: to grow well and with intention. We’re here to help deliver Complete Communities to Central Oregon because we need healthy, safe, and vibrant neighborhoods accessible to all.