Oregon: Bend North Corridor Project

Changes to Bend Are Right on Target

Challenge: The area in Central Oregon where U.S. 97 intersects with U.S. 20 is a very busy place. It’s a primary route connecting people from all directions with shopping, dining, businesses, schools, and recreation in the city of Bend. Because of population growth, the area has become congested and dangerous with accidents involving motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

The Solution: With help from federal infrastructure investment, the state is upgrading the convergence of these highways. The Bend North Corridor Project realigns U.S. 97, adding lanes and two roundabouts. It also adds two miles of multi-use paths, 50 ADA accessible curb ramps, enhanced pedestrian crossings, a new transit stop, advanced traffic control systems, and raised median to prevent crashes with oncoming traffic. For area residents, future Target runs are going to be a lot safer and a lot less frustrating.

What They’re Saying: “As more people have moved to the area and more freight traffic is using 97, we thought about designing a project that not just would get vehicles through the area, but what also helped move people through the area, even if they weren’t using a car.” – Kacey Davey, spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Transportation (Source Weekly, 10/19/2022)