Bend · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bend public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Eminent domain for Reed Market Bridge Project
The city locked in $32.3 million in federal money to finish design and construction of the Reed Market Bridge over the BNSF railroad tracks — a GO Bond project easing east-west travel.
Sunday dial-a-ride cut for disabled riders
Cascades East Transit canceled Sunday dial-a-ride in September over budget shortfalls, stranding disabled riders who use it for church and jobs. Joyce Nichols asked the city to fund roughly $2,000 per Sunday to restore it.
Greenwood Avenue quick-build results
A year of data shows the Greenwood quick-build is working as designed: slower speeds, more people walking and biking, and about 8-10 seconds of added drive time. Staff won't collect more data until the Franklin Avenue and Hawthorne Bridge projects reshape traffic.
Olney Avenue/8th Street intersection redesign
The intersection fails for six hours a day and traffic is growing. Staff recommend a $3.4 million partial multilane roundabout over a $5 million signal rebuild; a council majority agreed despite safety objections from Councilors Méndez and Franzosa.
GO bond unallocated funds prioritization
About $28 million in leftover GO bond money needs a project list, and council is sending the question to TMAC. Early favorites: $8-10 million toward the Highway 20/US 97 connection, extending the Neighborhood Street Safety Program, and cheaper options for Boyd Acres Road.
Bond/Reed Market roundabout and SDC list
The council added the Bond/Reed Market roundabout widening to the SDC project list and hired HDR for design, moving the safety project up a couple of years.
Street preservation and capital projects update
Four contracts totaling about $4.34 million will treat 77 lane miles — paving, chip seal, micro seal, and slurry — keeping Bend's pavement score around 76 as asphalt costs jump 20 percent.
Roundabout policy review request
Councilor Franzosa asked TMAC to review Bend's roundabout policy against accessibility and safety goals; the Mayor preferred starting with the council's standards-and-specs discussion instead, with a timeline update expected next meeting.
Midtown/Franklin Avenue streetscaping
The final Franklin Avenue phase means closing the undercrossing twice — mid-September through mid-November 2026, and January through roughly May 2027 — with Greenwood as the main detour. Holidays and summer stay open after downtown businesses asked for it, at a cost of roughly $100,000–$125,000 to the project.
Bend Bikeway expansion
Bend's VEO bike share has logged 45,000 trips and 75,000 miles, and two new mobility hubs are planned at SE Third/Norton and Robal Road using a carbon reduction grant — plus a bigger CET hub at Cascade Village.