Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bend public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
8 issues in roads with high priority
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Transit fares and ridership
CET brought back fares in February and ridership dropped — about half on some routes. The upside: expanded dial-a-ride service areas in northeast and southeast Bend and Deschutes River Woods, and new route efficiencies to get 15-minute service on busy corridors without new funding.
Transportation Safety Action Plan update
Bend averages 3–5 fatal crashes a year, mostly on bigger roads like the Franklin corridor. The updated safety plan will use crash data to target improvements and guide safety messaging, with a draft expected for adoption in about a year.