Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bend public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
9 issues in roads with medium priority
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.
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.
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.
Aune Safety and Connectivity eminent domain
Council pre-authorized eminent domain for parts of up to 12 parcels so the project — four intersection upgrades, a shared-use path, and Second Street sidewalks — isn't delayed if talks with owners fail. Condemnation would be a last resort.
Neff Road corridor eminent domain
The council authorized eminent domain over up to 15 Neff Road parcels to keep the 10-foot multi-use path project on schedule.
Franklin Avenue eminent domain
The city authorized eminent domain as a last resort for portions of up to three parcels — including Safeway and a carpet store — needed for the Franklin Avenue streetscape project. Negotiations with owners continue first.
15th and Ferguson Roundabout right-of-way
The city needs slivers of up to five parcels — including Nottingham subdivision common area — to fix the notoriously dangerous 15th/Ferguson intersection. The eminent domain authorization is a legal backstop; the city says it almost never actually condemns property. The roundabout matters as a detour route during upcoming Reed Market rail-bridge construction.
Hawthorne Overcrossing Design and Funding
The pedestrian bridge over the railroad near Hawthorne Avenue is funded mostly by $32 million in state and federal grants that must be used at this location. The favored 'promenade street' design would calm traffic, and a people street and park under the bridge are being explored — but budget questions remain for the May-June Council meeting.
Butler Market/Boyd Acres intersection and eminent domain
To build a fully protected, safer intersection for the Bend Bikeway project, the city may need to condemn portions of up to four parcels at Butler Market and Boyd Acres. Council authorized eminent domain as a fallback if negotiations fail, keeping the project on schedule to bid this summer.