11/5/2009 - Bend

by Matt McDonald

It can be a driver's nightmare, traffic on Highway 97 on the north end of Bend. In twenty years, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) says it'll be worse, cars coming to a virtual stand still. But plans for a change hit a snag.

"The main concerns we had, is one the cost of the project got in the three hundred to four hundred million dollar range," said Mike Schmidt from the Citizen's Advisory Committee providing input to ODOT on the project.

A meeting Thursday to try and cut costs on proposed solutions. Two alternatives, both with their advantages and drawbacks.

"They weren't able to get, save all the businesses. They tried to make this alignment as tight as they could to try and save some of the outlier commercial areas," said Jon Heacock with ODOT.

Heacock is talking about the west alternative. That brings the highway west around the Cascade Village shopping center. On the south end, a new Highway 97 and 20 intersection just north of Empire Avenue. On the north end, the highway rejoining the existing US 97 north of Cooley Road.

The east option starts with a large new intersection for Highway 20 and US 97 just north of Empire Avenue. From there, the new US 97 shown in red moves east of it's present location along the railroad tracks near Empire Avenue, rejoining the existing highway shown in blue north of Cooley Road. It includes major improvements to the intersection at Cooley, a critical component for the city of Bend to develop Juniper Ridge, it's mixed use development on the north end of Bend.

The two alternatives having one key in common.

"With a price tag between $180 and $200 million," said Heacock.

To view the east plan click here.  You can also look for updates http://www.us97solutions.org/alternatives_screening/default.aspx