Take the Bend 2030 Transportation Survey

Bend 2030 and the City of Bend launched a new online community survey today to test attitudes about a gas tax and multi-modal transportation investments in Bend.

The online community survey, available through July 12, was designed primarily in response to the ideas put forth by 175 attendees at the April Bend 2030 Transportation Forum, who said they wanted investments in street maintenance, more and safer bike lanes, a more complete sidewalk grid, and a more robust transit system. Forum attendees said they were willing to pay for these improvements. This online survey will test whether the larger community agrees.

Bend 2030 and the City recently completed a statistically valid phone survey testing many of the same ideas. The surveys were designed by DHM Research, a Portland-based strategic communications firm. Bend 2030 will later use the input from the Transportation Forum, the statistically valid survey and the online community survey to provide recommendations to the Bend City Council and other regional decision-makers about solutions to our most challenging transportation issues. 

“By 2030, forecasters predict 120,000 people will be living here,” said Vic Martinez, Bend 2030 board of directors chair. “Once again, we’re looking at a pattern of rapid growth in our city. As a community we must come together and address it with real investments in our transportation system—we cannot afford to fall further behind than we already are in preparing for this growth.”

Among the considerations for our community are how to pay for $80 million in deferred street maintenance, how to fund streetscape improvements that offer safer pedestrian facilities and bike lanes, and how to afford building out our public bus system. Such investments offer safe roads for people driving cars, as well as other options for people interested in traveling by biking or walking—methods of transportation that reduce stress on our taxed road system. All help ensure our community accomplishes our transportation vision for Bend in 2030, including creating a well connected system of highways, roads, bike paths and trails and a variety of multi-modal transportation options.