Awbrey Butte Waterline Project Update – May 19, 2023

The Awbrey Butte Waterline Improvement Project will improve Bend’s ability to deliver water across the City and increase the system’s resiliency and reliability by installing approximately 4.25 miles of pipeline.

Thank you to everyone who attended the informational meeting on May 9 to learn about the upcoming construction of Phase 1 for the Awbrey Butte Waterline Improvement Project. 

Phase 1 improvements will begin in early June and will be constructed in stages to minimize traffic impacts. This phase is expected to be completed in March 2024. In advance of construction activities in your neighborhood, residents will receive a more detailed notification with specific information regarding construction impacts.

Upcoming Activities

What to Expect During Phase 1 Construction

We’re committed to limiting construction impacts on neighbors and community members. Our construction management plan includes minimizing impacts from traffic, noise, dust and other construction concerns. 

Within Phase 1, there are three subprojects:

• Subproject 1: Awbrey Road Waterline Improvements: June 2023-October 2023
• Subproject 4: Awbrey Reservoir Outlet: November 2023-December 2023
• Subproject 5: NW Ninth Street Waterline Improvement: November 2023-March 2024

Subprojects 3 and 6 on the map below have been tentatively removed from the construction schedule to re-evaluate project priorities. They may be included in a future construction project.

Construction will generally occur Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours and weekends (as needed and on a very limited basis). A detour will occur on Awbrey Road between mid-July to the end of July. The remainder of the work will involve single-lane closures controlled by flaggers during weekdays between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Traffic delays are expected.

Any work that includes crossing driveways will be coordinated with residents one day prior to work commencing and again on the day of work before being impacted. Emergency Medical Services, mail, garbage and delivery services will have continued access. 

If there is a planned shutdown of the water service that will impact your property, we will notify you at least 48 hours ahead of time. In addition, a City of Bend representative will attempt to notify you prior to the shut-off. If there are delays to the schedule, a project representative will be on-site to notify you. Properties that are located adjacent to the proposed water main replacement may also have their existing water service line and water meter box removed and replaced and possibly relocated from where it exists today. These meter boxes are located within the City’s public right-of-way, even though it may appear they are on private property. 

Please reference the educational “Understanding Right-of-Way” graphic provided below for a general understanding of the City’s public right-of-in relation to private property. In addition to the water line improvements, there may be some improvements to existing sidewalks (no new sidewalks are planned), stormwater improvements, work on existing driveways and street paving. The improvements noted above may impact access temporarily, but local and business access is to be maintained during construction as best as possible. 

The construction is taking place within the Public Right-of-way. Right-of-way width varies by location and often extends well into what appears to be private property. This is where utilities run their lines, including power, water, sewer, cable, telephone and fiber optic. Water meters for individual properties owned and maintained by the City are located outside the roadway and sidewalks and are usually placed in landscaping within the public right-of-way.  

The City is committed to keeping neighbors informed throughout the project through the project website, public informational meetings, mailings, emails and door hangers. In advance of construction activities in your neighborhood, residents will receive a more detailed notification with specific information regarding construction impacts. For more information, contact the project team at awbreywaterline@bendoregon.gov.

You may also monitor current and upcoming detours and closures at bendoregon.gov/traffic.

Project Map – subject to change

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?