July 20, 2023

Bend Current. News from The City of Bend.

JULY 2023

Go Bond Update

We’ve got an update for you on the 2020 Transportation GO Bond Projects!

Check out this video to learn more about the Neighborhood Street Safety Program, the Wilson Corridor and the GO Bond Dashboard that lets you easily track the progress of projects.

You can learn more about the GO Bond Project at bendoregon.gov/gobond.

Watch the video by clicking the link here.

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City Receives Funding for Hawthorne Avenue Pedestrian and Bicyclist Overcrossing

A picture of Hawthorne Avenue.

The City of Bend was awarded roughly $25 million in state and federal dollars for the landmark Hawthorne Avenue Pedestrian and Bicyclist Overcrossing project.

The Hawthorne Overcrossing will be a pedestrian and bicycle only crossing that will provide a much-needed connection over Highway 97 and the railroad for east-west travel.

The overcrossing will connect Downtown and the Bend Central District by providing safe and comfortable walking and biking opportunities.

Close to $20 million in funding comes through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program.

Additionally, through House Bill 5030, in which money is allocated to local priorities across Oregon, the state legislature allocated $5 million for the Hawthorne Overcrossing.

More information on the Midtown Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings can be found at bendoregon.gov/midtowncrossings.

This presentation provides more information about funding, design and construction timelines.

Bend Block Party Ribbon Cutting

Bend City Councilors cutting a ribbon in front of the Bend Block Party trailer

Last night, the Bend City Council hosted a ribbon cutting for the Bend Block Party, a new community engagement trailer intended to help bring together neighbors and build connected communities!

The City and recognized Neighborhood Districts will use the new trailer to host pop-up events in the community throughout the year.

The ribbon cutting showcased the activities and supplies available in the trailer for neighborhood leaders and City advisory committees.

If you aren’t already, now is a great time to get connected to your Neighborhood District so you know when the Bend Block Party is coming to your neighborhood!

Learn more about the Bend Block Party at bendoregon.gov/bend-block-party.

City Council Updates

An Update from Mayor Kebler

Mayor Melanie Kebler gives an update on some of the work that the City Council accomplished this past month.

Watch the video here.

Permit Turnaround Times Improve

We are happy to report that permit turnaround times are continuing to improve.

In June, review times for new residential construction and new commercial construction were both improving under our target goals.

Staff have implemented nearly every initiative aimed at reducing turnaround times and are committed to continually looking for ways to improve processes.

Transportation Fee

Councilors are planning a roundtable process to refine a transportation fee which would help the City meet critical needs such as street pavement preservation.

The Transportation Fee is collected through the customer’s regular utility bill.

The fee is a charge, like a monthly sewer charge, to ensure users of the road system share the costs of maintenance needed to keep the street system operating at an adequate level.

This presentation provides more information about the planned transportation fee roundtables, and this website provides an overview of the transportation fee.

E-bike Roundtable

Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkins and state Rep. Emerson Levy hosted a roundtable conversation on July 18 to increase community awareness around rules and safety about e-bikes, determine what gaps there are in enforcement mechanisms and identify creative fixes to ensure our community is riding and driving safely.

Roundtable attendees included representatives from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Bend-La Pine School District, Bend Fire and Rescue, Deschutes County Commission, Bend and Redmond Police Departments, Redmond School District, and Bend Parks and Recreation.

You can watch a recording of the roundtable here.

Beat the Peak this Summer!

July is National Smart Irrigation Month; it’s also when water demands in Bend are the highest due to landscape irrigation.

By following these easy tips, you can maintain your vital greenspace with little to no waste:

Water in the evening hours, such as between 7 p.m. – 4 a.m., when wind and evaporation are low.
Adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray and runoff.
Switch to low-flow drip instead of spray-type sprinklers.
Make sure irrigation controllers are set to water only on even/odd days, depending on your address numbers.
If you have native plants water them only as needed.

Inside Bend: Revisiting Wildfire Resiliency

Deputy Chief Trish Connolly standing in front of a fire engine

Can you believe the Inside Bend podcast is turning two?

Our very first ever podcast came out in July of 2021 and the topic we covered then is just as important today: Wildfire Safety.

So, we’re doing a revisit of that very podcast. In it, you will hear from Bend Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Trish Connolly as she gives some great tips on what you can do to help protect your home and the rest of the community from wildfire.

Listen at bendoregon.gov/inside-bend or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast or Spotify.

Hunnell Road Camping Code Update

The City of Bend began a closure and clearing of camps in the North Hunnell Road area this week.

In March 2023, the City adopted a camping code that regulates when, where and how (“time, place and manner”) people can camp on the City’s rights-of way. Since March, enforcement occurred throughout Bend, leading to fewer long-term and larger camps in most areas of the city.

In the Hunnell, Loco and Clausen area, the City has been enforcing only “manner” regulations of the code, but did not intend to allow that to continue indefinitely. The City is now fully enforcing the camping code.

The camping code is not an outright ban on using public rights-of-way in the city for shelter, but it does set some rules and limits that the City believes are a reasonable balance between our duty to manage our streets, and recognizing the need of some people to use public places to meet their basic needs.

(541) 388-5505

communications@bendoregon.gov

Visit bendoregon.gov/bend-current to find past issues of the Bend Current.

Accommodation Information for People with Disabilities
To obtain this information in an alternate format such as Braille, large print, etc., please contact Anne Aurand at: communications@bendoregon.gov; Relay Users Dial 7-1-1.

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Bend Current, Newsletter for the Community, July 2023