ODOT presents 2024 congestion overview to Bend MPO: Bend growth outpaces statewide averages; signal operations cited as major local contributor
January 17, 2026 | Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon
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An Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) presentation to the Bend MPO Policy Board on Jan. 16 summarized findings from the agency's 2024 statewide congestion overview and highlighted regional implications for Bend.
ODOT engineer Chi Mai said the 2024 report found statewide increases since 2001 of about 25% in population, 13% in employment and 9% in vehicle miles traveled (VMT); in contrast, the Bend-area figures were much higher — roughly an 89% increase in population and 68% employment growth since 2001 — which places disproportionate demand on local infrastructure. "The burden on your infrastructure is real based on these numbers," Chi said.
The presentation distinguished causes of congestion between freeway-dominated regions (where recurring congestion accounts for a larger share) and MPOs such as Bend, where signal operations and localized intersection delay are a more significant factor. Chi explained the data sources (HPMS for lane-mile accounting and probe/speed data via ODOT's WITAS platform for congestion and reliability measures) and said the 2026 edition of the report will include refreshed maps and localized data.
Board members asked how lane-mile counts and VMT shares are computed and why the state/city/county splits differ from a simple funding-split concept; Chi and other staff explained methodological differences (state highways carry more VMT per lane mile) and noted the 50/30/20 funding split discussed by members is a political/historical allocation rather than a direct engineering target. The presentation also included a local hotspot map (2023 data) and a causes-of-congestion breakdown showing signal operations as a large local contributor in the Bend MPO area.
Chi and staff cautioned that the causes-of-congestion methodology has limitations and that the "unclassified" portion of congestion (where the algorithm could not confidently assign a cause) reflects data and tool constraints rather than a policy position. The presenters recommended that local agencies wanting to reduce delay at specific signals undertake corridor-level engineering studies to identify targeted treatments and optimization (for example, coordinated signal controllers, detection and ITS solutions).
Key source quotes
"Since 2001 population has increased in Oregon by 25%...In contrast for Bend area, the population has increased by 89%." — Chi Mai
"This data is accessible to local government...we can connect you with the data," Chi said, noting the underlying platforms and probe data sources.
Ending: ODOT said it will publish a 2026 update with refreshed local hotspot maps; the MPO requested future side-by-side before-and-after comparisons for major corridor projects (for example, the Highway 97 North Corridor) as part of that update.
ODOT engineer Chi Mai said the 2024 report found statewide increases since 2001 of about 25% in population, 13% in employment and 9% in vehicle miles traveled (VMT); in contrast, the Bend-area figures were much higher — roughly an 89% increase in population and 68% employment growth since 2001 — which places disproportionate demand on local infrastructure. "The burden on your infrastructure is real based on these numbers," Chi said.
The presentation distinguished causes of congestion between freeway-dominated regions (where recurring congestion accounts for a larger share) and MPOs such as Bend, where signal operations and localized intersection delay are a more significant factor. Chi explained the data sources (HPMS for lane-mile accounting and probe/speed data via ODOT's WITAS platform for congestion and reliability measures) and said the 2026 edition of the report will include refreshed maps and localized data.
Board members asked how lane-mile counts and VMT shares are computed and why the state/city/county splits differ from a simple funding-split concept; Chi and other staff explained methodological differences (state highways carry more VMT per lane mile) and noted the 50/30/20 funding split discussed by members is a political/historical allocation rather than a direct engineering target. The presentation also included a local hotspot map (2023 data) and a causes-of-congestion breakdown showing signal operations as a large local contributor in the Bend MPO area.
Chi and staff cautioned that the causes-of-congestion methodology has limitations and that the "unclassified" portion of congestion (where the algorithm could not confidently assign a cause) reflects data and tool constraints rather than a policy position. The presenters recommended that local agencies wanting to reduce delay at specific signals undertake corridor-level engineering studies to identify targeted treatments and optimization (for example, coordinated signal controllers, detection and ITS solutions).
Key source quotes
"Since 2001 population has increased in Oregon by 25%...In contrast for Bend area, the population has increased by 89%." — Chi Mai
"This data is accessible to local government...we can connect you with the data," Chi said, noting the underlying platforms and probe data sources.
Ending: ODOT said it will publish a 2026 update with refreshed local hotspot maps; the MPO requested future side-by-side before-and-after comparisons for major corridor projects (for example, the Highway 97 North Corridor) as part of that update.
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