Bend MPO hears updates on 11 projects: equipment, sidewalks, street preservation, transit stops and Safe Routes to School

At its Jan. 16 meeting the Bend MPO Policy Board received status updates on 11 projects funded by MPO discretionary and COVID funds, with City of Bend, La Pine Schools, Rooted Homes, Community Options and Cascades East Transit reporting progress and metrics.

City of Bend: David Abbas, director of the City of Bend transportation mobility department, reviewed multiple projects supported by MPO funds. Equipment awards included a suite of smaller machines (a mini sweeper, a Bobcat/toolcat and trailer, and a hydraulic snow gate) with a total equipment fund award around $320,000 and final spending just over $311,000, Abbas said. Projected or awarded amounts for other initiatives reported by staff included a Cooley Road sidewalk infill award of about $60,000; a Colorado Avenue corridor planning study of about $132,000; downtown signal replacements and bike/ped improvements at a little over $1,000,000; and $1.8 million for a three-year street preservation contribution (about $650,000 per year). Abbas described the pavement condition index (PCI) — which the city reported has improved from about 67–68 to roughly 76 — as the principal metric of success for preservation work.

Rooted Homes (Simpson Avenue): Griffin Gilbert of Rooted Homes reported on infrastructure work funded by MPO discretionary money — base rock, curb, pavement, striping, ADA ramps and a multi-use path along Simpson and 18th — saying the MPO-funded portion is complete and vertical construction is ongoing. Gilbert said the development will provide 40 homes; 16 are occupied now and the project aims to finish vertical work in April–May. "Being able to place 40 families in homes in this area for significantly less than the appraisal value...is a huge success," he said.

Safe Routes and Community Options: A Community Options presenter described a Safe Routes to School program supported by MPO funding (noted in the presentation as $67,000 per year for three years) that expanded education, encouragement events and volunteer recruitment; staff said the program increased school contacts, distributed more helmets and ran Learn to Ride clinics for students who lacked basic bike-riding skills.

Cascades East Transit (CET): Bob Townsend reported CET received roughly $405,000 in COVID funds (plus a small amount of state highway funds) to upgrade bus stop signage, add schedule holders, benches and shelters. Townsend said about $150,000 remained to allocate and that CET had installed 40 benches and ordered seven shelters, with plans for about 50 more benches and eight more shelters as funds allow. He said updating stop signage and schedule holders produced a roughly 90% reduction in customer calls about schedule confusion and that preliminary ridership numbers for 2025 show at least a 15% increase versus 2024.

Board discussion and next steps: Board members asked for timing and coordination details (for example, impacts of the North Highway 97 corridor and parkway projects on pedestrian connections). Presenters emphasized coordination across agencies (city, ODOT, developers) and that some projects are still contingent on development timing. The board accepted the presentations and moved on after asking staff and project sponsors to return with more detailed timelines and to prioritize any projects that could be fast-tracked to meet funding deadlines.

Key source quotes

"The total fund award was 320,000. We ended up under that at a little over 311,000," David Abbas said describing equipment purchases.

"Being able to place 40 families in homes in this area...is a huge success for the project and for the city of Bend," Griffin Gilbert said of the Simpson project.

Ending: Presenters will provide follow-up details and prioritize projects as requested; no additional spending approvals were made at the Jan. 16 meeting beyond routine motions earlier in the agenda.