Moving Toward a More Balanced Transportation System
In Deschutes County, over half of daily trips are under 3 miles. Many of our trips could be done by walking, biking, rolling or by bus if the infrastructure supports safe, connected, and appealing travel.
By Kristin Riedelberger, City and Towns Associate Program Manager
As we grow, the City of Bend faces this choice: pave the way for more and more cars to dominate the system, or provide additional, viable options for getting around. With Bend’s population projected to grow by about 40% by 2040, we cannot—and should not—be planning for 40% more cars on the road.
Addressing our transportation needs should be considered alongside all of the other elements that make up a community. A complete community is a place where people can live, work, learn, and play, with access to a diverse range of housing, jobs, services, and amenities.
In a complete community people can meet their daily needs within a short distance, which reduces the need for long commutes and promotes healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.
LandWatch applies this complete community framework to each element of the work we do in cities—understanding that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We are advocating for a more balanced transportation system because it is essential to the success of complete communities.
A balanced transportation system provides safe, efficient, and accessible options for getting people where they need to go.
When transportation is balanced, no single mode dominates, and people have a real choice in how they travel. A balanced transportation system reduces congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, and supports public health by encouraging more active transportation. It also ensures better mobility for our friends and neighbors who can’t drive, like youth, seniors, and people with lower incomes.
A complete street with safe, comfortable travel space for pedestrians, bikes, buses, and cars. Source: NACTO
A complete community with a balanced transportation system enhances everyone’s quality of life. It supports the local economy, builds social connection, and helps cities adapt to challenges like climate change and population growth.
On the right track — and more work ahead
The City of Bend has taken a number of steps toward creating a more balanced transportation system that will knit the city together in more accessible, safe, and equitable ways. There’s certainly more work to do, and these efforts take time (and money) to show up on the ground as a part of our everyday lives. But bit by bit, our city’s transportation system is becoming more balanced, and giving people more freedom to choose how they want to get around.
Here are three key projects that LandWatch is engaged with at the City:
Midtown Crossings: The city is improving east-west connectivity in the heart of Bend with pedestrian and bicycle crossings at the major barriers of the railroad and Highway 97. The Hawthorne Bridge will connect Downtown to the Bend Central District for people walking and biking, and serve as a catalyst for development in the Bend Central District. LandWatch has been involved all along the way, advocating for safer, more balanced designs for Greenwood, Franklin, and Hawthorne.
Greenwood: The roll out of this quick-build project was not as smooth as it could have been. However, even with implementation challenges, the data is showing a marked increase in folks biking and a very minimal increase in drive time.
Hawthorne: As the City redirects focus to the Hawthorne Bridge as the keystone for the Bikeway, routing logical and seamless connections between Hawthorne Bridge and the rest of the network will be essential—starting with the Hawthorne corridor and the crossing at 3rd St.
Franklin: Franklin’s Harriman – 4th segment needs a major makeover. As a main thoroughfare in the Bend Central District, Franklin is more than a transportation right-of-way—it’s a place in its own right. A placemaking focus and pedestrian-oriented design for Franklin would prime the BCD for buildout.
2020 General Obligation (GO) Transportation Bond: Voters approved bond funding in 2020 for multiple transportation projects across the city. These projects are aimed at addressing bike and pedestrian infrastructure, improving north-south and east-west travel, connections to the parkway, and improving intersections. LandWatch has been engaged in these projects from the jump, and we were recently appointed to the Transportation Bond Oversight Committee that sees through the timely completion of these projects.
So far, we’ve seen some GO Bond projects completed, but many more have been in the planning and design phases, so we’ll be seeing a LOT of construction over the next few years. There have also been challenges with inflation and cost overruns that will need to be grappled with as more projects enter construction. Being clear about priorities will be key to right-sizing and successfully delivering this slate of projects to our community.
Bend Bikeway Project: Bend is building North-South and East-West low-stress bikeway routes that bisect the center of the city. These are continuous, safe routes for walking and biking, and geared towards users of all ages and abilities. These routes are expected to be complete by the end of summer 2026.
To truly move the needle on bicycle ridership, prioritizing complete build outs of each Key Route within the Key Route network is also essential. So far, this project has been constructed in disconnected segments. Focusing scarce resources on a few high-priority routes will serve our community much more effectively.
Room for growth
The City of Bend is doing the hard, necessary work of providing the community with more options for getting around town and better balancing our transportation system in a fast-growing city. Over half of daily trips in Deschutes County are under 3 miles. This shows the significant potential to shift many of our trips to walking, biking, or rolling—if the infrastructure (sidewalks, protected bike lanes, crossings) is safe, connected, and appealing. Construction delays and detours will test everyone's patience, but the benefits waiting on the other side will be well worth it.
Start Ride Now
We don’t need to wait until these projects are fully done to hop on a bike and experience the joy of riding Bend’s bike network. Join us for Week Without Driving which runs September 29 through October 5!
As you ride, remember that an even safer, more connected Bend is on its way.
