-by Doug Dryden
It was a long haul, but construction is finally complete on the Portland–Wall–Olney corridor. Now that the dust has settled, we can start to see the project in its full context—and overall, the results are encouraging.
The protected bike lanes along Portland Street make an immediate difference. By visually narrowing the roadway, they help slow traffic and create a safer environment for people walking and biking. The addition of plastic bollards clearly defines the space and discourages drivers from drifting into or parking in the bike lane. While this isn’t part of my regular route, the times I’ve ridden along Portland, the experience has felt noticeably more comfortable and predictable.
Some challenges worth noting though: the protected bike lane along Portland disappears at the bridge over the Deschutes, creating a discontinuity right where consistency matters most. Also the spacing of the bollards is also wide enough in places that it may not fully deter vehicle encroachment and I have seen cars intermittently parking between bollards in the bike lane, forcing riders to enter the vehicle lane to get around them. This problem of the lane being blocked is worst on trash day, when residents use the lane to store their trash and recycle bins making the lane almost unusable. This weekly occurrence significantly degrades the utility of the infrastructure. The lanes can also get filled with road debris and gravel, and sweeping seems to be sporadic at best.
At the Portland–Olney–Wall intersection, the upgrades are substantial. The curb extensions (“bump-outs”) and protected corners help reduce turning speeds and improve visibility between drivers and people crossing on foot or by bike. We have heard drivers complain that they have to slow down to make this turn — which indicates that the new design is working! Slower speeds are the number one intervention to decrease risk of serious injury to people walking and biking. Another particularly welcome addition is the bike detection sensor, which allows cyclists to trigger the signal. Anyone who has waited through multiple light cycles because their bike didn’t register at an intersection will recognize how meaningful this improvement is. It’s great to see Bend’s traffic engineering team responding to that long-standing issue.
That said, the intersection design introduces some confusion for cyclists. The bike crossing is positioned adjacent to the pedestrian crossing—and visually aligned with pedestrian signals. This creates ambiguity: should a cyclist follow the vehicle signal or the pedestrian signal? Talking with one of the engineers on the project, it was confirmed that people riding are expected to behave as vehicles and follow the vehicular green light with other traffic. A dedicated bicycle signal phase (a “bike green”) would make expectations clearer and could open the door to future improvements like leading pedestrian intervals.
The standout feature of the project, though, is the raised, protected bike lane along Olney between Wall and 2nd Street—similar to the new lanes on Franklin. These lanes provide a truly comfortable and intuitive riding experience, separating cyclists from traffic in a way that feels both safe and natural. The only drawback is their limited length. Being funneled back into a standard painted bike lane at 2nd Street—just before crossing 3rd—highlights the gap between usual and great infrastructure. It’s a glimpse of what’s possible, and what’s still missing.
Overall, this project represents meaningful progress. It shows a willingness to experiment, respond to community concerns, and invest in safer, more comfortable streets. With a few refinements this corridor could become a model for future projects across Bend.
What has your experience been with the new infrastructure? We’d love to hear from you—drop us a line at [email protected].