I’m sure you’ve noticed all of the street projects going in all around the city lately. While it sometimes can mean detours and delays, it also means that new infrastructure is going in and with the spring weather here, that means it’s time to dust off those bikes and get out to ride!
Spring also means we are so excited to announce our newest Board members!
Rosalee Hermens
Allen Olson
Paxton Rothwell
Please find more about them on our website.
What will the Hawthorne Overpass Connect to?
We will know more about plans for both ends of the Hawthorne Overpass in the next year. The City of Bend has been awarded $150,000 by the State of Oregon for transportation planning in the Bend Central District and Downtown area and Bend Bikes is pleased to support those efforts! In the next year, the City will be identifying gaps in the transportation system, studying how a “low-car” district could be best developed, and conducting a transportation analysis focusing on how a low-car district would affect traffic, emergency services, and business access. Planning for a corridor from Juniper Park, across the Hawthorne Overpass, and on to Drake Park will be part of the planning. The planning process will include community engagement, developing alternative approaches, and an implementation strategy.
This planning is partly in response to the state’s new Climate Friendly and Equitable Community rules which require the city to identify Climate Friendly Areas and consider possible Low-Car Districts. It also fits well with the planning the city has been doing for the redevelopment of the Bend Central District.
This planning effort will start in May of this year and be completed in twelve months. Watch for opportunities to let the city know how important it is to travel easily and safely by bike and foot in this area. We need to make the most of the fully funded $25 million Hawthorne Overpass, which, if it appeared tomorrow, would be a wonderful overpass but separated from the people who would like to walk or bike on it by busy streets. Let’s make sure we can get to it and that it’s part of a complete bike network in the city!
Greenwood Ave Quickbuild Project–Finally at the starting line
The Greenwood Ave Quickbuild Project, eagerly awaited since it was announced shortly after the Midtown Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossings Feasibility Study Open House in June of 2022, is now gearing up. This is the first phase of a series of projects which will include improvements to 2nd Street between Greenwood Ave and Franklin Ave, the Franklin Avenue Corridor, and the Hawthorne Overpass. All are designed to improve connectivity for people that walk, bike, and roll between downtown and the core area east of the Bend Parkway and the railroad.
An open house for the Greenwood Ave portion of the project will be held on April 9, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 pm in Council Chambers located in City Hall at 710 NW Wall Street. The project team will be available to answer questions and there will be materials describing the project. A virtual open house will also be available starting on April 2, 2024. You can make comments about the project at either open house.
We hope you can attend the open house in person–city staff was impressed with the turn-out and constructive comments at the Bend Bikeways Open House held in February. Similar interest for the Greenwood Avenue Quickbuild project will help improve our ability to walk and bike from east to west across Bend.
Bend Bikes will be at McMenamin’s outdoor patio from 6:00-7:00 pm on April 9, immediately after the open house, to talk to anyone about their impressions of the project and how we can help improve it. We hope to see you at the open house and for this informal discussion afterwards.
Upcoming Events
Earth Day Fair
April 20, 2024 | 12-3pm | Troy Field
Come visit us at Bend’s annual celebration of Earth and Community, hosted by the Environmental Center!
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Book Club
April 22 – see more information below
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Save the date & stay tuned for more:
May is Bike Month
May 5 – National Ride a Bike Day
May 8 – National Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day
May 17 – National Bike to Work Day
Bikey Book Club
Next Meeting: April 22, 6:30pm
The Bikey Book Club met this week to listen to discuss Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy by Elly Blue. We discussed whether increasing bike ridership would help retail businesses in Bend and how the changes should be managed to ensure that businesses wouldn’t be harmed in the transition. We are also interested in understanding how the huge economic benefits of reducing the use of cars and having more people on bikes could be funded since many of the benefits accrue broadly across the economy but specific government agencies bear the cost of the improvements needed.
We’ll be meeting on April 22 to discuss Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy by Elly Blue. We have a treat this month as the author will be joining us on video to discuss the book. In addition to her writing and organizing on bike advocacy, Ms Blue edits a yearly anthology of stories in the well-known genre: feminist, bicycling, science fiction.
We have a few copies of the book, signed by the author, available for $10. Contact [email protected] if you’re interested in purchasing one.
Please join us when we meet on April 22nd–there is no need to pre-register. You can contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.
Upcoming schedule: Downtown Bend Library, Meyers Room
- April 22, 6:30-7:45 – Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy by Elly Blue