|
On January 14, the Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (NLA) recommended eight projects for funding under the Neighborhood Street Safety Program.
To see the final projects, click here (and select tab #3 - Design & Construction Projects) for an interactive map and list. All of the selected projects involve improving safety for pedestrians. Four are on the west side and four on the east side, and each of the finalists is in a different neighborhood association. The projects submitted by Summit West Neighborhood Association did not make the final cut. However, one (a crosswalk on Mt. Washington at Clearwater) tied for #9 and is considered a contingency project, should one of the eight finalists have a problem with the design or cost. In the 2019-2021 biennial budget, the City Council approved $800,000 to fund the program. The City received more than 360 applications for projects across Bend. Projects were reviewed and prioritized by the 13 Neighborhood Associations (NAs) and 25 priority projects advanced to the NLA for a final ranking that considered demographic data, crash data, geographic equity and cost. The eight recommended projects now move into design and public outreach. In May, the NLA will revisit the plan for a final stamp of approval. Plans for the transportation bond measure expected to be on the May ballot include $6 million to address neighborhood street safety issues, such as those identified by residents in the recent NSSP effort. Safe routes to school would be one of the categories for funding under the bond measure, including crosswalks and completing missing sidewalk segments.
0 Comments
On Wednesday, Jan 8th, the City Council voted unanimously to prepare a funding measure that addresses Bend residents’ top concern: traffic congestion and safety.
The bond will fund work on a list of critical projects to improve traffic flow and safety across the city. The list was developed over two years by a 25-member Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee. The project list includes:
The City will prepare a bond measure of about $180 million for transportation projects for the May 2020 Primary Election ballot. The Council will consider a draft resolution for the measure at its Feb 5th regular meeting. The $180 million transportation bond measure would be funded by a property tax. The average annual cost would be $160 to $170 per year, based on a home with a tax assessed value of $220,000, which is the average for properties in Bend. (In the Summit West area, assessed values tend to be 50-100% higher than the average, so the tax would be about $240–$340/year.) A May 2019 telephone survey that found 72% of registered voters said the City of Bend should ask voters to consider a transportation funding measure. A December telephone survey of 304 randomly selected Bend voters tested two possible funding amounts, with a $190 million bond earning solid majority support. An online “One-Minute Survey” conducted from October through December drew 3,493 respondents and more than 1,500 comments. Survey respondents listed traffic flow and safety improvement projects that closely aligned with the Citywide Transportation Advisory Committee and City Council’s priority projects. For more information, visit www.bendoregon.gov/safe-travel. A free one-day workshop is being offered on Thursday, Jan 9th from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm at COCC on ways to make your home safer from wildfire. Please see the flyer below for more details. To register, e-mail Alison Green. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) wants public feedback on proposed solutions to congestion and safety problems on the U.S. 97 Parkway.
Among the improvements that planners are considering are:
Until Dec 15th, you can provide feedback through an online survey. To participate, click the button: On April 18, Century West Neighborhood Association will once again be hosting FireReadyBend at OSU-Cascades. All Neighborhood Association members are welcome to attend. This year’s event will have fun and interactive learning opportunities for all ages. See the attached flyer for more information. On January 1, 2020, new rules go into effect in Oregon that will allow people riding bicycles to yield at stop signs or flashing red beacons instead of stopping completely, under certain conditions. People riding bicycles must still completely stop at a solid red traffic signal.
The new rules were created in part due to the physical effort required to stop and start a bicycle. Oregon, Idaho, Delaware and Arkansas have enacted laws recognizing this difference and specifying the conditions under which a cyclist may slow and yield instead of coming to a complete stop. The new Oregon law requires that people riding bicycles approaching a stop sign or flashing red light have to:
The full details of the new law are found in Oregon Senate Bill 998 enacted this past August. This updates Oregon Revised Statute 811.260 and 811.265. Violations to the rule are considered improper entry to an intersection, a Class D traffic violation subject to a fine of $115 (or $225 if in a work zone or school zone). The Summit West Neighborhood Association (SWNA) is assembling engaged residents for a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Deschutes County Emergency Services and Central Oregon Community College will be offering a free CERT training course January 24-26th. We have a limited number of spots in the class for our residents. Please see the attached document for details. When: January 24, 25, & 26 (8:00 am to 5:00 pm) Registration Deadline: Dec 13th. Please e-mail Glenn Voelz for instructions on registration. Who: SWNA has been allocated 6-8 seats. Participants will be expected to attend all three days of training and participate in occasional community support projects throughout the year, working with the Deschutes County Emergency Manager. This is a great chance to play an important role if our neighborhood faces a disaster. If you've been looking for a way to be involved in the community, consider joining our CERT team. The Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (NLA) advisory committee provides a direct and continuing means for Neighborhood Associations to provide input to the City Council from the community.
The NLA has just wrapped up its first year as a committee. As members begin to identify their path forward, they are asking for your input. They have developed a short survey in an effort to help committee members better understand what the community knows about Neighborhood Associations, what feelings there are about Neighborhood Associations, and preferred communication methods among neighborhoods. We invite you to share your input in this short 2-minute survey open to all community members through Dec. 31, 2019. Take the survey now! The SWNA board of directors reviewed 26 eligible applications for the Neighborhood Street Safety Program. The board grouped ten of the proposals into 2 projects to recommend to the NLA for their consideration for funding.
The first, Safe Routes to School, would address the need for effective crosswalks to protect children along Mt. Washington at Polarstar, Clearwater, and Hosmer Lake Dr., as well as at York & Lolo. The second, Missing Sidewalks, would fill gaps needed to keep children from having to walk in the street at three locations: the corner of Celilo & Shevlin Crest; in front of 2445 Marken; and on the west side of Mt. Washington from Shevlin Park Rd. to Shields. The board gave priority to high-traffic-volume locations with high risk to more-vulnerable pedestrians (like school children). Projects on local streets with fewer pedestrians and vehicles, while considered important and worthy of attention, ranked lower. This included Flagline Dr., Skyline Ranch Rd., Crossing Dr., Lemhi Pass Dr., and Monterey Pines Dr. The Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (a committee reporting to the City Council) will review the two projects submitted by each of the 13 neighborhood associations and recommend finalists for funding. The SWNA projects are not guaranteed to be funded. All of the applications submitted this year will be retained for future consideration. Thanks to everyone who cared enough and took the time to submit an application. The City received a total of 362 proposals, indicating that there are local street safety issues throughout the city that concern residents. |
SummiT West
|
RSS Feed