BEND, OR -- Speed limits are being reduced for several Bend streets. The city's Streets and Operations Director David Abbas says the process started with requests from neighbors and drivers. "It’s a culmination of effort between hearing what the concerns are of citizens, and then doing some groundwork seeing what the conditions are like out there. And then there’s a whole process that has to go through ODOT, actually. The Department of Transportation handles the speed zone studies, identifying the recommended speed changes, if any."
Powers Road, between Parrell and Brookswood will go from 35 to 30 miles per hour, SE 15th, from Ferguson to Knott is going from 50 to 45, and SE 15th from 40 to 35, between Lostine Circle and Ferguson. And, Country Club Drive will go from 40 to 35, between Knott and Murphy Road. Abbas tells KBND News the change is justified by Bend's continued growth. "More people, more traffic. For example, Country Club Drive: that’s a major collector [with] a number of driveways directly entering that road. And so, as Bend has grown and traffic has increased, there’s more traffic being seen on some of our arterial and collector roads."
New signs will go up throughout the month, with orange flags to alert drivers of the traffic revision. Abbas reminds drivers those are limits and there are times when going even slower is necessary. "Always drive a safe speed for the road and for the conditions that are present. So, as we enter winter we ask folks to drive careful."
