REDMOND, OR -- Drivers will soon deal with construction and detours, as South Canal Blvd. in Redmond undergoes a major upgrade. Redmond City Manager Keith Witcosky says the $6.9 million project will take about 13 months to complete. "It's a fairly primitive street when you start thinking about things like curbs, and sidewalks, and street trees. We want to put in new pavement, we want to put in a shared bike and ped path, add landscaping, put in some dedicated left-turn lanes at different intersections, and basically make the street safer and more functional for everyone that uses it." Work will stretch from the roundabout at Yew Ave. and SW 27th to Obsidian Ave.
"We want to make sure that people are going to be more comfortable walking, and cycling, and even driving along Canal," Witcosky tells KBND. "Ideally, we'd create a nice commercial boulevard feel." He adds, "When it's done, the community should be looking at it and seeing a difference, and say, 'Wow, this was improvement, and made a big difference,' versus 'well, they spent $7 million, and I don't know what they did'."
