BEND, OR -- The Railroad Alignment Highway 97 Project is beginning and many property are likely to be effected.

Pat Kesgard with Compass Commercial Real Estate says the project will deal with The Parkway and Highway 97, both of which are at capacity. He says the Parkway at Empire will curve to the right as it heads north paralleling the railroad tracks just beyond Cooley road. Kesgard says 25 of 50 property owners will be effected because they are in the path of the future highway. That means property owners will negotiate with ODOT on the value of their land. Kesgard says the project is complicated with what he calls, many moving parts. The Railroad Alignment Highway 97 Project has been funded by city, county, state and federal governments for 121-million dollars.