Local News

ODOT Wraps Several Projects Ahead Of Peak Summer Travel

BEND, OR -- Oregon’s Department of Transportation is wrapping up a number of local projects, trying to clear out crews before the busy Fourth of July weekend. ODOT’s Kacey Davey says work to expand the median on Highway 97 between Sunriver and La Pine is nearly complete. "The only thing left to do on that project is fencing for the wildlife undercrossing. So, all of the pavement work and the structures are already done, and now we’re fencing to funnel those deer and other animals under the bridge so they can safely cross the highway." Click HERE to learn more about the overall project. 

They’ve also installed a number of digital speed signs between Bend and La Pine, "Those signs will eventually be displaying the speed limit," Davey tells KBND News, "They have these crazy computer sensors on them that can sense if the road is snowy or icy, or if it’s smoky or foggy, and it’ll be able to change the speed limit to let people know what a safe driving speed will be for those highways." She says more electrical work is needed, so they won’t turn on until later this year.

ODOT crews are also nearly finished with a new pedestrian island on Highway 20 at 6th Street in Bend. Workers struck a waterline Tuesday afternoon, flooding Greenwood and surrounding businesses, and leading to be traffic delays during the evening commute. It was repaired by 10 p.m. Davey says that pedestrian crossing project should be complete by the Fourth of July. Then, crews will shift to Third Street, "That’ll be night work from 7 pm to 7am. You’ll still have single lanes of traffic there, but it’ll be a little bit more congested while we put in new signals and sidewalks and curb ramps. This is just updating existing infrastructure. Those traffic signals are getting old and the utilities under the ground and everything."

Listen to our full conversation with ODOT's Kacey Davey at our Podcast page

On Air Now

George Noorey
George Noorey
12:00am - 2:00am
Coast to Coast

FlashAlert

KBND ON FACEBOOK

News Disclaimers