BEND, OR -- The intersection of 15th and Wilson closes for roundabout construction next week, in southeast Bend. The single-lane roundabout should help traffic flow, according to Engineering and Infrastructure Planning Director Ryan Oster, “One of our worse backups in town is that left turn movement from Wilson to 15th. So, with a roundabout there now it will function in a much safer fashion. And you’ll be able to get through that intersection more efficiently,” adding the roundabout should be complete in late April, “That’s why we were working over the winter. All of the utilities, a lot of the underground stuff has been done; as much as we could to date. This is really a focus on doing the surface level stuff. So yeah, it’s only going to take a couple months there.”
Oster says he understands drivers’ fatigue from the ongoing project, ”It’s going to be pretty impactful from a daily commute standpoint. But that’s why we were doing everything we could outside of the footprint of the roadway to get a couple months’ worth of work knocked out. Couldn’t do much more without a closure at this point.”
The Roundabout will also open up access to the Wildflower housing development planned for southeast of the intersection.
Starting Monday, drivers will be detoured around 15th and Wilson until the roundabout is complete.
Northboud Detour - Take 15th Street to Reed Market Road. Turn right on 9th Street. Turn right on Franklin Avenue. Turn right on 10th Street (turns to Bear Creek Road).
Southbound Detour - Take 15th Street to Bear Creek Road (turns to 10th Street). Turn left on Franklin Avenue. Turn left on 9th Street and continue to Wilson Avenue.
