BEND, OR -- The northeast Bend intersection of Neff Road and Purcell Boulevard reopens Monday at noon, after a 10-month closure. 

Mayor Melanie Kebler says work to update the intersection took three months longer than expected because crews ran into several challenges, “So if anyone's had the experience of like doing a home project, you open up a wall and you find some stuff that you didn't want to be there. That was the experience with this project.”

They found old unmapped utility lines at the intersection that serves as a major east-west route to St Charles Medical Center. “Every time we got in the ground, we found things that we didn't know were there, and weren't supposed to be there. There were just a lot of, kind of opening up a can of worms that happened throughout the project, but really proud of the staff of working through that,” Kebler says adding she’s proud of the contractors’ extra efforts, and is glad the intersection is finally ready, “…Making sure to get everything right. So that'll be open noon on Monday and I think everyone in town is going to be really excited for that.”

In addition to work at Neff, Purcell north from Full Moon Drive to Courtney Drive was widened, and now has sidewalks and bike lanes. 

Drivers still need to watch for flaggers, and designated pedestrian access, as finishing touches are put on sidewalks and landscaping. That work should be complete by the end of the month according to a City of Bend press release.