OR: Summit to highlight bicycle and pedestrian issues in Central Oregon

An upcoming summit will bring together government and professional leaders across Central Oregon to discuss how walking, biking and public transit fit into the region’s transportation system — and explore how that could be changing.

A string of presentations, discussions and tours will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 10 in the Community Room at the Bend Park & Recreation District office, 799 SW Columbia St., Bend.

The meeting, called the Tri-County Bicycle and Pedestrian Summit, is hosted by the Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. Attendees will gain insight into projects across Crook, Jefferson and Deschutes counties, as well as within the Warm Springs tribal community.

After an address from Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang, who also serves on the state’s transportation board, will talk about the Oregon Department of Transportation’s work in Central Oregon. With funding for regular maintenance like plowing on the line, overhauling the state’s funding system for transportation was the stated priority of many lawmakers heading into this session.

Then, city, county, transit and nonprofit leaders will discuss mobility projects in the region.

As the state rolls out new rules intended to make urban areas in Oregon less car-centric, staff from the city of Bend and nonprofit Central Oregon LandWatch will help describe the concept of “people streets,” those meant to facilitate movement without a car. Bend is expecting to build more of these types of streets in the future, and is working on a study of the corridor from Drake Park to Juniper Park.

Those low-car streets differ slightly from the concept of “complete streets,” which are meant to facilitate all types of travel, including cars. Talia Jacobsen of Toole Design, a leader in complete street design, will give a presentation on how other cities have used the concept.

The day will conclude with a walking tour, where the city will show off its new equipment for bike lane maintenance and an upcoming project on Riverfront Street.

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