US 97/Cooley Road Improvements
The City of Bend, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Deschutes County have been working together to identify an improvement to the intersection of Highway 97 and Cooley Road to accommodate traffic for the next ten to twenty years. It is expected that this mid-term improvement project will keep traffic flowing until the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) constructs a long-term solution for the Highway 97 corridor.
During its December 19, 2007 Bend City Council meeting, the City Council endorsed an intersection design concept for Highway 97 and Cooley Road. This design concept, recommended by the project's Steering Committee, will separate left turns, to and from Cooley Road, from through traffic on Highway 97. The intersection design concept, referred to as Concept H, was selected from nine alternatives initially considered by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from the Bend City Council and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The intersection design concept is expected to improve traffic flow with two high-volume traffic signals on Highway 97, as well as, the additional construction of a new overpass for Cooley Road. The improvement is expected to accommodate traffic from new development projected in the area for the next ten to twenty years.
The project team: the City of Bend, Deschutes County and ODOT will begin developing a comprehensive work plan to include a thorough design, cost estimate, and financial plan. Updated information about the project's next steps will be shared with the community and the project's Steering Committee in February, 2008.
