HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 2 - Inventory & BackgroundEXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 42 of 268
CHAPTER TWO
Inventory and Background
The information for the inventory and background came from a variety of published sources, including
ODOT and Deschutes County Road Department data bases and documents; US Census data for the
American Community Survey for workplace and commuting; and technical reports from ODOT’s
Transportation Planning and Analysis Unit (TPAU).
2.1 Existing Transportation Goals and Objectives
The Oregon planning system provides a clear hierarchy with regard to the role of statewide
comprehensive planning and its relationship to regional and local planning. The state directs which
issues need to be addressed in local plans and how possible problem-solving solutions can be developed.
In Deschutes County the 1998 Transportation System Plan (TSP), previous modal plans, the Terrebonne
and Tumalo community plans, and the comprehensive plan policies for Deschutes Junction have all
provided guidance on this 2011 update of the TSP. Other critical documents were the Deschutes
County Comprehensive Plan, the Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP), and the Oregon Highway Plan
(OHP). The OTP includes specific action items as a means of attaining the statewide transportation
goals. The existing goals and objectives from these plans are outlined below. In addition, the TSPs for
Bend, Redmond, and Sisters were also reviewed.
Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan
The current Comprehensive Plan for Deschutes County was the second Comprehensive Plan developed
in the County. After a major planning effort involving many citizens and agency personnel, the plan was
adopted in 1979, and then later codified in 1993 as Chapter 23.60 (Transportation) in the Deschutes
County Code. County staff began updating the Comprehensive Plan in mid-2008 proposing substantive
policy revisions. The revised Comprehensive Plan is expected to be adopted in July 2011.
The 1998 TSP was adopted into the Comprehensive Plan as Chapter 23.64 (Transportation System
Plan). As part of the TSP Update process, Chapter 23.60 will be deleted and Chapter 23.64 will be
replaced with the current update.
Staff recognized the potential confusion to the public of having both a comprehensive plan update and a
TSP Update occurring simultaneously and people wanting to know which document to comment upon.
Therefore staff decided to defer all the transportation topics to the TSP Update with the exception of
community plans for the unincorporated communities of Terrebonne and Tumalo and comprehensive
policy language for Deschutes Junction.
Yet, the goals and objectives set forth in the 1979 comp plan and used in the 1998 TSP remain relevant.
The following are the existing County transportation goals:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 43 of 268
To provide a balanced, safe, efficient and integrated transportation system that reflects
environmental, economic and social considerations.
To serve the existing, proposed and future land uses with an efficient, safe, attractive roadway
network.
To provide expansion of opportunities for rail and air transportation for passengers and freight.
To provide opportunity for the development of public transit systems.
To provide a system for safe and efficient transportation and recreation routes for pedestrians,
bicyclists, and equestrians.
To decrease the adverse effects of the automobile domination of existing transportation systems.
Deschutes County Major Roads Capital Improvement Plan (MRCIP)
The current draft Deschutes County Major Roads Capital Improvement Program (MRCIP) (Table 2.1.T1)
was adopted by the County Board of Commissioners in 2006. This document lists all of the
modernization, operations, and safety improvements that the Road Department anticipates completing.
The Road Department, in consultation with the Planning Division, updates the MRCIP every three to four
years and presents the list to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) for adoption by resolution
following public hearings.
Deschutes County Pavement Management
Deschutes County is divided up into five road maintenance areas (North, West, Central, South and East).
The pavement management system addresses ongoing maintenance of County roads generally related to
sealing, widening, overlay and deferred pavement maintenance and preservation activities. Road
conditions are routinely monitored by road crews and graded based on condition and need.
Deschutes County Bicycle Master Plan
Previous to the 1998 TSP, the Planning Division relied upon the Deschutes County Bicycle Master Plan
which was adopted in March 1992 in the Resource Element of the Deschutes County Year 2000
Comprehensive Plan. The emphasis of the Bicycle Master Plan was to develop an overall network of
bikeways to connect the urban areas, recreation areas and destination resorts. The Plan provided goals and
objectives, policy recommendations, classifications of bicycle facilities, location of bicycle facilities, bicycle
parking and other transportation issues related to bike facilities. Many of the policies identified in the Plan
have since been implemented through adopted County ordinances. The bike parking in particular is handled
in DCC Chapter 18.116 Supplemental Provisions at DCC 18.116.031, Bicycle Parking, and DCC 18.116.035,
Bicycle Commuter Facilities.
DCC Chapter 18.116 was modified in 2010 to give the County the discretion to not require bicycle
parking for land use applications that by their rural location or characteristics were unlikely to attract
bicycle patronage. The proposed land use would have to be located outside of an unincorporated
community, a destination resort, or a rural commercial zone and the proposed use would generate less
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 44 of 268
than 50 daily trips by all vehicles. Also the size, weight, or dimensions of the goods sold at the site make
transporting them by bicycle impractical or unlikely. Examples include a paintball park some 30 miles east
of Bend on US 20; a shooting clays range on US 97 between Bend and Redmond; and a golf course.
The 1998 TSP at Section 5.4, Bikeway and Pedestrian Plan, superseded the 1992 Deschutes County Bicycle
Master Plan. The TSP’s bicycle and pedestrian component in turn was based on Oregon’s 1995 Bicycle and
Pedestrian Plan. The 1998 TSP defined the County’s bike system primarily as a shared shoulder bikeway
approach due to low daily traffic volumes (less than 2,500 ADT) on the majority of County roads. The
intent was cyclists could use the travel lane on these low-volume roadways, moving to the either the
shoulder or the outer edge of the travel lane as the occasional motor vehicle overtook the cyclist.
Additionally, DCC 17.48.140 sets design and construction standards for bicycle facilities at Table B.
“Deschutes County Minimum Bikeway Design Standards.” Table B differentiates between Multiuse Path,
Mountain Bike Trail, Bike Lane, Shoulder Bikeway, and Shared Roadway. The type of bicycle facility relates
to functional classification of the parent roadway, anticipated traffic volumes, speed, and urban or rural
setting.
Finally, DCC 17.48.140 requires bikeway designs to be in accord with the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) “Guide for
Development of New Bicycle Facilities,” and the Deschutes County Bicycle Master Plan.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 45 of 268
Table 2.1.T1
2006-2011 Deschutes County MRCIP Projects
Program
Year
Road
Site
Project
Type
Project
Description
County
Road Funds
Other
Funds
Total
Cost
2006-07 Various Various Preservation Asphalt overlays, widen
shoulders for bikes,
bring roads up to
County standards
$2,200,000 $0 $2,200,000
2006-07 Hunting-
ton- 1st
St.
La Pine Intersection
improvements
Install traffic signal,
turn lanes, and
sidewalk
$450,000 $0 $450,000
2006-07
Various
Various Intersection
improvements
Miscellaneous
intersection
improvements
$20,000 $0 $20,000
2006-07 Millican
Rd.
Millican Trans System
Development
Pave George Millican
Road from Millican N.
to Crook Co. line
$50,000 $0 $50,000
2006-07 Des.
Mkt.-
Tumalo
Rd.
Des.
Junction
@ US
97
Trans System
Development
Complete Phase II to
add grade-separated
crossing of BNSF
tracks
$3,095,000 $0 $3,095,000
2006-07 FS Rd
44/45
Sunriver
to Mt.
Bchlr.
Trans System
Development
Repave, flatten curves,
add wider shoulders
$296,494
(County paid
$1,00,000 in
FY 2005-06)
$10,719,203
from
FHWA
$11,015,697
2006-07 Various Various Trans System
Development
Miscellaneous right-
of-way acquisition
$60,000 $0 $60,000
2006-07 Various Various Trans System
Development
Local Road
Improvement
Districts (LIDs)
approved prior to
moratorium
$750,000 $0 $750,000
2006-07 Various Various Trans System
Development
Bicycle/Pedestrian
improvements to
comply with 1% of
allocated highway
funds requirement
$79,000 $0 $79,000
2007-08 Various Various Preservation Asphalt overlays,
widen bike shoulders,
bring roads up to
County standards
$600,000 $0 $600,000
2007-08 Various Various Intersection
improvements
Miscellaneous
intersection
improvements
$20,000 $0 $20,000
2007-08 Burgess
Rd.
Burgess
- Day
Rd.
Intersection
improvements
Add westbound left
turn lane; add
eastbound right turn
lane
$120,000 $0 $120,000
2007-08 Millican
Rd.
Millican Trans System
Development
Pave George Millican
Road from Millican
north to Crook Co.
line
$50,000 $0 $50,000
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 46 of 268
Program
Year
Road
Site
Project
Type
Project
Description
County
Road Funds
Other
Funds
Total
Cost
2007-08 Des.
Mkt.-
Tumalo
Rd.
Des.
Jct. @
US 97
Trans System
Development
Complete Phase II to
add grade-separated
crossing of BNSF
tracks
$3,249,750 $0 $3,249,750
2007-08 Various Various Trans System
Development
Miscellaneous right-
of-way acquisition
$20,000 $0 $20,000
2007-08 Various Various Trans System
Development
Local Road
Improvement
Districts (LIDs)
approved prior to
moratorium
$500,000 $0 $500,000
2007-08 Various Various Trans System
Development
Bicycle/pedestrian
improvements to
comply with 1% of
allocated highway
funds requirement
$81,000 $0 $81,000
2008-09 Various Various Preservation Asphalt overlays,
widen bike shoulders,
bring roads up to
County standards
$600,000 $0 $600,000
2008-09 Millican
Rd.
Millican Trans System
Development
Pave George Millican
Road from Millican N.
to Crook Co. line
$50,000 $0 $50,000
2008-09 Various Various Trans System
Development
Bicycle/pedestrian
improvements to
comply with 1% of
allocated highway
funds requirement
$82,000 $0 $82,000
2009-10 Various Various Preservation Asphalt overlays,
widen bike shoulders,
bring roads up to
County standards
$400,000 $0 $400,000
2009-10 Millican
Rd.
Millican Trans System
Development
Pave George Millican
Road from Millican N.
to Crook Co. line
$50,000 $0 $50,000
2009-10 Various Various Trans System
Development
Bicycle/Pedestrian
improvements to
comply with 1% of
allocated highway
funds requirement
$83,000 $0 $83,000
2010-11 Millican
Rd.
Millican Trans System
Development
Pave George Millican
Road from Millican N.
to Crook Co. line
$50,000 $0 $50,000
2010-11 Various Various Trans System
Development
Bicycle/pedestrian
improvements to
comply with 1% of
allocated highway
funds requirement
$84,000 $0 $84,000
Total $13,040,244 $10,719,203 $23,759,447
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 47 of 268
Since the 1998 Plan’s adoption, there has been a marked increase in the use of the County road system by
recreational and competitive cyclists, although doubtless there are cycling commuters who live close to urban
areas and use Country roads, too. Additionally, Visit Bend, the City of Bend’s tourism office, has seized upon
the economic benefits of bicycling tourism. Recognizing the demand for better accommodations for cyclists
on County roads while the Road Department has faced a declining budget has been a delicate balance.
In preparation of the TSP Update, staff worked closely with the Deschutes County Bicycle and
Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore, and Commissioner Tammy
Baney’s Committee on Central Oregon Recreation Assets, and the promoters of the Three Sisters
Scenic Bikeway in selecting designated cycling routes on the County’s arterial and collector system. The
results are in Section 5.4, but the intent was to designate routes cyclists are already using rather than
directing riders to other routes.
City of Bend, Transportation System Plan
The City of Bend adopted a TSP in 1998, portions of which the Department of Land Conservation and
Development (DLCD) acknowledged and portions of which it remanded, which means the state has
required Bend to redo selected components of its TSP. In 2009, Bend adopted an expanded Urban
Growth Boundary (UGB) the City’s first major expansion in roughly 25 years, which Deschutes County
also adopted in Ordinances 2009-001 and 2009-002. The County ordinances do not take effect until the
Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) acknowledges the Bend UGB expansion.
LCDC remanded the proposed Bend UGB expansion in 2010.
The City and County staff coordinated on policies regarding roadway expansion, functional classification,
and generalized location of future roads. These were shown as Exhibit D to Ordinance 2009-001.
The functional classification changes, which do not take effect until the State acknowledges the Bend
UGB expansion, were:
• Deschutes Market Road from Rural Collector to Rural Arterial
• Hamehook from Rural Collector to Rural Arterial
• Hamby from Rural Collector to Rural Arterial
• Ward from Rural Collector to Rural Arterial
• O.B. Riley from proposed Cooley Extension to UGB, from Rural Collector to Rural Arterial
• Future unnamed Rural Collector from Johnson Road north to a proposed Cooley Extension be
reclassified as a Rural Arterial
Policy language in the Bend TSP states roadway facilities within the unincorporated area shall be
constructed to Deschutes County standards but shall comply with City of Bend right-of-way
requirements to allow for the completion to future urban improvement standards when the area is
annexed into the City. However, roadway improvements to urban standards shall be permitted in the
following situations:
1. When a roadway improvement project is being constructed by the City;
2. When in a land use decision, the required transportation system impact mitigation meets the
Dolan/Nolan legal test;
3. A developer voluntarily builds the roadway improvements to urban standards; or
4. The developing property is either master planned or is being simultaneously and expeditiously
annexed into the City.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 48 of 268
Transportation facilities, that are illustrated on the Bend TSPs Roadway System Plan map, but are located
beyond the Bend UGB and therefore not authorized by the TSP, shall not be constructed to an urban
standard until approved by the County and the area is brought into the UGB.
As areas are annexed into the City of Bend, or are urbanized within the UGB, the affected land use
authority, property owners, developers and/or applicable service districts shall work cooperatively to
develop appropriate plans for extensions and connections of the transportation system, including but
not limited to: roads, sidewalks, trails and/or public transportation.
City of Bend Municipal Airport Master Plan
The Bend Municipal Airport is located outside the Bend City limits and UGB, therefore the County has
land use jurisdiction over it. In order to guide airport land uses, the County adopted and utilizes the
1994 Bend Municipal Airport Master Plan, as amended in 2002 the “Supplement to 1994 Airport Master
Plan,” which is incorporated by reference herein. This is the guiding document for airport planning and
development. This document incorporates a range of facility improvements for the Bend Municipal
Airport over the 20-year planning horizon (2021), including short, intermediate, and long-term projects
to improve safety and function at the airport. In 2003 the County adopted DCC 18.76, Airport
Development (AD) Zone to identify outright permitted and conditional activities at the airport. The
County in 2001 adopted DCC Chapter 18.80, Airport Safety Combing Zone (AS) to ensure surrounding
land uses and structures were compatible with airport operations.
The City of Bend is currently in the midst of updating of the Bend Airport Master Plan in 2010-12.
County planning staff is participating in that process which will look at land uses within the airport as
well as the potential for physical expansion of the airport.
City of Redmond Transportation System Plan
The City of Redmond identified the following goals in its Transportation System Plan update of June
2008:
1 Provide a supportive transportation network to the land use plan that provides opportunities for
transportation choices and the use of alternative modes serving all residential areas and businesses.
2 Develop a transportation system that is supportive with (sic) the City’s adopted comprehensive
land plan and with the adopted plans of state, local, and regional jurisdictions.
3 Establish a clear and objective set of transportation facility design and development regulations
and standards that address all elements of the city transportation system and promote access to
and utilization of a multi-modal transportation system.
4 Develop complementary infrastructure for bicycle and pedestrian facilities to provide a diverse
range of transportation choices for City residents.
5 Provide reliable and convenient transit service to Redmond residents and businesses as well as
special transit operations for the City’s elderly and disabled residents.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 49 of 268
6 Ensure that efficient and effective freight transportation infrastructure is developed and
maintained to support local and regional economic expansion and diversification consistent with
City economic plans and policies.
7 The Redmond transportation network will be managed in a manner that ensures the plan is
implemented in a timely fashion and is kept up to date with respect to local and regional
priorities.
Policies explicit to Deschutes County include Goal 2, Policy 3, which states the Redmond TSP shall
support the City’s adopted land use plan and “with the transportation system plans and policies of
Deschutes County.” Goal 2, Policy 5 call for the City and County and other entities as applicable to
work together to “implement regional transportation demand management programs where
appropriate.” Goal 2 has several strategies for cooperating with Deschutes County on urban service
boundaries and road maintenance jurisdiction, corridor management plans for US 97 and OR 126, and
coordinated planning with ODOT and the County.
Goal 3, Policy 8 calls for access management to be consistent with ODOT and Deschutes County
guidelines. Goal 4, Policy 6 requires coordination with Deschutes County on developing multi-purpose
trail systems as does Strategy 2. Goal 6, Policy 6 requires cooperation with Deschutes County and
economic development agencies for an intermodal depot that serves freight movement and transfer
between modes. Finally, Goal 7, Strategy 6 seeks intergovernmental agreements that would include
Deschutes County to coordinate transportation investments and regulation.
Figure 9-1 shows functional classifications for roadways within the City of Redmond UGB and proposes
future roads outside the UGB, recognizing such roads will need to be added to the Deschutes County
TSP. These include:
• A new east-west arterial from Pershall Way to Northwest Way
• Extending NW Maple Avenue, an arterial, west to NW Helmholtz
• Extending Northwest Way, an arterial, south to NW Hemlock Avenue
• Extending Quartz Avenue, a major collector, west to SW Helmholtz Avenue
• Extending Elkhorn Avenue, a major collector, east to and across US 97 to the fairgrounds
• Extending SW Helmholtz, an arterial, south and east to Quarry Avenue and a future interchange
with US 97
• Extending the US 97 Re-Route, a major arterial, south of OR 126 to Quarry Avenue and a
future interchange as Phase II, Alternative 3B
Figures 6-1, Pedestrian Master Plan, and 7-1, Bicycle Master Plan utilize the existing and proposed roads
shown in Figure 9-1. There are bicycle and pedestrian facilities shown that are outside the current
Redmond UGB. These aspirational additional bicycle and pedestrian facilities are discussed further in
the Bicycle and Pedestrian portion of this Plan.
Finally, Deschutes County and City of Redmond in 2004-05 collaborated on establishing an Urban
Reserve Area (URA) for Redmond, which are the first-priority lands for any subsequent expansion of
the Redmond UGB. The County adopted Ordinance 2005-023 and a grid system of future arterials and
collectors were mapped in Exhibit C. Road policies in the Redmond URA require new buildings and
structures to be constructed at least 90 feet from the existing centerline to allow roads to be widened
from County to City standards without displacing residences, buildings, or outbuildings unless meeting
the setback requirements is not feasible.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 50 of 268
Redmond Municipal Airport (Roberts Field) Master Plan
Roberts Field is the County’s only Category 1, Commercial Service Airport. The 1998 master plan was
updated in 2011. The proposed 1,500-foot extension of Runway 22 to the northeast will require
OR126 be relocated out of the revised Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). The County recognizes the
existing Plan as the guiding document for airport-related development and land use in the airport
environs. DCC Chapter 18.80, Airport Safety ensures surrounding land uses are compatible with the
airport’s continued operations and DCC 18.80.030 deals specifically with the Redmond Airport.
City of Sisters Transportation System Plan
The City of Sisters completed its TSP in 2001 and updated the plan in January 2010. The City has an
overall transportation goal to provide and encourage a safe, convenient and economic (sic)
transportation system. The City has four goals:
1. Comply with the Transportation Planning Rule.
2. Preserve the function, capacity, level of service, and safety of the state highways (US 20, OR 126,
and OR 242).
3. Improve and enhance safety and traffic circulation and preserve the level of service on the street
system.
4. Increase the use of alternative modes of transportation (walking, bicycling, rideshare/carpooling,
flexible work hours, telecommuting, and transit) through improved access, safety, and service.
Within the four goals are several objectives, of which only two are explicit to Deschutes County.
Goal 3, Objective E is to “ensure planning coordination between the City of Sisters, Deschutes County,
and the State of Oregon.” Goal 4, Objective G is to “plan for future transit service by seeking City,
County, State, and/or Federal support.”
There were no changes to functional classifications for roads that link Deschutes County and the City of
Sisters, nor were any new roadways proposed outside the Sisters UGB.
The Sisters TSP does reference on Page 7-26 discussions between Deschutes County and ODOT about
exploring the potential to extend Barclay Road east of Locust Street as a County roadway to provide a
new connection to OR 126. The intent of a Barclay Extension to OR 126 would be to provide a
parallel local route to provide relief to the US 20/Locust intersection. However, as US 20/Locust meets
the ODOT mobility standards in 2030 and given the land use designation of the affected properties and
opposition from the affected property owners, the County has decided not to pursue a Barclay
Extension in this update of the County TSP. However, the City of Sisters, ODOT, and Deschutes
County will continue to monitor the performance of the US 20/Locust intersection and review the need
for a Barclay Extension to OR 126 as conditions warrant.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 51 of 268
Oregon Transportation Plan
The Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP) is the State’s long-range, multi-modal plan. Originally adopted
by the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) in 1992 and most recently updated in September
2006, the OTP is the overarching policy document among a series of plans that together form the state
transportation system plan. The OTP considers all modes of Oregon’s transportation system as a single
system and addresses the future needs of Oregon’s airports, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, highways
and roadways, pipelines, ports and waterway facilities, public transportation, and railroads through
2030. The OTP is meant to address the challenge that by 2030 Oregon’s transportation system needs
to accommodate 41 percent more population and an 80 percent increase in freight tonnage. A link to
the complete OTP is listed in Appendix A.
The OTP, which is not adopted by local governments, stresses managing existing transportation assets,
using technology to maximize the performance of existing systems, and focusing on realistic funding
levels. The OTP’s goals are:
1. To enhance Oregon’s quality of life and economic vitality by providing a balanced, efficient, cost-
effective and integrated multimodal transportation system that ensures appropriate access to all
areas of the state, the nation and the world, with connectivity among modes and places.
2. To improve the efficiency of the transportation system by optimizing the existing transportation
infrastructure capacity with improved operations and management.
3. To promote the expansion and diversification of Oregon’s economy through the efficient and
effective movement of people, goods, services and information in a safe, energy efficient and
environmentally sound manner.
4. To provide a transportation system that meets present needs without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their needs from the joint perspective of environmental,
economic and community objectives. This system is consistent with, yet recognizes differences
in, local and regional land use and economic development plans. It is efficient and offers choices
among transportation modes. It distributes benefits and burdens fairly and is operated,
maintained and improved to be sensitive to both the natural and built environments.
5. To plan, build, operate and maintain the transportation system so that it is safe and secure.
6. To create a transportation funding structure that will support a viable transportation system to
achieve state and local goals today and in the future.
7. To pursue coordination, communication and cooperation among transportation users, providers
and those most affected by transportation activities to align interests, remove barriers and bring
innovative solutions so the transportation system functions as one system.
Oregon Highway Plan
As the highest traffic volumes in the County occur on the State highway system, the Oregon Highway Plan
(OHP) is the most critical modal plan for the transportation future of the County. The OHP was adopted
by the OTC in 1991, updated in 1999, and amended in 2006. The OHP is the highway element of the
OTP and analyzes the state highway needs to 2012. The OHP classifies highways by function and special
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 52 of 268
overlay segments, sets performance standards for segments and intersections, provides management goals,
and gives policy and investment direction.
Of all the various State and local plans revised since the 1998 Deschutes County TSP was adopted, the
OHP has seen the most changes. ODOT went to a new classification system, enhanced the highway
segment designations, revised the access management spacing standards and shifted analytical methods from
time-based Level of Service (LOS) to a Volume-Capacity (V/C) ratio. The OHP link is in Appendix A.
In the OHP the Vision Element looks at the future of the state highway system based on demographic
and economic forecasts as well as future transportation technology. The Policy Element contains goals,
policies, and actions in five areas: system definition, system management, access management, travel
alternatives, and environmental and scenic resources. The System Element analyzes state highway needs,
forecasts revenues, describes investment policies and strategies, and has an implementation strategy and
performance measures.
The major goals of the OHP are as follows:
1. System Definition: To maintain and improve the safe and efficient movement of people and
goods and contribute to the health of Oregon’s local, regional, and statewide economies and
livability of its communities.
2. System Management: To work with local jurisdictions and federal agencies to create an
increasingly seamless transportation system with respect to the development, operation, and
maintenance of the highway and road system that:
• Safeguards the state highway system by maintaining functionality and integrity
• Ensures that local mobility and accessibility needs are met
• Enhances safety and efficiency
3. Access Management: To employ access management strategies to ensure safe and efficient
highways consistent with their determined function, ensure the statewide movement of goods
and services, enhance community livability and support planned development patterns while
recognizing the needs of motor vehicles, transit, pedestrians and bicyclists.
4. Travel Alternatives: To optimize the overall efficiency and utility of the state highway system
through the use of alternative modes and travel demand management strategies.
5. Environmental and Scenic Resources: To protect and enhance the natural and built
environment throughout the process of constructing, operating, and maintaining the state
highway system.
OHP Functional Classification
The OHP attempts to balance local land use development with the need to move goods and services
through Oregon based on the designated Level of Importance (LOI). Generally Interstates and Statewide
Highways favor mobility over access; Regional Highways slightly favor mobility over access; and District
Highways and Local Interest Roads favor access over mobility. There are also two important overlay
designations, Expressways and Freight Routes. Expressways are intended for high-speed and high-volumes
and Freight Routes are to be managed to ensure less congestion. On designated Expressways and Freight
Routes, the mobility of through traffic is given more emphasis.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 53 of 268
ODOT’s management objectives by functional class are given in Table 2.1.T2. While these classifications
do not correlate to any funding or modernization priorities on ODOT’s part, they do play a role in
ODOT’s response to the local land use process.
The functional classifications and highway segment definitions determine the mobility standard for the
State highway and Table 6 in the OHP is applicable to Deschutes County. Other factors include posted
speed, inside or outside of an UGB, in unincorporated community or on rural lands, etc. When County
roads intersect with State highways, the State’s V/C ratio is the controlling performance standard. In
locations where it would be infeasible to meet the OHP’s V/C ratios, the objective is either to maintain
the existing performance of the highway or to propose alternate mobility standards for the approval of
the OTC at the affected location(s). The applicable V/C table is Table 6 in the OHP.
OHP Access Management
The functional classifications are also tied the agency’s access management spacing standards and
management objectives. The spacing standards set the desired distances for physical connections to the
highway for both private driveways and public rights-of-way. The management objectives concern the
consolidation, restriction, or elimination of accesses to the State highway system. In times of restricted
funding, access management provides a comparatively low-cost tool to reap substantial benefits in
system efficiency and safety. Generally, the higher the functional classification of the highway, the more
restrictive the access goals become. Also the OHP at Action 3A.4 discourages traffic signals in rural
locations. Both ODOT and Deschutes County would prefer rural roundabouts. Finally, ODOT desires
raised non-traversible medians on highway segments that are anticipated to have more than 28,000
vehicles per day during the 20-year planning period, have an annual crash rate higher than the statewide
average for similar facilities, or pedestrians are unable to safely cross the highway as indicated by a crash
rate greater than the statewide rate for similar facilities. The OHP stresses including non-traversible
medians for all new highways with multiple lanes on completely new alignments and modernization of all
rural, multi-lane Expressways, including Statewide, Regional and District highways. The access
management spacing standards are provided in Appendix D.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 54 of 268
Table 2.1.T2
State Highways by Functional Classification
Functional
Class
Characteristics
Management Objective
Examples
Interstates Provide connections to major
cities, regions of the state,
and other states.
Safe and efficient high-speed, continuous
flow operations in urban and rural areas
None in
Deschutes
County.
Statewide Provide inter-urban and inter-
regional mobility and provide
connections to larger urban
areas, ports, and major
recreation areas not served
by interstates. Secondarily,
provide intra-urban and intra-
regional trips.
Safe and efficient, high-speed, continuous-
flow operation. In constrained and urban
areas, interruptions to flow should be
minimal. Inside Special Transportation
Areas (STAs) access may also be a priority
U.S. 97, U.S. 20,
OR 126
Regional Provide connections and links
to regional centers, Statewide
or Interstate Highways, or
economic or activity centers
of regional significance
Safe and efficient, high-speed, continuous-
flow operation in rural areas and moderate
to high-speed operations in urban and
urbanizing areas. Secondary function is to
serve land uses in the vicinity. In STAs
local access is also a priority. Inside Urban
Business Areas (UBA), mobility is balanced
with access.
OR 31
District Road of countywide
significance and functions
largely as county and city
street arterials or collectors,
providing ties between small
urbanized areas, rural centers
and urban hubs. Secondarily,
they serve local access and
traffic.
Safe and efficient moderate to high-speed
continuous flow operation in rural areas
reflecting the surrounding environment
and moderate to low speed operation in
urban and urbanizing areas for traffic flow
and for pedestrian and bicycle movements.
In STAs, local access is a priority; in UBAs
mobility is balanced with local access.
OR 242, OR 370
(O’Neil
Highway), OR
372 (Cascade
Lakes Highway),
OR 27 (Crooked
River Highway)
Local Interest Function as local streets or
arterials and serve little or no
purpose for through traffic or
mobility. Some are frontage
roads, some are not eligible
for federal funding.
Safe and efficient, low to moderate speed
traffic flow and for pedestrian and bicycle
movements. Local access is a priority in
STAs. ODOT will try to transfer these
roads to local jurisdictions.
Jamison Road
between Empire
and Robal.
Source: Oregon Highway Plan, examples from Deschutes County and ODOT Region 4 staff
OHP Major Improvements
As funding levels have decreased the agency has less and less ability to construct expensive
modernization projects. ODOT, in cooperation with local jurisdictions, protects and improves the
efficiency of the existing system before building new highways or realignments. The following actions in
Policy 1G are listed in the order of implementation, with lower numbered actions in Action 1G.1 being
done first.
1. Protect the existing system: The highest priority is to preserve the functionality of the existing
highway system by means such as access management, local comprehensive plans, transportation
demand management, improved traffic operations, and alternative modes of transportation.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 55 of 268
2. Improve efficiency and capacity of existing highway facilities: The second priority is to make
minor improvements to existing highway facilities such as widening highway shoulders or adding
auxiliary lanes, providing better access for alternative modes (e.g. bike lanes, sidewalks, bus
shelters), extending or connecting local streets, and making other off-system improvements.
3. Add capacity to the existing system: The third priority is to make major roadway improvements
to existing highway facilities such as adding general purpose lanes and making alignment
corrections to accommodate legal size vehicles.
4. Add new facilities to the system: The lowest priority is to add new transportation facilities such
as a new highway or bypass.
OHP Highway Bypasses
After a case study showed the dynamic role local land use can play in the premature obsolescence of a
new highway alignment coupled with the rising costs of road construction in an era of shrinking
revenues, the OHP was amended in 2003 to add a Bypass Policy. Bypasses are highways designed to
maintain or increase mobility for through traffic. Generally they relocate the highway alignment around
a downtown, an urban or metropolitan area or an existing highway to provide an alternative route for
through traffic using that highway. Sometimes they also function as principal urban arterials. Bypasses
require good system management to protect the significant public investment and achieve mobility and
livability goals. Although many urban areas and unincorporated communities in Deschutes County
desire a bypass, the following policies must be satisfied.
The objectives of the Bypass Policy are:
1. To maintain and enhance the utility of the state highway investment,
2. To assure land uses that are consistent and compatible with Oregon statewide land use goals,
3. To identify the appropriate function of bypasses in the transportation system, and
4. To guide the long-term operation of bypasses through agreement on land use and
transportation management actions.
To attain these objectives, bypasses require local and state policy coordination involving land use, local
street patterns, access control, design characteristics, the bypassed facility, and jurisdictional transfer
under Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 366.
Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
The Oregon Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) is essentially the State’s capital
improvement program. The STIP is updated every other year and encompasses all federally and state-
funded improvements for which funding is approved and are expected to be undertaken during the four-
year period. STIP projects are taken from projects listed in adopted TSPs and/or metropolitan regional
transportation plans (RTPs). Federal requirements mandate the STIP must be financially constrained,
which means funding is identified for projects.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 56 of 268
Table 2.1.T3 identifies the STIP projects located in Deschutes County but outside the various cities. If a
project straddles a County/city border it is included in the table. This includes projects from the
adopted 2008-2011 STIP and the draft 2010-2013 STIP. While most STIP projects are site specific,
others occur throughout ODOT’s Region 4, which extends from the Columbia River to the California
border in Central Oregon. Between the funding crisis at the federal and state level and ODOT retiring
debts incurred during the three phases of Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA) of 2001, the
State has little to no funds for modernization projects. This is a change in circumstance that is
unprecedented in the post-World War II era.
OTIA 1(2001) increased driver and motor vehicles fees to pay for $400 million in bonds as interest
rates were fairly low. The resulting funds were for modernization projects to increase lane capacity and
grade-separated interchanges ($200 million); repair and replace bridges ($130 million); and pavement
preservation ($70 million.)
OTIA II (2002) added an additional $100 million bonding to fund lane capacity and grade-separated
interchanges ($50 million); repair and replace bridges ($45 million); and pavement preservation ($5
million). Due to cost-sharing with local governments and low interest rates, OTIA 1 and II resulted in
building $672 million in projects for $500 million, according to ODOT.
OTIA III (2003) used a combination of ODOT revenues, federal funds, and bonds to bond for a total of
$2.6 billion. The funds are programmed for modernization ($500 million); replacement of state and
local bridges ($1.3 billion); and city and county road maintenance ($361 million).
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 57 of 268
Table 2.1.T3
STIP Projects in Rural Deschutes County, 2008-2015
Program
Year
Road
Project
Project Type
Project
Description
Cost
2008
OR 126
MP 97 – Rimrock Way
Preservation
Preserve pavement, install flashing
beacon at OR 126/Helmholtz,
upgrade sidewalks
$7,786,000
2008 Various Meissner Sno-Parking Lot
expansion
Special Programs Recreational trail project $106,000
2008 Various Deschutes Paddle Trail Special Programs Develop Deschutes River trail
guide and signage for river trail on
USFS land
$120,000
2008 US 20 –
OR 242
Scenic Byways Special Programs Visual enhancements $69,000
2008 Various Volcanic Legacy AAR: Out of
Region Marketing Project
Scenic Byways Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
marketing project
$76,000
2008 Various Region 4 Transportation
Demand Management
Program
Operations Promote and support
Transportation Demand
Management in Region 4
$85,000
2008 Various Region 4 Transit Support Transit Capital STP transfer to support transit
services in Region 4
$149,000
2009 US 20 US 20 @ Tumalo
Environmental Assessment
Environmental Develop design-level environ-
mental impact statement (EIS)
$408,000
2009 US 97 US 97: Redmond Re-Route
South Extension (EA &
IAMP)
Modernization Conduct environmental and
interchange area management plan
$1,000,000
2009 US 97 US 97: Lava Butte – South
Century Drive
Modernization Add travel lanes, close accesses,
and build frontage roads
$39,811,00
0
2009 US 97 US 97: Crooked River
Bridge – Redmond Re-Route
Preservation Preservation, access management,
alternative local roads, widen
shoulders and safety upgrade
$7,199,000
2009 US 97 US 97: Lava Butte Clearing
and Grubbing (Small
Business)
Modernization Clearing and grubbing along
roadway
$100,000
2009 US 97 US 97: Railroad Crossing
and Relocation Study
Planning Rail crossing and relocation study
for US 97 at Wickiup Jct/Burgess
Rd area
$50,000
2009 Various Huntington Road/Riverview
Dr: S. Century – Burgess Rd
Preservation 2-inch pavement overlay $1,263,000
2009 Various South Century Dr – General
Patch Bridge – Burgess Rd
Preservation Widen roadway, grade and
improve road base, drainage pave
USFS Road #42
$10,150,00
0
2009 Various Kwohl Butte Shelter Special Programs Recreation trail project $101,000
2009 Various Kapka Butte Sno-Park Special Programs Snow park construction $520,000
2009 Various Region 4 material source
development
Operations Develop aggregate materials
sources in Central Oregon for
STIP projects
$153,000
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 58 of 268
Program
Year
Road
Project
Project Type
Project
Description
Cost
2009 Various Region 4 Transportation
Demand Management
Program
Operations Promote and support
Transportation Demand
Management program in Region 4
$85,000
2009 Various Region 4 Transit Support Transit Capital STP transfer to support transit
services in Region 4
$268,000
2010 US 97 US 97: Crooked River –
O’Neil Highway Refinement
Planning Plan for access management and
improvements from northern
terminus of Redmond Re-Route
to Crooked River Bridge
$245,000
2010 US 20 US 20: Purcell-Arnold Ice
Cave
Preservation Pavement preservation with
sidewalk improvements
$3,990,000
2010 US 20 US 20: 5th St-O.B. Riley Road
(Tumalo)
Operations Construct low-median barrier on
US 20, left turns and highway
crossings, widen shoulders
$200,000
2010 Various Wanoga Mountain Bike
Event Area
Special Programs Bike event area improvements $95,000
2010 Various Region 4 Remote Weather
Info System Upgrades
Operations Replace and upgrade aging RWIS
in Region 4
$25,000
2010 Various Lava Butte – Sunriver Multi-
use Path
Enhancement Develop plan for multi-use path $100,000
2010 Various Region 4 Transportation
Demand Management
Operations Promote & support transportation
demand management programs in
Region 4
$106,000
2010 Various Bend Communications Plan Operations Develop communications plan in
Central Oregon
$50,000
2010 Various Regionwide Travel
Information System (ITS)
Operations Remote cameras, message signs
and new technology to improve
travel info
$87,000
2010 Various Region 4 Transit Support Transit Capital STP transfer to support transit
services in Region 4
$268,000
2010 Various Region 4 Transportation
Demand Management
Operations Promote and support TDM
programs such as carpool and
vanpool
$107,000
2011 US 97 US 97 Bend North Corridor
Project
Modernization Purchase land as part of corridor
development
$5,924,000
2011 Various Region 4 Transit Support Transit Capital STP transfer to support transit
services in Region 4
$270,000
2011 Various Region 4 Transportation
Demand Management
Operations Promote and support TDM
programs such as carpool and
vanpool
$123,000
2011 Various Region 4
Modernization/Preservation
balancing
Preservation Region 4 Preservation funds used
to balance cost overruns in
modernization from 2008-11 STIP
$5,856,000
2012 US 97 Bend North Corridor
Project
Modernization Purchase land as part of corridor
development
$3,000,000
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 59 of 268
Program
Year
Road
Project
Project Type
Project
Description
Cost
2012 Cascade
Lks Hwy
Cascade Lakes Hwy: MP
26.3, Goose Creek
Enhancement Federal Highway aquatic organism
passage project
$292,000
2012 Cascade
Lks Hwy
Cascade Lakes Hwy: MP
25.1, Soda Creek
Enhancement Federal Highway aquatic organism
passage project
$292,000
2013 Skyliners
Road
Skyline Ranch Road – USFS
Road #4603
Enhancement Reconstruct Skyliners from Bend
to end of County maintenance
$11,125,00
0
2013 Skyliners
Road
Trailhead enhancement
(Phil’s Trail complex)
Enhancement Trailhead expansion ,paved
parking, restrooms, kiosks
$313,000
2014 US 97 US 97: Baker Road VMS Operations Install Variable Message Sign for
southbound traffic
$550,000
2015 US 97 US 97: Lava Butte median
barrier
Safety Widen median and install raised
concrete barrier
$1,040,000
2015 Cascade
Lks Hwy
Trailhead enhancement Enhancement 2 sno-park area expansion with
kiosks, shelter, and restrooms
$513,000
Total** $42,257,00
0
Source: ODOT
Note: * No funding has been identified for these projects.
** Excludes unfunded projects.
Oregon Aviation System Plan
The Aviation System Plan identifies a base airport system, system funding needs and gaps, and
recommends various strategies to pay for the system. It will also recommend policies to guide the state
in protecting, maintaining and developing the airport system. It will provide an inventory and forecasts
for airports statewide. Some key issues that affect the Plan include:
• Local governments own most public use airports
• The federal government owns most of the navigational system.
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determines funding levels and prioritization of
expenditures for nationally recognized National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) airports.
• U.S. Congress proposes to severely limit or eliminate general aviation airport funding altogether.
Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
In June 1995, the Oregon Transportation Commission adopted the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
The plan represents a modal element of the Oregon Transportation Plan and serves to guide cities,
counties and others in establishing facilities on local transportation systems. The plan focuses on
existing street systems in urban areas, where short trips are more realistic and where most congestion
problems occur. The plan found that existing statewide conditions are generally good for bicyclists on
rural highways, and not very good or poor for bicyclists and pedestrians on many urban highways. Also,
local systems with good walking and cycling conditions were highlighted as examples to emulate. The
plan acknowledges that ODOT will provide appropriate pedestrian and bicycle facilities to meet the
following goal and actions:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 60 of 268
Goal: To provide safe, accessible and convenient bicycling and walking facilities and to support and
encourage increased levels of bicycling and walking.
Action 1: Provide bikeway and walkway systems that are integrated with other transportation
systems.
Action 2 Create a safe, convenient and attractive bicycling and walking environment.
Action 3: Develop education programs that improve bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Each action is refined with specific strategies. After determining needs and priorities, the plan provides
for the establishment of bike and walking facilities in the following ways:
• Rural highways will have shoulders widened in the course of modernization projects, as well as
on many preservation overlays, where warranted.
Cost to Implement the Plan: The overall cost to retrofit the existing urban highway system with
appropriate facilities is estimated at $150 to $200 million. This would require expending $7.5 to $10
million per year to accomplish the goal in 20 years; this doubles the current ODOT expenditures on
pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
ODOT updated its Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in late 2011. In terms of rural highways, there is not
much difference between the ’95 Bike/Ped plan and the 2011 version. Appendix A contains a link to the
revised Bike/Ped Plan.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 61 of 268
2.2 Existing Transportation System and Current Needs
Existing Road System
Deschutes County is responsible for maintaining approximately 832 total miles of roads within the
County system. Out of the total miles maintained by the County, approximately 632 miles are paved
and 139 miles are unpaved. There are 95 miles of non-maintained County roads of which 94 are
unpaved. There are an additional approximately 376 miles of unpaved roads dedicated to the public but
not in the County-maintained system. In other mostly unpopulated areas, roads totaling approximately
410 miles are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the
Oregon State Forestry Division, or the Oregon State Parks Division.
As local jurisdictions have expanded their Urban Growth Boundaries and/or annexations, the County
turns over jurisdiction and maintenance to the municipalities. In 2010 Deschutes County had 0 miles of
maintained roads within Bend, Redmond, and Sisters, and roughly 21 miles in La Pine. The County
continues to work with the City of La Pine on a jurisdictional transfer for roads. Contrast that with the
1998 TSP when the County had 120 miles to maintain in Bend, Redmond, and Sisters (La Pine was
unincorporated). Finally, within Deschutes County, ODOT controls approximately 218 miles of the
state highway system.
The bulk of the County’s paved roads are located west of U.S. 97 and north of U.S. 20 on rural land.
The County’s arterial and collectors predominantly either parallel or lead to the major state highway
corridors. All of the County’s paved roads are two lanes with the exception of turn lanes at
intersections. There are no passing or climbing lanes anywhere in the County-maintained system of
roads. In 2009 the daily traffic volumes on County roads ranged from 40 on Barr Road, an unpaved
road between OR 126 and Cline Falls Highway near Tumalo, to 8,404 vehicles on Baker Road near the
U.S. 97 interchange on the southern outskirts of Bend near Deschutes River Woods.
The Road Department in its pavement management system maintains base level information such as
physical condition, type of surface, type of subgrade, etc. The Road Department on a rotating cycle also
collects traffic volume count information. This rotating cycle produces updated peak-hour and daily traffic
volume totals once every two to four years for most arterial and collector roads in the County. This
existing database provided a starting point for a detailed physical inventory of all County arterials and
collectors. The traffic count data for the state highways come from the most recent traffic volume tables
published by ODOT. The results of the inventory are used to define existing street and road capacities,
define short-term improvement projects and form the basis for long-term transportation alternatives.
Types of Roads in Deschutes County
There are many types of roads in Deschutes County. The following are some definitions and examples
of the types of roads commonly found in the County.
Road - means the entire right-of-way of any public or private way that provides ingress to or egress
from property by means of vehicles or other means or that provides travel between places by means of
vehicles. "Road" includes, but is not limited to:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 62 of 268
• Ways described as streets, highways, throughways or alleys;
• Road related structures that are in the right-of-way such as tunnels, culverts or similar
structures; and
• Structures that provide for continuity of the right-of-way such as bridges.
Public Road - means a road over which the public has a right of use that is a matter of public record.
Maintenance of public roads, including plowing and repair, is the responsibility of the adjoining property
owners. There are far more miles of public roads in rural Deschutes County than there are miles of
County roads or state highways. While the County does not maintain these roads, the County remains
the road authority so, for example, adjoining property owners cannot decide to pave, realign, or place a
gate without approval from the County.
County Road - means a public road under the jurisdiction of a county that has been designated as a
county road under ORS 368.016. County roads are maintained (paved, repaired, plowed, bladed) by the
County. A public road becomes established as a County Road by order of the County Commissioners.
Since the decline of federal payment to offset loss of timber revenues, the Board of County
Commissioners has placed a moratorium on accepting any new roads into the County-maintained
system, with possible exceptions for arterials and collectors. Lower Bridge Way, Powell Butte Highway,
and Burgess Road are examples of County roads.
Local Access Road - means a public road that is not a county road, state highway or federal road.
Private Road - Private roads have not been dedicated to the public. These roads do not come under
County, City or State jurisdiction. Examples of private roads include those in Sunriver, Eagle Crest and
Black Butte Ranch. Roads created by easements between two parties can also be considered private
roads.
Easement - An access or road easement occurs when one person allows another person to drive
(cross) their property. The property owner granting the easement still owns the land under the
easement, but the other party has a legal right to use the easement. The public, except for invited
visitors, does not have a right to use the easement.
State Highway - A State Highway is a public road, maintained by the Oregon Department of
Transportation.
Miscellaneous Roads - In addition, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have
roads on their lands in Deschutes County that they maintain and retain jurisdiction. Many improved,
gravel surfaced or paved roads were constructed as a condition of approval of a subdivision of land. Other
public roads have been improved through the formation of a Special Road District. People living within an
area may form a special road district to improve and maintain the roads within a specially designated
geographical area such as a subdivision. The residents forming the district agree to pay property taxes to
support the special district. Road District Commissioners are appointed by the Deschutes County Board
of Commissioners to operate the special road district. The special road district improves and maintains
the roads within the district to the level agreed to by the residents of the district.
Prior to the July 5, 2006, passage of Resolution 2006-049, County residents could also petition the
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners to form a Local Improvement District (LID) to get their road
improved. This usually involves the paving of a gravel or dirt road. Public roads improved under the
LID process may be accepted by the Deschutes County Commissioners as a County-maintained road.
Under an LID, property owners agree to pay for road improvements.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 63 of 268
The Board in Resolution 2006-049 passed a moratorium on accepting new roads into the County-
maintained system, citing the loss of approximately $3 million dollars in annual federal funds as the
federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 expired. Also known as
the Forest Safety Net, these funds replaced money lost as timber harvesting on federal lands
disappeared. The Forest Safety Net funds constituted 27% of the County Road Department’s budget.
The Board on October 5, 2009, modified the moratorium to consider adding new designated collectors
or arterials to the County-maintained system in Resolution 2009-118.
The Board passed Resolution 2009-118 after Oregon approved the first increase in the State’s gasoline
tax since 1993 and the federal government extended the Forest Safety Net program to 2011. The
federal Forest Safety Net funds would comprise 20% of the County Road Department’s budget.
Road System Configuration
Functional classification describes how the public road system should operate based on area served,
distance of the trips carried, and proximity to roads of both higher and lower classification. Ideally, a
local road leads to a collector which in turn flows into an arterial that then intersects with a principal
arterial, which is a State highway. While urban roads are often classified primarily by daily traffic
volumes, rural roads are not stratified strictly by the vehicles carried. The County has tried to provide
a rural-scale grid system of arterials and collectors that recognizes population distribution and
recreational amenities.
The road system of state highways, arterials, and collectors should work in conjunction to form a rural
network having the following characteristics:
1. Link cities and larger towns (and other traffic generators, such as major resort areas, that are
capable of attracting travel over similarly long distances) and form an integrated network
providing interstate and intercounty travel.
2. Be spaced at such intervals, consistent with population density, so that all developed areas of
the State are within a reasonable distance of an arterial highway.
3. Provide (because of the previous two characteristics) service to corridors with trip lengths and
travel density greater than those predominantly served by rural collector or local systems.
Minor arterials constitute routes whose design should be expected to provide for relatively high
overall travel speeds, with minimum interference to through movement.
Roads are grouped by their similar characteristics in providing mobility and/or land access. Within the
County-maintained system, there are four rural road classifications (Rural Local; Rural Collector; Forest
Highway; Rural Arterial) and three urban classifications (Urban Local; Urban Collector; Urban Arterial).
The State highways are classified in the County system as Principal Arterials. ODOT has its own
classification to differentiate State highways and segments of State highways.
Table 2.2.T1 provides a summary of the County-maintained system arranged by mileage and
classification. The text immediately following Table 2.2.T1 explains the purpose and traits of the various
classifications in broad terms. A link to complete data lists for all County arterials and collectors can be
found in Appendix F.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 64 of 268
The following represents a general overview of state highways, street functional classifications and a
listing of County roads falling under each category. Figure 2.2.F1 identifies the current Deschutes
County Road System.
The physical inventory of County roads included the following elements as required by the state
Transportation Planning Rule (TPR):
• Road Classification and Jurisdiction
• Right-of-Way Width
• Number of Travel Lanes
• Lane Width
• Inclusion of Sidewalks
• Bike Facility Type (if present)
• Location of Traffic Control Devices/Signals
• General Pavement Condition
Table 2.2.T1
Deschutes County Road Mileage and Maintenance Responsibility
by Functional Classification
Deschutes County
Urban
Arterial
Urban
Collector
Urban
Local
Rural
Arterial
Rural
Collector
Rural
Local
Forest
Highway
Total
Miles
County-Maintained
(693 miles paved,
139 miles unpaved)
2 12 17 69 241 399 92 832
County Non-
Maintained
95
Public Roads
(all unpaved)
376
Subtotal: 2 12 17 69 241 399 92 1,303
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
Road Functional Classifications
Roads in the County are classified by two major themes: State highways vs. County roads; and rural
settings vs. an urban context.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 65 of 268
Rural
Principal Arterial (examples are US 97, US 20, OR 126):
• State highways are only facilities included
• Trip length and travel density characteristics are representative of substantial statewide or
interstate travel
• Penetrates urban boundaries, or comes within 10 miles of the center of an urban area of 25,000
population or greater, and is within 20 minutes travel time (off-peak) of the center of the area
via a minor arterial road
• Movement of interstate goods and services
• Substantial movement of long-haul trucking
• Primary route for movement of goods and services
Arterial (examples are Powell Butte Highway, Cline Falls Highway, Neff-Alfalfa Market Road):
• Links cities, larger towns, and other major traffic generators, providing interregional and
intercounty service; and
• Spaced at distances so that all developed areas are within reasonable distance of an arterial
highway; and
• Provides service to corridors with trip length and travel density greater than that predominately
served by rural collector or local systems
• Serves the more important intra-county travel corridors
• Secondary route for movement of goods and services
Collector (examples are Lower Bridge Way, Indian Ford Road, Tumalo Road, Huntington Road):
• Spaced at intervals to collect traffic from local roads and provide all developed areas a
reasonable distance from a collector road; and
• Provides service to the remaining smaller communities; and
• Links locally important traffic generators with rural destinations.
Forest Highways (examples are China Hat Road, Cascade Lakes Highway, River Summit Drive):
• Special class of rural arterial
• Provides access to recreational amenities such as campsites, lakes, hiking and biking trails in
Deschutes National Forest or to the USFS road network
• Forest Highways are a mix of County-maintained roads and a few of the major two-digit USFS
roads which are maintained by the Forest Service, not the County
Local (examples are Sisemore Road, Arrow Avenue, Ranger Way):
• Primarily provides access to adjacent land/properties; and
• Accommodates travel over short distances as compared to arterials and collectors.
Urban
Principal Arterial (examples are US 97, US 20, OR 126):
• Only State highways are in this classification
• Serves the major activity centers in a metropolitan area, and also serves the highest traffic
corridors and satisfies the longest trip desires; and
• Carries the major portion of trips entering and leaving urban areas, as well as the majority of the
through traffic desiring to bypass cities.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 66 of 268
Arterial (examples include Smith Rock Way, Cook Avenue, Burgess Road):
• Provides service to trips of moderate length at a somewhat lower level of travel mobility than
principal arterials; and
• Distributes travel to geographic areas smaller than those served by principal arterials, while not
penetrating specific neighborhoods
Collector (examples include C Avenue in Terrebonne, Bailey Road):
• Provides both land access and traffic circulation within residential neighborhoods, commercial,
and industrial areas; and
• Distributes trips from arterials through these areas to their final destination, and conversely,
collects traffic from local streets and channels it onto arterials.
Local (examples include B Avenue in Terrebonne, 5th Street in Tumalo):
• Provides access to adjacent land and access to higher classified roads; and
• Provides lowest level of travel mobility including no bus routes; and
• Carries less than 1,500 vehicles per day.
Highways / Principal Arterials
ODOT has a policy to maintain and improve the safe and efficient movement of people and goods so
that the State’s transportation system will support the economy and community livability at local,
regional, and state levels. Highways have the responsibility of facilitating traffic movement through and
between urban areas, regions, and states. ODOT uses broad classifications to guide the agency in its
facility management and investment decisions. The 1999 Oregon Highway Plan classifies State highways
into five categories based on their function. Going from highest to lowest classification the five are:
Interstate, Statewide, Regional, District, and Local Interest Roads. The higher classifications favor
mobility over access while the lower classifications favor access over mobility.
Additionally, ODOT has several supplementary classifications for specific highway segments such as
Expressway, Freight Route, and Special Transportation Area (STA). These supplementary classifications
are an attempt to recognize that not only do highways differ from one another, but at times different
segments of the same highway differ in regards to land use, roadside culture, geographic setting, speeds,
etc. Expressways and Freight Routes generally favor through traffic whereas an STA is found in
downtown areas, allowing more congestion and lesser access spacing standards.
All State highways in Deschutes County are classified as principal arterials. The principal arterial
system consists of a connected network of continuous routes having the following characteristics:
1. Serve corridor movements having trip length and travel density characteristics indicative
of substantial statewide or interstate travel.
2. Serve all, or virtually all, urban areas of 50,000 population and more and a large majority
of those with population of 25,000 and more.
3. Provide an integrated network without stub connections except where unusual
geographic or traffic flow conditions dictate otherwise.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 67 of 268
With the exception of interstates, Deschutes County has representative examples of every ODOT
classification. The principal arterial system is displayed in Figure 2.2.F2.
The U.S. highways in the County consist of:
US 97
Also known as The Dalles-California Highway #4, US 97 is the primary north-south route through
Central Oregon, extending from California to the Columbia River. Truckers particularly prefer to utilize
US 97 to OR 58 to reach the Upper Willamette Valley as this route skirts the rugged terrain and poor
weather of the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon.
ODOT classifies US 97 as a Statewide Highway, a Freight Route, and an Expressway. The Deschutes
County TSP classifies US 97 as a Principal Arterial.
Since 1998, sections of US 97 in Bend have shifted from Third Street, a five-lane commercial arterial, to
a four-lane limited access highway known as the Bend Parkway. A similar four-lane limited access
segment called the Redmond Re-Route has replaced the US 97 couplet on Fifth and Sixth streets in
downtown Redmond and the five-lane commercial arterial from downtown Redmond north to almost
the O’Neil Highway. From downtown Redmond US 97 remains a five-lane arterial. Between Bend and
La Pine, the highway is slowly becoming a divided four-lane highway to both reduce head-on crashes in
winter and increase overall capacity.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• Jefferson/Deschutes County Line: 12,200 ADT
• O’Neil Highway: 18,300 ADT
• Quarry Avenue 25,100 ADT
• Bend @ Empire Ave 42,200 ADT
• South Century Drive 11,700 ADT
• 1st Street (La Pine) 9,000 ADT
• OR 31 5,800 ADT
US 97 carries substantial commuter traffic between Bend and Redmond and to a lesser extent from La
Pine to Bend. The Bend-Redmond volumes are high enough that ODOT is contemplating a raised
median between the two cities, coupled with a frontage road system and a grade-separated interchange
at Quarry Avenue.
Oregon Highway Plan Policy 3B: Medians calls for non-traversible medians when daily traffic is expected to
exceed 28,000 vehicles during the 20-year planning period. US 97 between Bend and Redmond is already
above that threshold for much of its length. The frontage road and interchange system plus improvements
to parallel local roads will lead to a reduction or even elimination of all at-grade accesses to US 97.
The daily volumes between Bend and La Pine are generally about half of those between Bend and
Redmond. However, the highway is at a higher elevation between Bend and La Pine than Bend to
Redmond, resulting in winter-related safety issues. Drivers traveling too fast over snow and ice can lose
control, crossing over the centerline and causing head-on crashes. Additionally, US 97 cleaves southward
through the dense pines of the Deschutes National Forest unlike the open country between Bend and
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 68 of 268
Redmond. The Bend-La Pine segment has more conflicts with wildlife, especially deer crossings. Between
the elevation and the wildlife issue as well as an increase in traffic volumes over the next 20 years, the
entire Bend-La Pine segment will also likely require a grade-separated median by 2030.
US 20
This highway’s segments are known by various names. From the Jefferson/Deschutes County line it is
the Santiam Highway #16; the McKenzie Highway #15 through Sisters; the McKenzie-Bend Highway #17
beginning at the east “Y” in Sisters; and the Central Oregon Highway #7 beginning at Third
Street/Greenwood in Bend. US 20 is one of two major east-west routes through Central Oregon. US
20 extends from the Oregon coast at Newport, passes through Albany, then crosses the Cascades via
Tombstone and Santiam Pass on its way to Sisters, then angles southeast to Bend and across the High
Desert to Burns, crossing into Idaho at Ontario. US 20 traffic joins OR 126/OR 22 traffic at Santiam
Junction and both enter Sisters where at the east “Y” Redmond-bound traffic continues on OR 126
while Bend and Burns traffic utilizes US 20.
US 20 east of Bend has flatter topography to cross than OR 126/US26, which parallels US 20 about 60
miles to the north. US 20 traverses across the sagebrush where the only pass it crosses in Central
Oregon is Horse Ridge (elevation 4,291’), approximately 16 miles east of Bend. By contrast, OR 126
has a series of climbs through Ochoco Mountains and other ranges to the east. Thus, US 20 is the
primary east-west truck route between the mid-Willamette Valley and Central Oregon. US 20 also has
a fair amount of truck traffic extending into Idaho, but not as much as Interstate 84 along the Columbia.
ODOT classifies US 20 as a Statewide Highway, a Freight Route, and an Expressway. The Deschutes
County TSP classifies it as a Principal Arterial.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• Black Butte Ranch 7,600 ADT
• Barclay Drive (Sisters) 9,400 ADT
• Three Sisters Viewpoint 8,900 ADT
• Cline Falls Highway 9,700 ADT
• Old Bend-Redmond 12,600 ADT
• Greenwood (Bend) 21,100 ADT
• 27th St. (Bend) 14,400 ADT
• Powell Butte Hwy 8,100 ADT
• OR 27 (Crooked River) 1,300 ADT
• Hampton 1,200 ADT
US 20 has seen an increase in commuter traffic from Sisters. Also as destination resorts have grown in
Central Oregon, US 20 and OR 126 have been the most adversely affected state highways. East of
Bend, the volumes drop dramatically. Traffic from Prineville reaches Bend by the Powell Butte Highway
and US 20. The traffic volume on US 20 0.10 miles west of the Powell Butte Highway is 8,100 ADT
whereas 0.10 miles east the load is 3,600 ADT.
By 2030 the combined increase in volumes on US 20 and Powell Butte Highway and Hamby/Ward will
require intersection improvements. These are discussed more fully in Chapter 5, but in general the
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 69 of 268
proposal is for roundabouts provided the design is sufficient to accommodate the concerns of not
impeding the movement of freight.
OR 126
This highway is known as McKenzie Highway #15 and Ochoco Highway #41. Statewide OR 126
extends west to east through Central Oregon, originating on the Oregon coast in Florence. It passes
through the Willamette Valley via Eugene, through the Cascades via the Santiam Pass, then traverses
Deschutes County by going through Sisters and Redmond. Ultimately, OR 126 ends in Prineville,
terminating into US 26. Through Redmond, OR 126 uses several minor arterials (a Redmond road
classification). OR 126 uses Highland Avenue from the 35th to 14th street, where the route splits into
eastbound on Highland and westbound on Glacier. OR 126 briefly turns north on the Redmond Re-
Route (US 97) before continuing east to Crook County on Evergreen.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway. As US 20 and OR 126 follow the same route into Sisters, all
examples are east of Sisters.
• 0.02 miles E of US 20 4,900 ADT
• Cline Falls Highway 8,500 ADT
• 35th St. (Redmond) 11,800 ADT
• US 97 (Redmond) 11,500 ADT
• 9th St (Redmond) 5,200 ADT
• Deschutes-Crook Co. Line 7,000 ADT
OR 31
A Regional Highway, also referred to as the Fremont Highway #19. The highway originates from US 97
just south of La Pine and extends southeast to US 395 at Valley Falls, connecting the south part of
Deschutes County with Lakeview and the US 395 corridor in northeastern California. Only
approximately two miles are in Deschutes County.
A few sample points from ODjOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• US 97 1,800 ADT
• Klamath-Lake County Line 800 ADT
• Picture Rock Pass 520 ADT
• Paisley 860 ADT
• US 395 620 ADT
OR 242
Otherwise known as the Old McKenzie Highway, OR 242 is a seasonal highway, meaning ODOT does
not keep the historic and Oregon Scenic Byway open in winter. The highway often closes in mid-
October and reopens in late June, although the weather determines the road’s availability. Classified as
a District Highway, the route leaves OR 126 near Belknap Springs in northeast Lane County, twists and
turns over eponymous McKenzie Pass (5,325’) which lies on the Deschutes County line, then descends
into the west edge of Sisters, connecting to US 20/OR 126 near Pine Street. The road is popular in the
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 70 of 268
summer with motorcyclists, bicyclists, and sightseers. In winter snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, and
snowshoers use the route.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• West snow gate 320 ADT
• Linn-Deschutes line 340 ADT
• 0.07 west of Sisters 1,700 ADT
OR 27
OR 27, also known as Crooked River Highway #14, this minor District highway has the dubious
distinction of being the only graveled highway in the state. Crook County and ODOT have been
incrementally paving the road south from Reservoir Road/OR 27 intersection, which is just south of
Prineville Reservoir. The portion in Deschutes County is approximately four miles long and remains
graveled. OR 27 connects to Highway 20 at a point between Millican and Brothers and extends north
to Prineville along the Crooked River, a popular recreational section. OR 27 connects to OR 126 in
downtown Prineville.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• 1.92 mi S of OR 126 320 ADT
• Reservoir Road 90 ADT
• 0.30 mi N of US 20 20 ADT
OR 372
Another District highway, OR 372 is best known as the Cascade Lakes Highway and like the Old
McKenzie is closed seasonally past Mount Bachelor. The route is also called Century Drive or Century
Drive #372. This highway connects the City of Bend with Mount Bachelor to the west. Beyond Mount
Bachelor, the Cascade Lakes Highway becomes a Forest Service arterial serving the high country lakes
south of Mt. Bachelor all the way to the Klamath County line. In the winter, the closed section is
popular with snowmobilers.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• W Edge of Bend 3,300 ADT
• Edison Ice Cave Road 1,100 ADT
• End ODOT maintenance 980 ADT
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 71 of 268
O’Neil Highway
Rarely referred to as O’Neil Highway #370, this District highway originates at a point on US 97 between
Redmond and the community of Terrebonne, and extends eastward to the City of Prineville, ending at
OR 126. The route provides a crucial link between the surface mining sites in western Crook County
and the construction markets in Redmond and Bend. Due to several tight curves near the Crook
County community of Lone Pine, the route has length restrictions for trucks.
A few sample points from ODOT’s “2009 Traffic Volume Tables” indicate the range of average daily
traffic (ADT) volumes on this highway.
• US 97 1,900 ADT
• 33rd St 2,100 ADT
• Deschutes-Crook line 1,600 ADT
• Lone Pine 1,300 ADT
• OR 126 (Prineville) 1,900 ADT
Rural Arterials
These are county roads that are intended to provide interregional and intercity service and can have
higher volumes when compared to other county roads. Rural arterials tie cities and larger towns to
other major traffic generators. In some instances they provide parallel local facilities to the state
highway system. These are often popular with area cyclists as they offer alternatives to the state
highways and tend to have wider shoulders than county roads of a lower classification.
Below the Rural Arterials are described with those county roads that are Rural Arterials for their entire
lengths presented first, followed by county roads that are designated as Rural Arterial for only a portion
of their length. The traffic volumes are from the most recent years available.
Smith Rock Way
Smith Rock Way extends east from Terrebonne and after approximately three miles crosses into Crook
County where the road eventually terminates at the O’Neil Highway by Lone Pine. Due to its proximity
to the length-restricted O’Neil Highway, trucks often use Smith Rock Way as an alternate route,
although Smith Rock Way does have weight-restricted bridges.
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.8 miles west of BNSF railroad tracks 2,373 ADT
• 0.04 miles west of 1st St (Terrebonne) 1,471 ADT
• Deschutes-Crook County line 880 ADT
Cline Falls Highway
A state highway until 1978, Cline Falls extends between Tumalo Road in Tumalo and OR 126 near Eagle
Crest Resort. Cline Falls offers access to Cline Falls State Park off of OR 126 and is popular with area
cyclists both for the road itself and access to mountain bike trails near Cline Buttes at the north end.
The road provides access to western Redmond.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 72 of 268
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of US 20 2,404 ADT
2007 traffic volumes
• 0.25 miles south of OR 126 3,684 ADT
• 0.05 miles north of Innes Market Road 2,494 ADT
• 0.10 miles north of US 20 2,968 ADT
Cook Avenue
The TSP Update reclassifies this road from a collector to an arterial, reflecting its increased importance
and connection to Cline Falls Highway. The north-south Cook acts as the Main Street for Tumalo, tying
the community to US 20. The road features sidewalks and paved bulbouts to reduce the crossing
distance for pedestrians.
2009 traffic volumes
• 50’ north of 4th St (Tumalo) 5,130 ADT
Old Bend-Redmond Highway/South Canal Boulevard
As the name implies, this was another state highway until 1978. Old Bend-Redmond offers a parallel
local route to US 97 for those traveling between Bend and Redmond. The road is popular with area
cyclists due to its relatively good shoulders and scenic connecting routes that link Old Bend-Redmond
to Cline Falls Highway. Nearing Redmond the road becomes South Canal Boulevard.
Old Bend-Redmond Highway
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.06 miles north of US 20 3,004 ADT
2007 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of Tumalo Road 2,763 ADT
• 0.10 miles south of Tumalo Road 2,129 ADT
• 0.10 miles north of Rogers Road 2,747 ADT
• 0.06 miles north of US 20 3,129 ADT
South Canal Boulevard
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of NW Helmholtz Way 3,448 ADT
• 0.10 miles south of SW Helmholtz Way 4,910 ADT
• 0.10 miles south of SW 61st St 2,621 ADT
Deschutes Market Road
The TSP Update reclassifies this collector back to its original Rural Arterial status. The road has seen a
fair amount of growth in traffic volumes as northeast Bend has developed and since the completion of
the Deschutes Junction interchange, which also removed an at-grade railroad crossing. Deschutes
Market Road provides a parallel alternate route to US 97, albeit a brief one. Area cyclists enjoy the
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 73 of 268
road for its comparatively good shoulders, proximity to Bend, and the ability to make a loop using
Deschutes Market/Tumalo Road to make a loop.
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of Hamehook 5,592 ADT
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.20 miles west of BNSF tracks 3,883 ADT
• 0.10 miles north of Hamehook Road 5,627 ADT
• 0.06 miles north of Butler Market Road 4,784 ADT
Powell Butte Highway
Powell Butte Highway is another former state highway that has been transferred to both Deschutes
County and Crook County. Deschutes County took over its portion in 1988 and Crook County
acquired the remainder in 2005. Within Deschutes County the road is now a rural arterial. Originating
at Highway 20 about five miles east of Bend, the road connects the City of Bend northeastward past the
Bend Municipal Airport to OR 126 near Powell Butte in Crook County. Approximately 20 miles in
length with 14 of those in Deschutes County, the road has become a major commuting link between
Bend and the community of Powell Butte as well as the City of Prineville. The road is also popular with
local cyclists due to its lower traffic volumes, gentle terrain, and views of the Cascade Range and the
Powell Buttes.
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of Butler Market Road 4,413 ADT
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles north of Butler Market Road 5,242 ADT
• 0.02 miles north of Nelson Road 4,688 ADT
• 0.015 miles north of Neff Road 4,912 ADT
• 0.10 miles north of US 20 5,346 ADT
Neff Road/Alfalfa Market Road
One of the few long-distance east-west rural arterials in the County, the route begins on the east side of
Bend and provides access to Prineville Reservoir and the Crooked River Highway. The road is popular
with area cyclists and motorcyclists, the latter enjoying its numerous horizontal and vertical curves
between Stenkamp and Dodds roads.
Neff Road
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.08 miles west of Hamby Road 3,380 ADT
• 0.04 miles east of Hamby Road 3,325 ADT
2006 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles east of Ericksen Road 2,101 ADT
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 74 of 268
Alfalfa Market Road
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles east of Powell Butte Hwy 2,641 ADT
• 0.04 miles east of Waugh Road 1,800 ADT
• 0.10 miles east of Stenkamp Road 1,550 ADT
• 0.15 miles west of Walker/Johnson Road 902 ADT
River Summit Drive (formerly called USFS #40/45 Road)
A former Forest Service facility, the road provides convenient access from Sunriver to Mount Bachelor
and Edison Butte. As the road intersects Cascade Lakes Highway at its north terminus and US 97 at the
south end, the route also provides access to the numerous High Cascade lakes. No ADT numbers are
available.
Lower Bridge Way
The Rural Arterial portion at the north end of Terrebonne extends west from US 97 for about four
miles to 43rd Street. This segment of Lower Bridge Way carries traffic mainly associated with access to
Crooked River Ranch (CRR), a subdivision whose residents mainly live in Crook County. Farther west
the Rural Collector portion of Lower Bridge Way provides an emergency secondary access to CRR.
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.05 miles west of US 97 5,288 ADT
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles east of 43rd St 5,245 ADT
• 0.05 miles west of 43rd St 697 ADT
Cooley Road
At the north end of Bend, Cooley provides an east-west connection between OB Riley and 18th Street,
the bulk of the roadway lies within the City of Bend. Both the City of Bend and the County plans
indicate an eventual extension east to Deschutes Market Road, although no timetable or funding has
been identified.
2006 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles west of US 20 514 ADT
Butler Market Road
This east-west road provides access from the City of Bend to the Bend Airport and the Powell Butte
Highway. The three-mile segment sees a fair amount of commuter traffic coming from Prineville and
western Crook County with destinations in north and northeast Bend.
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles west of Hamby Road 4,475 ADT
• 0.04 miles east of Hamehook Road 3,779 ADT
• 0.08 miles west of Powell Butte Hwy 3,493 ADT
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 75 of 268
Baker Road/Knott Road
These roads connect to the US 97 Baker Road interchange at the far south end of Bend. Baker Road
provides access to the Deschutes River Woods neighborhoods just south of Bend and then connects to
Brookswood Boulevard, Bend’s west side ring road. Knott Road provides access to the Deschutes
County Landfill before turning north and becoming 27th Street in Bend. The Knott/27th combination is
the ring road for Bend’s eastside. Some travelers use a routing of Knott Road to Rickard Road to reach
US 20 to avoid the congestion of 27th Street which also intersects US 20 in east-central Bend.
Baker Road
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles west of Cinder Butte Road 6,174 ADT
• 0.10 miles west of US 97 8,404 ADT
•
Knott Road
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.10 miles east of US 97 6,269 ADT
• 0.20 miles east of 15th St (Bend) 6,508 ADT
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.25 miles west of 27th St (Bend) 6,039 ADT
Burgess Road
An east-west road that has some of the higher volumes on the County system due to its proximity to
the City of La Pine and its access to the High Cascade Lakes via Pringle Falls Loop and South Century
Drive. The roughly nine-mile arterial section runs between US 97 and Day Road.
2009 traffic volumes
• 0.15 miles west of US 97 7,922 ADT
• 0.08 miles east of Day Road 6,540 ADT
2008 traffic volumes
• 0.08 miles west of Day Road 3,098 ADT
Federal Forest Highways
These are a special classification of rural arterial that crosses federal lands to provide access to
recreational attractions, trailheads, and scenic drives, primarily in the western and southern areas of the
County. The Oregon Forest Highway Long-Range Transportation Coordination Plan, 2010-2030 describes a
Forest Highway as “a forest road under the jurisdiction of and maintained by a public authority and open
to public travel.” These roads are not under the jurisdiction of the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA). The federal vision is to balance the management objectives of “the United States Forest
Service (USFS) with the transportation needs of visitors, recreationists, and resource users.” There are
3,860 miles of Forest Highways within Oregon.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 76 of 268
Of the 3,860 miles of Forest Highways in Oregon, 92 miles are in Deschutes County; the miles are
either primarily or entirely within the Deschutes National Forest. The roads are necessary for access to
forest resources so the resources can be administered, developed, protected, or used. Cascade Lakes
Highway and Paulina Lake Road are closed in winter due to snow as are the higher elevation portions of
China Hat Road.
Skyliners Road Bend UGB to Tumalo Falls
Cascade Lakes Highway Mount Bachelor to Klamath County line
USFS Road #41 Cascade Lakes Highway to River Summit Drive
Elk Lake Road Loop to and from Cascades Lakes Highway
Three Trappers Road Spring River Road to Cascade Lakes Highway
South Century Drive Deschutes River to Cascade Lakes Highway
Cultus Lake Road Cascades Lakes Highway to Cultus Lake
Keefer Road South Century Drive to north end of Crane Prairie Reservoir
Twin Lakes Road South Century Drive to South Twin Lake
Pringle Falls Loop Burgess Road to South Century Drive
China Hat Road End of pavement (near Knott) to Klamath County line
Paulina Lake Road Paulina Creek to East Lake
Rural Collectors
Lower down in the functional classification hierarchy are collector streets and roads that enable people
to move between the neighborhoods where they live, to the places they work, shop, and go to school.
Collectors are the intermediate facility type, gathering traffic from local roads and delivering those
volumes to arterials or principal arterials. In a rural setting, distance to a collector is a concern; the
density of the road network relates to the population density.
The rural collectors in the County are identified below by general geographic area; these are the
current designations with intended reclassifications described in parentheses.
Redmond/Terrebonne Area (Figure 2.2.F3)
NE 1st Street NE Knickerbocker Avenue to NE Wilcox Avenue
NE 5th Street O’Neil Highway to NE Eby Avenue
NW 10th Street Upas (Redmond UGB) to NW Pershall Way
11th Street US 97 to US 97
NE 17th Street NE Upas Avenue to O’Neil Highway
NW 19th Street NW Odem Way to NW Lower Bridge Way
NW 35th Street ~1,600 feet south of Maple to NW Upas Avenue
NW 43rd Street NW Lower Bridge Way to NW Chinook Drive
NW 59th Street NW Kingwood Avenue to NW Maple Avenue
SW 61st Street S. Canal Blvd. to Highway 97
SW 63rd Street SW Catlow Way to SW Obsidian Avenue
SW 67th Street Beginning of grid to SW Catlow Way
NW 67th Street Beginning of grid to NW Kingwood Avenue
Buckhorn Road OR 126 to NW Lower Bridge Way
C Avenue 16th Street to NW 19th Street
N Canal Blvd. U.S. 97 to Redmond City Limits/UGB
SW Catlow Way SW 67th Street to SW 63rd Street
NE Cayuse Avenue NE 5th Street to NE 9th Street
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 77 of 268
NW Chinook Drive NW 43rd Street to Jefferson County line
Cline Falls Highway OR 126 to Tumalo north border
NW Coyner Avenue Pershall Way to NW Helmholtz Way
Deschutes Pleasant Ridge US 97 to Deschutes Market Road (downgrade to local)
NE Eby Avenue BNSF railroad to NE 5th Street
NW Eby Avenue BNSF railroad to U.S. 97
NW Helmholtz Way NW Maple Avenue to NW Coyner Avenue
SW Helmholtz Way Canal bridge to S. Canal Blvd.
NW Ice Avenue NW Wimp Way to NW 43rd Street
NE King Way Redmond UGB to NE 17th Street
NW Kingwood Ave. NW 59th Street to NW 67th Street
NE Knickerbocker Avenue NE 1st Street to NE 5th Street
NW Maple Avenue NW Helmholtz Way to NW 59th Street
NE Negus Way Redmond UGB to NE Upas Avenue
SW Obsidian Avenue SW 35th Street to SW 63rd Street
NW Odem Avenue NW 10th Street to Northwest Way
NW Pershall Way Highway 97 to NW Coyner Avenue
NW Upas Avenue Northwest Way to NW 35th Street
SW Wickiup Avenue SW Helmholtz Way to SW 58th Street
NE Wilcox Avenue NE 1st Street to Crook County line
Bend Area (Figure 2.2.F4)
Arnold Market Road Rickard Road to Gosney Road
Baker Road Brookswood to Shoshone
SE Bear Creek Road Bend UGB to Ten Barr Road
Bennett Road Alfalfa Market Road to NE Bear Creek Road
Cinder Butte Road Baker Road to Minnetonka Lane to end of pavement
Dickey Road Butler Market Road to Erickson Road
Dodds Road US 20 to Alfalfa Market Road
Erickson Road US 20 to Dickey Road
Gosney Road US 20 to Arnold Market Road
Hamby Road US 20 to Butler Market Road
Hamehook Road Butler Market Road to Deschutes Market Road
Johnson Ranch Road Alfalfa Market Road to Crook County line
McGrath Road Morrill Road to Stenkamp Road
Minnetonka Lane Kiowa Road to Cinder Butte
Plainview Road Highway 20 to Gist Road
Rickard Road Knott Road to US 20
Stenkamp Road McGrath Road to Alfalfa Market Road
Ward Road US 20 to Gosney
Sisters Area (Figure 2.2.F5)
Buffalo Road Wilt Road to Mountain View Road (downgrade to local)
Camp Polk Road OR 126 to Sisters UGB
Cloverdale Road US 20 to OR 126
Fryrear Road US 20 to OR 126
Gist Road US 20 to Plainview Road
Indian Ford Road Camp Polk Road to Green Ridge Road
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 78 of 268
Plainview Road Gist Road to US 20
Three Creek Road Sisters UGB to Forest Service Road #1600-210
Wilt Road Camp Polk Road to end Pavement
Tumalo Area (Figure 2.2.F6)
Bailey Road US 20 to Tumalo Reservoir Road
Cook Avenue North end of Tumalo to US 20 (upgrade to arterial)
Couch Market Road US 20 20 to Collins Road
Johnson Market Road Tyler Road to Tumalo Reservoir Road
Tumalo Road Graystone Lane to Cline Falls Highway
Tumalo Reservoir Road OB Riley Road to Collins Road
Gerking Market Road US 20 to Innes Market Road
Collins Road Couch Market Road to Tumalo Reservoir Road
Innes Market Road US 20 to Cline Falls Highway
Sunriver and South County Area (Figure 2.2.F7)
5th Street Amber Lane to La Pine State Recreation Road
6th Street US 97 to Dorrance Meadow Road
(transfer to City of La Pine up to Pengra)
Amber Lane Deep Woods Road to 5th Street
Burgess Road Highway 97 to Sunset Court
(transfer to City of La Pine up to Lost Ponderosa Road)
Cottonwood Road Highway 97 to Railroad crossing
Day Road Burgess Road to Amber Lane
Dorrance Meadow Road Burgess Road to 6th Street
Finley Butte Road Highway 97 to Darlene Way
(transfer to City of La Pine up to City’s eastern boundary)
Huntington Road South Century Drive to La Pine RSC
(transfer to City of La Pine beginning at City’s northern limit,
approximately 750’ south of Huntington/Riverview intersection)
La Pine State Recreation Rd Highway 97 to Foster Road (FS #4205)
Lazy River South Drive Huntington Road to Otter Drive
Masten Road US 97 to end of pavement
Paulina Lake Road US 97 to Paulina Creek Bridge
Prairie Drive US 97 to Huntington Road
Reed Road US 97 to Darlene Way (transfer to City of La Pine)
Riverview Drive Otter Drive to Huntington Road
South Century Drive US 97 to Maxwell Bridge across Deschutes River
Spring River Road South Century Drive to Forest Service boundary
(upgrade to arterial)
Vandevert Road US 97 to South Century Drive
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 79 of 268
Traffic Control Devices
Traffic control devices include a wide range of technology including signs, roundabouts, signals, and
pavement markings used to regulate, guide, or warn traffic. The TSP concentrates, however, on the
major traffic control devices and not on signs or pavement markings. Figure 2.2.F8 displays the traffic
control devices on County roads. The traffic signals on State highways are located in the cities, not on
rural lands where they would not meet driver expectations.
Roundabouts - The County constructed its first roundabout at the intersection of South Century
Drive/Abbott Drive, which is the southern entrance to Sunriver.
Traffic Signals - No traffic signals occur in the rural areas of the County as such a traffic control device
would not meet driver expectations. Typically, on rural County roads drivers are traveling at speeds
greater than 45 to 50 mph and have been for doing so without interruption for distances that are
greater than if they were in an urban area. The combination of rate and duration of speed as well as
roadside culture results in drivers not expecting to stop for a traffic signal in a rural setting.
Traffic signals are located in more urban-like settings at intersections where the traffic volumes are fairly
high both on the mainline and the cross streets. The volumes are sufficiently high enough that stop signs
on either just the side streets or all four legs of the intersection would result in long delays and
excessive queuing.
The County has constructed traffic signals at the following locations:
• South Century Drive/Venture Lane (entrance to Sunriver Business Park)
• Huntington Road/1st Street (now in City of La Pine)
• Huntington Road/Burgess Road (now in City of La Pine)
Flashing Warning Lights - Red and/or yellow flashing warning lights generally are located at
intersections where a full stop light control is not yet warranted and four-way stop signs would not
meet the need to balance safety concerns and through traffic movement.
For stop-controlled intersections where there has been a documented history of drivers running the
stop sign, the County has begun using flashing red lights that outline the perimeter of the stop sign.
These are expected to increase driver compliance.
Yellow flashing lights can also occur at school crossings and railroad crossings, etc. Often, typical speeds
on the roads approaching an intersection may not give drivers enough time to react; therefore flashing
red lights are placed over the intersection to alert drivers in advance of a four-way stop.
In some cases, the yellow flashing light is facing traffic on the cross street with a higher functional
classification and the red flashing light faces drivers on the lesser classified street causing them to stop
before entering the intersection. Commonly, a red or yellow flashing light facing all intersecting streets
would denote similar functional classifications. These warning lights occur in the County at the
following intersections:
1. US 97 (yellow) / Smith Rock Way (red)
2. US 97 (yellow) / O’Neil Highway (red)
3. Northwest Way (post-mounted yellow)/Coyner Road (post-mounted red)
4. Cline Falls Highway (post-mounted yellow)/Tumalo Road (post-mounted red)
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 80 of 268
5. Old Redmond-Bend Highway (yellow) / Tumalo Road (red)
6. Butler Market (red)/Hamby Road (northbound red, southbound yellow)
7. Neff Road (red)/Hamby Road (red)
8. US 20 (yellow) / Hamby-Ward roads (red)
9. Powell Butte Highway (yellow) / Neff Road (red)
10. Knott Road (post-mounted yellow)/China Hat Road (post-mounted red)
Previous locations on the state highway system that had flashing beacons became interchanges (US
97/Deschutes Market-Tumalo roads and US 97/South Century Drive) or were replaced by traffic signals
in urban locations (Burgess/Huntington).
Performance Standards
Both Deschutes County and ODOT set mobility standards for their respective facilities to ensure the
roads and highways operate safely and efficiently. Previously, both the County and ODOT used LOS
but the State in 1999 shifted to volume/capacity (v/c) ratio. These performance standards are used to
identify current or future deficiencies, assess proposed transportation improvement projects, and to
review the effects of proposed land use applications upon County roads and/or State highways.
Levels of Service (standard for County roads)
In order to effectively communicate about traffic flow and traffic capacity conditions, the engineering and
planning professions have adopted a concept of level of service to describe traffic conditions and
associated traffic flow rates. Six levels of service designations ranging from A to F are typically
recognized by the transportation professions. For County roads LOS concerns the capacity of a given
segment to accommodate a moving stream of vehicles. The LOS description generally describes a
motorist’s perception in terms of speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver, free flow vs. interruptions,
comfort, convenience, and safety. LOS A has free-flow traffic whereas LOS F is stop and go traffic. The
County sets LOS D as the mobility standard for existing roads and LOS C for new County roads. At
LOS D, traffic is approaching unstable flow rates whereas LOS C traffic flow is stable.
For rural, two-lane roads in the County, the peak hour traffic volumes were assumed to be ten percent
(10%) of the average daily traffic amount, then further adjusted to reflect a desirable flow rate. For
Deschutes County, LOS was determined based on the relationship of general capacity to average daily
traffic (ADT) for level terrain. For a ten percent (10%) peak hour flow, the corresponding ADT and
LOS are identified in Table 2.2.T2. LOS D was selected as it allows traffic to flow overall at acceptable
rates. Establishing a LOS B or LOS C as the standard would result in the County constructing multilane
roadways on roads that do see much traffic. An urban analogy would be building a parking lot to
accommodate the demand of the retail rush on the day after Thanksgiving.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 81 of 268
Table 2.2.T2
Generalized County Road Segment ADT and LOS
Level of Service Characteristics ADT
A A free-flow condition with individual users unaffected by the
presence of others in the traffic stream. <1,700
B
Stable flow with a high degree of freedom to select speed
and operating conditions but with some influence from
other users.
1,701-3,400
C
Restricted flow which remains stable but with significant
interactions with others in the traffic stream. The general
level of comfort and convenience declines noticeably at this
level.
3,4001-5,700
D
High-density flow in which speed and freedom to maneuver
are severely restricted and comfort and convenience have
declined even though flow remains stable.
5,701-9,600
E Unstable flow at or near capacity levels with poor levels of
comfort and convenience. 9,601-16,299
F
Forced flow in which the amount of traffic approaching a
given point exceeds the amount that can be served and
queues form which are characterized by stop and go waves,
poor travel times, low comfort and convenience, and
increased accident exposure.
>16,300
Source: 2000 Highway Capacity Manual; Deschutes County staff
The remaining capacity of a roadway forms the basis for most transportation planning and design
decisions and actions. Table 2.2.T3 and Figures 2.2.F9-F12 identify the estimated LOS for County roads
in 2009.
Most planning applications deal with future conditions and involve estimates of traffic, transit or
pedestrian flows. Therefore, reasonable order-of-magnitude estimates of capacity are usually adequate.
Transportation capacity reflects the ability of a roadway to carry vehicles or people, under the prevailing
conditions of operation. In general, capacity represents the maximum hourly rate (usually the peak
hour) at which a number of people or vehicles pass a given point within a specific time period under
prevailing conditions. The desirable flow rate is usually somewhat less since it introduces the qualitative
aspect of a specified LOS.
The above discussion focused on roadway segments, but LOS is also used for intersections, both
signalized and unsignalized. For an intersection, the LOS is based on the amount of delay in seconds for
drivers to either enter or cross an intersection. With the three exceptions described above, all
intersections in the unincorporated areas of Deschutes County are currently unsignalized. Two-way
stop or yield controls are common on arterial streets and highways. As cross-street volumes increase,
these intersections can reach capacity limits and produce significant delays to cross-street vehicles as
well as accident potential. Four-way stop control is often an interim phase preceding signalization.
Calculations of unsignalized intersection capacity are based on a simplifying assumption that minor street
traffic does not affect the traffic flow on the major street. In reality, when congestion occurs, the major
flows are probably affected to some degree by minor street traffic and left turns, all conflicting traffic
movements affect minor street traffic.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 82 of 268
Table 2.2.T3
Top County 2009 Rural Road Volumes and Estimated LOS
Rank Rd-Seg Road Name From To Count ADT LOS Func.
Class
LOS D Segments
1 3006-10 Baker Rd US 97 Cinder Butte 2009 8,404 D Rural Arterial
2 4106-30 Burgess Rd Glenwood
Drive
La Pine City
Limits 2009 7,922 D Rural Arterial
3 3161-50 27th St Ferguson
Road Rickard Road 2008 7,862 D Rural Arterial
4 4112-10 South
Century Dr
Sewage
Treatment
Road
Spring River
Road 2009 6,748 D Rural Arterial
5 4106-40 Burgess Rd La Pine City
Limits Pine Forest Road 2009 6,540 D Rural Arterial
6 3168-55 Knott Rd SE 15th Raintree Road 2009 6,508 D Rural Arterial
7 3168-10 Knott Rd US 97 China Hat Road 2009 6,269 D Rural Arterial
8 3006-10 Baker Rd US 97 Brookswood 2009 6,174 D Rural Arterial
9 3168-60 Knott Rd Raintree
Road Rickard Road 2008 6,039 D Rural Arterial
10 4112-05 South
Century Dr US 97 Sewage
Treatment Rd 2009 5,987 D Rural Arterial
LOS C Segments
11 3181-
40
Deschutes Mkt
Rd Bend UGB Hamehook
Road 2008 5,627 C Rural
Collector
12 4101-
35 Huntington Rd Burgess
Road La Pine UGB 2009 5,502 C Rural
Collector
13 2194-
30 43rd St NW Ice
Ave
NW Chinook
Ave 2009 5,445 C Rural
Collector
14 3181-
10
Deschutes Mkt
Rd US 97 Dale Road 2010 5,344 C Rural
Collector
15 2177-
10
Lower Bridge
Way US 97 27th Street 2008 5,288 C Rural Arterial
16 2303-
10 Chinook Dr NW 43rd
Street
Jefferson
County line 2009 5,247 C Rural
Collector
17 2177-
20
Lower Bridge
Way
NW 27th
Street
NW 43rd
Street 2009 5,245 C Rural Arterial
18 4112-
30
South Century
Dr
Huntington
Road
Snow Goose
Road 2009 5,216 C Rural
Collector
19 1171-
10 Cook Ave Cline Falls
Hwy US 20 2009 5,130 C Urban
Collector
20 4112-
25
South Century
Dr
Vandevert
Road
Huntington
Road 2009 5,078 C Rural
Collector
21 3518-
55
Powell Butte
Hwy
Erickson
Road
Alfalfa Market-
Neff Rd 2008 4,912 C Rural Arterial
22 2130-
40 S. Canal Blvd Northwood
Drive Deedon Road 2008 4,910 C Rural Arterial
23 2194-
20 43rd St NW Lower
Bridge Way
NW Ice
Avenue 2009 4,844 C Rural
Collector
24 3181-
70
Deschutes Mkt
Rd
Yeoman
Avenue
Bend City
Limits 2008 4,784 C Rural
Collector
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 83 of 268
Rank Rd-Seg Road Name From To Count ADT LOS Func.
Class
LOS C Segments
25 3518-
50
Powell Butte
Hwy
Butler
Market Rd. Erickson Road 2008 4,688 C Rural Arterial
26 4112-
15
South Century
Dr
Spring
River Road
Caldera
Entrance (MP
3.0)
2009 4,492 C Rural
Collector
27 3182-
60 Butler Mkt Rd Bend UGB Hamby Road 2008 4,475 C Rural Arterial
28 4106-
10 Burgess Rd US 97 Pine Drive 2008 4,454 C Rural Arterial
29 3518-
45
Powell Butte
Hwy
McGrath
Road
Butler Market
Road 2008 4,413 C Rural Arterial
30 4111-
10 Day Rd Burgess
Road
Northwood
Drive 2008 4,231 C Rural
Collector
31 3518-
60
Powell Butte
Hwy
Alfalfa Mkt.-
Neff Road US 20 2009 4,083 C Rural Arterial
32 4192-
10 Spring River Rd
South
Century
Drive
Solar Drive 2008 3,959 C Rural Arterial
33 3173-
30 Neff Rd Bend City
Limits Hamby Road 2008 3,830 C Rural Arterial
34 3182-
80 Butler Mkt Rd Hamehook
Road Silvis Road 2008 3,779 C Rural Arterial
35 1148-
10 Cline Falls Hwy OR 126 Eagle Crest
Entrance 2007 3,684 C Rural Arterial
36 3518-
10
Powell Butte
Hwy
0.5 mile S
of Crook
Co line
1.5 miles S of
Crook Co line 2008 3,617 C Rural Arterial
37 3182-
90 Butler Mkt Rd Silvis Road Powell Butte
Highway 2008 3,493 C Rural Arterial
38 2130-
35 S .Canal Blvd SW 39th
Street
SW Helmholtz
Way 2008 3,448 C Rural Arterial
LOS B Segments
39 3195-
20 Hamby Rd Neff Road Fletcher Lane 2008 3,349 B Rural
Collector
40 1161-
60 Camp Polk Rd Milepost 5 Milepost 6 2009 3,348 B Rural
Collector
41 3173-
40 Neff Rd Hamby
Road Erickson Road 2008 3,325 B Rural Arterial
42 4143-
10
Cottonwood
Rd
US 97 (SB
decel lane)
US 97 (SB accel
lane) 2009 3,289 B Rural
Collector
43 3025-
20
River Woods
Dr
Lakeview
Road Kiowa Road 2008 3,132 B Rural Local
44 4106-
60 Burgess Rd Pine Forest Dorrance
Meadows Road 2008 3,098 B Rural
Collector
45 3175-
10 Rickard Rd
SE 27th
St/Knott
Road
Arnold Market
Road W 2009 3,053 B Rural
Collector
46 2156-
30
Old Bend
Redmond Hwy
Rogers
Road US 20 2009 3,004 B Rural Arterial
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 84 of 268
For unsignalized intersections involving County roads only, the performance standards is LOS D, which
is defined as more than 25 seconds but less than 35 seconds delay on average per vehicle. Based on that
performance standard and the results of ODOT’s traffic model for Deschutes County, the following
intersections were found to be either already exceeding or were close to exceeding LOS D:
• Neff-Alfalfa Market Roads/Powell Butte Highway
• Butler Market Road/Powell Butte Highway
• Tumalo Road-Cook Avenue/Cline Falls Highway
For signalized intersections involving County roads only, the performance standard is LOS D, which is
defined as more than 35 seconds and less than 55 seconds per delay per vehicle. (The amount of delay
is higher because drivers accept longer delays as the presence of a traffic signal assures drivers they will
ultimately be allowed to make their desired movement.) None of the three signalized intersections in
the County exceed that standard.
Volume/Capacity Ratio (standard for State highways)
While LOS relies more heavily on subjective features, Volume/Capacity (V/C) ratios are mathematically
derived from the peak hour volume of a highway segment or intersection divided by its theoretical
capacity. For example, a V/C of 0.70 means peak hour traffic consumes 70 percent of the highway’s
capacity, leaving 30 percent unused. As V/C exceeds 0.95 the traffic flow becomes unstable and 1.0 is
maximum congestion. The applicable V/C ratios for State highways are shown in Table 2.2.T4 and
Figure 2.2.F13.
ODOT sets the V/C standard for highway segments based on their functional classification, supplemental
designations, and urban or rural location. For unincorporated Deschutes County, the main highways
(US 97, US 20, OR 126) are Statewide Highways and the Freight Route designation applies to both US
97 and US 20; additionally much of these two highways are also designated Expressways. In general,
ODOT desires more reserve capacity on the mainline and less on the side streets. For example, a rural
highway can have a performance standard 0.70 V/C whereas the intersecting local road has performance
standard of 0.80 V/C. Unlike the County’s LOS performance standard, the ratio does not make a
distinction between roadway segments and intersections. For certain segments in Unincorporated
Communities, such as Terrebonne or Tumalo which are quasi-urban, ODOT allows more congestion.
Table 2.2.T4
Maximum Volume to Capacity Ratios Outside of Urban Growth Boundaries
Highway Category
Unincorporated
Communities
Rural Lands
Statewide (NHS) Expressways 0.70 0.70
Statewide (NHS) Freight Routes 0.70 0.70
Statewide (NHS) Routes 0.75 0.70
Regional Highways 0.75 0.70
District Highways/Local Roads 0.80 0.75
Source: Oregon Highway Plan
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 85 of 268
Traffic Volumes
County Roads
The Deschutes County Road Department conducts average daily traffic (ADT) and peak hour traffic
volume counts on a rotating basis for all arterials and collector roads in the County. Each road is
counted on average once every one to four years based on previous volumes. Higher volume roads are
counted more frequently.
Vehicles per day Counted
>5,000 Annually
>3,000-4,999 Every other year
>1,000-2,999 Every third year
<999 Every fourth year
Historically, traffic volumes on the County’s roads have grown by two to three percent annually.
However, beginning in 2007 traffic volumes have remained either essentially flat or have actually declined
due to the national and regional economic downturn. The loss of jobs and rising fuel costs have resulted
in less travel. The traffic count information was assembled in a spreadsheet and the most recent counts
from 2007-2009 were used. The data indicate all County roads perform acceptably. Even Baker Road,
the most heavily traveled road on the County system, has approximately 15 percent of its capacity
remaining. Technical Memorandum #2, Existing Traffic Conditions, in Appendix B provides more detail.
The 2000 Highway Capacity Manual states the capacity of a two-lane highway is 1,700 passenger cars per
hour per direction of travel with a maximum of 3,200 passenger cars per hour per both directions.
(The total intentionally does not equate to 3,400 passenger cars per hour for both directions due to
geometry, passing opportunities, accesses, etc.) While state highways have passing or climbing lanes,
currently there are no passing or climbing lanes on the County-maintained system; all County roads are
two-lane roads with left- and/or right-turn lanes at selected major intersections.
Table 2.2.T3 which was referenced earlier, identified the County roads with a significant volume (>3,000
ADT) in 2007-2009. The bulk of County roads carry a very low volume due to the rural land uses that
abut the roads. The rural uses simply do not generate much traffic. The major traffic generators in the
County are destination resorts and the larger unincorporated communities of Sunriver, Terrebonne,
and Tumalo, and Deschutes River Woods, a rural subdivision abutting Bend. Mount Bachelor and the
High Cascades Lakes generate winter and summer seasonal traffic, respectively.
Of the 310 miles of County-maintained rural arterials and collectors, only 13% (40 miles) carry 3,000 or
more average daily trips. The County rural road with the highest ADT volume in 2007-09 was Baker
Road, just west of Highway 97 at the south edge of Bend, with 8,404 ADT. Interestingly, the same
segment was also the highest traveled segment in the 1996, but with 9,090 ADT. The drop of more
than 600 ADT or 7.55% again shows the effect of the region’s economic downturn. Of the top ten
segments for traffic volumes, six are on the margins of Bend, two are on the periphery of La Pine, and
two are by Sunriver.
In 1996, there were four segments that were at Level of Service (LOS) D, the County’s minimum
standard, with two at the margins of Bend and by La Pine. In 2009, there were ten segments at LOS D.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 86 of 268
State Highways
State highway traffic volumes within Deschutes County vary widely with lower volumes in the rural
areas and higher volumes within or near the region’s cities. The traffic count information comes from
the Oregon Department of Transportation’s document 2009 Traffic Volume Tables. The heaviest
traveled highway in the County is US 97 with 2009 average daily volumes ranging from 12,200 at the
northern County line to 27,000 within Redmond to 42,200 within the City of Bend, and 5,800 at the
south county line. The next most traveled highway is US 20 with ADTs ranging from 7,600 west of
Black Butte Ranch to 9,400 within Sisters, to 21,400 within Bend, then dropping off significantly east of
Powell Butte Highway to 3,600 then decreasing easterly through Millican, Brothers and Hampton to
approximately 1,200.
Table 2.2.T5 and Figure 2.2.F13 show the existing (2009) volumes for State highway segments in the
County. Technical Memo #2, Existing Traffic Conditions, defined highway segments as being “high risk” if the
model indicated a V/C of greater than 0.80 and “medium risk” if the segment had a V/C of 0.60 to 0.79.
No State highway segment was at high risk, but six segments were at medium risk. The State highway
system has many segments that are either multi-lane (more than one travel lane in each direction) or
have passing or climbing lanes.
Also the State’s standards are more restrictive than the County’s. Therefore, the same traffic volumes
on a two-lane roadway would be assessed as a medium risk under the State’s V/C ratio but that same
volume would be acceptable under the County’s LOS performance standard.
Table 2.2.T5
Medium Risk State Highway Segments, 2009
Highway Milepoint Start Milepoint End Average ADT
US 97 115.23 117.34 16,300
US 97 151.05 153.08 17,100
US 20 14.48 14.72 14,700
O’Neil 0.78 0.86 2,300
Century Drive 10.62 11.75 2,500
Century Drive 18.77 18.81 1,050
Source: ODOT Traffic Volume Tables, Technical Memo #2, Existing Conditions
Tech Memo #2, Existing Traffic Conditions, analyzed unsignalized intersections currently either meeting or
nearly meeting the Preliminary Signal Warrant (PSW). The PSW is an indicator of either substantial
delay on the side street or the traffic from the side street has difficulty entering the mainline. Therefore,
the PSW identifies intersections that are experiencing or nearing poor performance, but that does not
mean a traffic signal is the solution. The following intersections, organized by highway and not priority,
already meet the PSW or nearly do:
• US 97-Lower Bridge Way
• US 97/Smith Rock Way
• US 97/O’Neil Highway-Pershall Way
• US 97 Southbound on and off ramps/Baker Road
• US 97 Northbound off ramp/Knott Road-Baker Road
• US 97-Vandevert Road
• US 97/OR 31
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 87 of 268
• US 20/Cook Avenue-O.B. Riley Road
• US 20/Old Bend-Redmond Highway
• US 20/Powell Butte Highway
• OR 126/Helmholtz Way
Safety Analysis
Traffic volumes are just one aspect of the operational safety of the transportation system. Other factors
include geometry and operating conditions (night or day, type of surface, season, etc.). Crashes are then
analyzed for crash data for a multi-year period to look at severity, frequency, and crash rate, and whether
there is any type of spatial pattern. Generally, a crash rate of less 1.0 per million vehicle-miles traveled
(VMT) is acceptable on a road segment. Similarly, a crash rate for an intersection of less than 1.0 per
million entering vehicles (MEV) is acceptable. By acceptable, it is meant the crash rate indicates these are
random events and do not evidence a systematic problem. The top rural accident locations for County
roads and for state highways are identified in Figure 2.2.F14 and Tables 2.2.T6, 2.2.T7, and 2.2.T8.
County Roads
Table 2.2.T6 and Figure 2.2.F14 list the crash sites on the County road network from 2005-2009. None of
the intersections exceed a crash rate of 1.0 per MEV. Technical Memo #2, Existing Conditions looked at
crash data from 2002-2006. Of the top three intersections on that list with a crash rate of greater than
1.0 per MEV (Hamby/Neff; Coyner/Northwest Way; Old Bend-Redmond Hwy/Tumalo) by 2009 none had
a crash rate greater than 0.50 MEV. Between 2002 and 2008 the County had installed a four-way stop at
Hamby/Neff and added a flashing red beacon to the stop sign at Coyner/Northwest Way.
Table 2.2.T6
Top Intersection Crash Locations on County Roads, 2005-2009
Ranking Main Street Cross Street Traffic Control Crashes MEV Rate
1 Northwest Way Coyner Ave TWSC 16 0.433
2 Old Bend-Redmond Tumalo Road TWSC 15 0.329
3 Deschutes Mkt Rd Dale Road TWSC 17 0.312
4 Lower Bridge Way 43rd Street TWSC 13 0.312
5 South Century Dr Huntington Road TWSC 16 0.302
6 Neff Road Hamby Road AWSC 16 0.261
7 Powell Butte Hwy Neff-Alfalfa TWSC 16 0.260
8 Burgess Road Day-Pine Forest TWSC 15 0.231
9 South Century Dr Vandevert Road TWSC* 12 0.210
10 Huntington Road Burgess Road Signal 18 0.210
11 Deschutes Mkt Rd Hamehook Road TWSC** 10 0.177
12 Knott Road China Hat Road TWSC 10 0.158
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
AWSC = All-way stop controlled, i.e., stop signs on every leg of the intersection
MEV = Crash rate per million entering vehicles
TWSC = Two-way stop controlled, i.e., stop sign on cross street
* Three-legged intersection with stop sign on east leg (Vandevert)
**Three-legged intersection with stop sign on north leg (Deschutes Market Road)
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 88 of 268
Additionally, Technical Memo #2, Existing Conditions, looked at crash rates for County roadway segments.
The crash rates for these segments were then compared to the 2007 State Highway Crash Rate Table, for
the five-year statewide average for similar facilities. The 2007 data indicated a crash rate of 1.24 for
rural major collectors and 0.86 for urban collectors. The only County roadway segments to exceed
those benchmarks were:
• Pershall Way, 1.56 crash rate for its 3.3 miles
• North Canal Boulevard, 1.35 crash rate for its 3.0 miles
• Hamby Road, 1.27 crash rate for its 4.8 miles
• Burgess Road, 0.89 crash rate for its 10.2 miles
Pershall Way
Of six crashes on this roadway, two were fixed object collisions, two were non-collision crashes (phantom
vehicle) and two were rear-end collisions. All but the fixed object crashes were Property Damage Only
(PDO) collisions. There were no fatalities. The weather was clear for all crashes. Icy roadways were a
factor in two crashes and all but one crash occurred in daylight. The crashes were attributed to several
driver errors including improper driving, reckless driving, speeding, following too closely and inattention.
Recoverable slopes (meaning the width and grade of the shoulder and roadside ditches) clear of rocks,
fences or other obstacles would have been of benefit in about half of these crashes.
North Canal Boulevard
Two crashes occurred and both were under clear dry daylight conditions. Both crashes were driver
error with a fixed object crash near US 97 caused by driving too fast for conditions. The other crash
happened when the passer’s vehicle sideswiped the vehicle it was overtaking.
Hamby Road
The fourteen crashes mostly occurred in dry, dark conditions. There were no fatalities. All but four of
the segment crashes were fixed object crashes. Of the four, two were pedestrian crashes; the other two
were angle and rear-end crashes. The crashes were attributed to some form of improper driving,
speeding, following too closely or inattention. Alcohol was involved in one of the crashes.
Countermeasures could include recoverable slopes, clear zones and shoulder improvements.
State Highways
Of the 626 reported crashes on state highways in Deschutes County between 2005 and 2007, the
majority of crashes were fixed object collisions (44%). These fixed object crashes may be caused by lack
of illumination, poor pavement conditions, poor weather conditions, driver fatigue, etc. Other collision
types ranged from 5 to 20 percent. The vast majority (79%) of crashes were under daylight conditions.
About half of the crashes occurred under snow, ice, or wet conditions. About a quarter of crashes
occurred at intersections. The total crashes involving trucks were eight percent.
ODOT uses the Safety Priority Index System (SPIS) to identify locations where mitigations can provide
the highest safety cost-benefit based on crash type, severity, crash rate. ODOT also keeps a statewide
data base to compare the crash rate for similar types of highways based on their classification and
context. The SPIS score is based on three years of crash history based segments that are a tenth of a
mile in length. A segment becomes a SPIS site if:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 89 of 268
• A location has three or more crashes; or
• One or more Injury A (life-threatening); or
• A fatal crash over a three-year period
Out of UGB , there were four top 10% SPIS sites in Deschutes County between 2005 and 2007. A trio
was on US 97 and one was on US 20. The segments were:
• US 97/MP 128.49-128.67 (Gift-Deschutes Pleasant Ridge), 12 crashes, one fatal and two Injury A
• US 97/Milepoint 146.39-146.59 (vicinity of ODOT weigh station), six crashes, one fatal and one
Injury A
• US 97/Milepoint 168.10-168.28 (6th Street in La Pine), seven crashes, one fatal and one Injury A
• US 20/Milepoint 14.53-14.71 (Bailey-7th Street), 17 crashes, no fatals and three Injury A’s.
For US 97/Gift-Deschutes Pleasant Ridge, ODOT and the Board of County Commissioners agreed in
2010 to disconnect Deschutes Pleasant Ridge from the east side of US 97. For US 20, ODOT installed a
raised median also in 2010, making 7th a right-in, right-out only (RIRO) and Bailey into a RIRO and a left-
in. The City of La Pine, ODOT, and Deschutes County in 2011 are preparing a facility management plan
for US 97 to improve operations, reduce crashes, and enhance bike/pedestrian travel and crossings.
ODOT is looking at countermeasures such as raised medians and divided lanes for US 97 between Bend
and the Cottonwood interchange at the north end of Sunriver.
Besides those SPIS locations, ODOT also tracks highway segments which exceed the average rate for
the rural highway system. This enables the agency to see how area highways compare to the statewide
average for both frequency and severity. Table 2.2.T7 shows high frequency locations.
Table 2.2.T7
Segments Exceeding State Highway Crash Rates, 2005-2007
Highway Segment ADT 3-Yr Crash Rate Avg Rural Hwy Sys Rate
US 97 (The Dalles-California Hwy #4)
MP 168.18 - 169.68 6,650 1.10 0.71
OR 242/OR 126 (McKenzie Hwy #15)
MP 77.14 - 91.11 535 1.34 1.17
MP 107.77 – 110.15 11,000 0.94 0.71
US 20 (Santiam Hwy #16)
MP 90.85 – 92.85 5,100 1.34 0.71
US 20 (McKenzie-Bend Hwy #17)
MP 5.30 – 7.87 8,700 0.90 0.71
MP 7.87 – 9.72 9,100 1.19 0.71
MP 14.30 – 17.48 13,600 0.84 0.71
OR 31 (Fremont Hwy #19)
MP 0.00 – 2.31 1,900 1.46 0.99
US 20 (Central Oregon Hwy #7)
MP 4.80 – 9.16 3,250 0.97 0.71
OR 370 (O’Neil Hwy #370)
MP 0.00 – 3.84 1,950 1.10 0.99
OR 372 (Century Drive Hwy #372)
MP 8.43 – 11.43 2,500 1.34 0.99
MP 11.43 – 16.87 2,100 1.04 0.99
MP 16.87 – 19.19 2,100 1.50 0.99
MP 19.19 – 21.98 2,000 1.64 0.99
Source: ODOT, Traffic Crash Summary
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 90 of 268
In addition to frequency, ODOT tracks the severity of crashes. Table 2.2.T8 lists crash sites that are in
the SPIS rating due to fatalities or severe injuries.
Table 2.2.T8, State Highway Crash Severity
Segments in Top 10% site in Safety Priority Indexing System (SPIS)
Segment Property Damage Only Severe Injury Fatal
US 97 (The Dalles-California Hwy #4)
MP 124.41 – 130.18 28 26 2
MP 143.47 – 150.71 30 22 2
MP 168.18 – 169.68 5 5 2
US 20 (McKenzie-Bend Hwy #17)
MP 14.30 – 17.48
Source: ODOT, Safety Priority Index System
Looking at the crash reports filed that formed the basis for Tables 2.2.T7 and 2.2.T8, several patterns
emerge along with potential countermeasures. Many of the crashes involve winter weather, driver
errors, and/or alcohol.
US 20 Crashes
MP 90.85 - MP 92.85 (approximately Deschutes/Jefferson County line to Black Butte Ranch): A majority
of crashes were rear-end and fixed object collisions. Thirteen out of fifteen total crashes occurred on
wet, snowy or icy roadway surface conditions. Weather advisory signs/message boards should be
considered for this segment.
MP 5.30 - MP 9.72 (approximately Gist Road to Innes Market Road): Thirty out of forty-two total
crashes occurred under dry conditions. Majority of crashes were rear-end, side-swipe and fixed objects.
One head-on fatality crash occurred during dry daylight conditions. Errors in the crash reports included:
followed too close, driving too fast, fatigued, careless driving, and inattention. Law enforcement and
speed advisories should be considered for this segment. Raised barriers may also be considered to
eliminate the potential head-on crash potential.
MP 4.80 - MP 9.16 (approximately Powell Butte Highway to Dodds Road): One-third of the total
crashes were angle and fixed objects. Seventy five percent of crashes occurred during dry conditions.
Drivers’ errors included: driving too fast, following too close, and improper turning. Law enforcement
and speed advisory should be considered for this segment.
OR 126 Crashes
OR126, MP 107.77 - MP 110.15 (approximately NW Oasis to SW 35th Street): The area is on the urban
fringe of Redmond. Angle, turn, and rear-end collision formed the majority of crashes on this segment.
They occurred during good weather with a dry roadway surface condition and at intersections and
accesses. Consolidated accesses, channelized turn bays and raised median barriers should be considered
for this segment.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 91 of 268
OR 31 Crashes
OR31, MP 0.00 - MP 2.31 (approximately US 97 to Deschutes/Klamath County line): Four out of the
seven total crashes were fixed object collisions. The majority of crashes were related to driving too fast
and following too close. Law enforcement and speed advisories should be considered for this segment.
OR 242 Crashes
MP 77.14 - MP 91.11 (approximately Deschutes/Linn County line to McKinney Butte Road): The
majority of crashes on this rural major collector occurred on wet and icy roadway conditions. Weather
advisory signs/message boards should be considered although much of this segment is closed in winter
at the snow gate at MP 83.71.
O’Neil Highway Crashes
MP 0.00 - MP 3.84 (approximately US 97 to NE 41st Street): Most of the nine total crashes involved
driving too fast and alcohol. Law enforcement and speed advisory should be considered.
Century Drive Crashes
MP 8.43 - 21.98 (approximately USFS road to Tumalo Lake to Cascade Lakes Hwy): Of the 42 crashes,
21 were fixed object crashes. Thirty-six crashes occurred with wet, snowy or icy roadway surface
conditions. Weather advisories should be considered for this segment.
Pavement Type/Condition
Out of the 832 roadway miles that the County maintains, 693 miles (83%) are paved while the other 139
miles (17%) are either dirt or aggregate. There is only one unpaved principal arterial in the County and that
is OR 27 which runs north past Prineville Reservoir dead-ending in Prineville at OR 126. OR 27 is paved in
Crook County and connects to US 20 approximately 30 miles east of Bend, between Millican and Brothers.
There are no unpaved rural arterials, but several miles of unpaved rural collectors. The unpaved sections of
collectors currently handle low daily traffic volumes and are identified in Figure 2.2.F15. The unpaved
arterials/collectors are shown in Table 2.2.T9.
Table 2.2.T9
Unpaved Principal Arterials, Arterials, and Collectors
Classification Road Segment Miles Average Daily Traf
Principal Arterial OR 27: Crook Co – US 20 3.5 20
Collector Buckhorn Rd: Lower Bridge Way – OR 126 4.2 166
Collector Wilt Rd: Stardust Ln – End County maintenance 4.4 1,384
Collector Rickard Rd: Blackfoot Trail – US 20 1.8 Unknown
Collector Huntington Rd: N. Riverview to S. Riverview 2.2 Unknown
Collector Foster Rd: La Pine State Rec Rd – S. Century 3.8 35
Collector Masten Rd: Pavement’s end – Klamath Co. 0.7 380
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 92 of 268
Road and Street Standards
Tables 2.2.T10-12 summarize the dimensional minimums for streets and roads in the unincorporated areas
of Deschutes County. The standards attempt to balance accommodating through traffic on predominantly
rural high-speed stretches vs. segments which traverse more quasi-urban areas. The unincorporated
communities of Terrebonne and Tumalo have their own standards that were adopted in 1997.
At the time of the 1998 TSP, La Pine was an Urban Unincorporated Community and under County
jurisdiction. Circa 1996 the County had established a planned area bounded by US 97, Huntington Road,
1st Street, and Burgess Road. Known as the New Neighborhood, the area was based on neo-traditional
planning principles with road and sidewalk standards to match. Since November 2006, the City of La
Pine has contracted with the County for current planning duties and the City has been using the
previous County standards. The City is expected in the next few years to adopt its own TSP and have
its own standards. As the County anticipates the City of La Pine will create its own standards, the road
standards for the La Pine area are not summarized below as they were for Terrebonne and Tumalo.
The full minimum road standards for width, grade, design speed, etc., appear in Deschutes County Code
DCC Chapter 17.48, Table A, Design and Construction Specifications. Table A is Appendix C in the
TSP. This table includes the standards for those roads in the New Neighborhood in La Pine.
Bike facilities are covered in DCC Chapter 17.,48, Table B and are discussed below.
For State Highways, the dimensional standards shall be those adopted by ODOT and used in their
project development process.
Table 2.2.T10
Minimum Road Design Standards, Rural County (Outside UGBs)
Type/Class
ROW
Paved
Width
Travel
Lane
Width
Paved
Shoulder
Width
Gravel
Shoulder
Width
Turn
Lane
Width
Sidewalk
Required
Rural Roads Outside of La Pine, Terrebonne and Tumalo
State Hwy 80’-100’ 36’-70’ 12’ 6’ --- 14’ No
Rural Arterial 80’ 28’-46’ 11’ 3’-5’ 2’ 14’ No
Rural Collector 60’ 28’-46’ 11’ 3’-5’ 2’ 14’ No
Local Road 60’ 20’-24’ --- --- 2’ --- No
Industrial 60’ 32’ --- --- --- --- No
Private --- 20’-28’ --- --- --- --- No
Frontage Road 40’-60’ 28’ --- --- --- --- No
Source: DCC 17.48.050, Table A
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 93 of 268
Table 2.2.T11
Minimum Road Design Standards, Terrebonne Unincorporated Community
Type/Class
ROW
Paved
Width
Travel
Lane
Width
Paved
Shoulder
Width
Gravel
Shoulder
Width
Turn
Lane
Width
Sidewalk
Required
Principal Arterial
US 97 80’-100’ 60’ 12’ 6’ 6’ 14’ No*
Arterial
Smith Rock Way TeC 60’ 34’ 12’ 5’ 2’ 14’ Yes
TeR 60 34’ 12’ 5’ 2’ 14’ No
Lower Bridge Way 60’ 34’ 12’ 5’ 2’ 14’ No
Collector
Commercial TeC 60’ 24’ 12’ --- 2’ --- Yes
TeR 60’ 24’ 12’ --- 2’ --- No
Residential TeR 60’ 24’ 12’ --- 2’ --- No**
Local
Commercial TeC 60’ 24’ 12’ --- 2’ --- Yes
TeR 60’ 24’’ 12’ --- 2’ --- No
Residential TeR 60’ 20’ 12’ --- 2’ --- No***
Other
Alley (Commercial) 20’ 20’ 10’ --- --- --- No
Path/Trail 15’ 6’-8’ --- --- 2.5**** --- ---
Source: DCC 17.48.050, Table A
* 6-foot sidewalks are required on both sides of US 97 between South 11th Avenue and Central Avenue with
improved pedestrian crossings at B Avenue/97 and C Avenue/97
** 5-foot sidewalks with drainage swales are required from West 19th to 15th Street on the south side of C Avenue
*** 5-foot curb sidewalks with drainage swales required along Terrebonne Community School frontage on
B Avenue and 5th Street
**** If path/trail is paved
Table 2.2.T12
Minimum Road Design Standards, Tumalo Unincorporated Community
Type/Class
ROW
Paved
Width
Travel
Lane
Width
Paved
Shoulder
Width
Gravel
Shoulder
Width
Turn
Lane
Width
Sidewalk
Required
Principal Arterial
US 20 80’-100’ 60’ 12’ 4’ 6’ 14’ No
Arterial
Cline Falls Hwy 80’ 36’ 12’ 6’ 2’ 14’ Yes
Cook Avenue 80’ 36’ 12’ 6’ 2’ 14’ Yes
Collector
Commercial 60’ 30’ 11’ 4’ 2’ 14’ Yes
Residential 60’ 30’ 11’ 4’ 2’ 14’ No
Local
Commercial 60’ 20’ 10’ --- 2’ --- No*
Residential 60’ 20’ 10’ --- 2’ --- No
Other
Alley (Commercial) 20’ 20’ --- --- --- --- No
Path/Trail 15’ 6’-8’ --- --- 2.5’** --- No
Source: DCC 17.48.050, Table A
*5-foot curbless sidewalks on both sides for roads designated for sidewalks in Tumalo Comprehensive Plan Map D2.
** If path/trail is paved
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 94 of 268
Bridge Condition
The County Road Department maintains a list of the 120 bridges throughout Deschutes County and
their weight limits. Many of the bridges are relatively new, constructed of reinforced concrete, and are
able to withstand many years of use before repairs or replacement is necessary. However, some others
are old flatbed railroad cars that were converted to bridges. The Oregon Department of
Transportation (ODOT) assesses bridge condition for all bridges over twenty feet in length. The
County checks all bridges less than twenty feet long. Often a driver might not even realize the vehicle is
crossing what is considered a bridge. While the Deschutes or Little Deschutes rivers have obvious
bridges, Central Oregon has numerous irrigation canals which must be crossed.
Replacement or major renovation projects are added to the Major Roads Capital Improvement Program
each year by the Road Department as funding becomes available. Table 2.2.T13 identifies the bridge
locations, cost to upgrade and whether they are posted for weight limits.
Bridge load ratings are related to not just weight, but also number of axles. Therefore, there is not one
single amount for a bridge’s load limit. For specific weight limits for various axle and trailer
combinations, please contact the Deschutes County Road Department at (541) 388-6581.
Restrictions on freight movements can have a ripple effect on bridges. As an example, length
restrictions on the O’Neil Highway means aggregate trucks delivering loads from western Crook
County to Redmond divert onto Smith Rock Way. This re-routing from a State highway onto County
roads has put a strain on bridges on Smith Rock Bridge (Bridge #218403), 33rd Street (Bridge #216903),
and 17th Street (Bridge #228701).
Table 2.2.T13
Substandard County Bridges
Bridge Location Cost to Replace Weight Limit
NE 17th Street $150,000 No
Cascade Lakes Hwy (Fall River) $637,000 Yes
Gribbling Road $225,000 Yes
Holmes Road $150,000 Yes
Sisemore Road $687,500 Yes
Tetherow Road $1,582,500 Yes
Wilcox Avenue $150,300 Yes
Source: Deschutes County Road Department
Bicycle Facilities
Deschutes County, particularly the western third of the County, is known for its cycling opportunities.
Cycling ranges from professional and amateur racing to commercially organized groups to local riders
out for either training or recreational rides. There are even a few hardy cycling commuters between
Bend and Redmond. For riders who prefer pavement, the options include low-volume County roads
with topography ranging from relatively flat to steep alpine passes. For riders who prefer dirt, there are
numerous USFS and BLM gravel and/or roads as well as single-track trails through the Deschutes
National Forest and the sagebrush and juniper of BLM lands.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 95 of 268
The County, along with the four cities, has peddled the cycling market to potential tourists as well as
citing cycling as an amenity for economic development. In 2008, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) formed a
Central Oregon Recreational Assets Committee, which included Deschutes County Commissioner
Tammy Baney, to look at how the area’s cycling, hiking, and skiing could be used to promote Central
Oregon. The group identified several critical cycling routes, culminating in the Three Sisters Scenic
Byway, a series of loops centered on Bend, La Pine, Redmond, and Sisters. Many of these cycling goals
were anticipated in prior County plans.
The 1979 Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan directed that
“The County shall develop and adopt a County-wide systems plan for bike
paths (bikeways) and trails which provides access to various destinations in
and between urban areas and rural service centers.”
The Deschutes County Bicycle Advisory Committee was formed in 1988 (pedestrian component added
in 1996) to respond to this policy statement. In March 1992, the County adopted a Bicycle Master Plan
as a resource element of the Deschutes County Year 2000 Comprehensive Plan. The Bicycle Master
Plan provides recommendations for policies, classifications of bike facilities, location of bike facilities,
bicycle parking and other transportation issues related to bike facilities. Bicycle facilities include
bikeways, both paved and unpaved, and parking. Currently, bikeway design falls under the general design
criteria section of the County's DCC Title 17 (Subdivision Ordinance). It states that:
1. Bikeways shall be designed in accordance with the current standards and guidelines of the State
of Oregon Bicycle Master Plan, American Association of State Highway and transportation
Officials (AASHTO) Guide for the Development of New Bicycle Facilities, and the Deschutes
County Bicycle Master Plan.
2. All collectors and arterials shown on the County Transportation Plan map shall be constructed
to include bikeways as defined by the Deschutes County Bicycle Master Plan.
3. If interim road standards are used, interim bikeways and/or walkways shall be provided. These
interim facilities shall be adequate to serve bicyclists and pedestrians until the time of the road
upgrade.
The most prominent element of the County bicycle system is its paved, on-road bikeways. The County
and cities for several reasons have placed emphasis on these routes:
1. The existing system of improved County roads, totaling approximately 750 miles, generally
provides the most efficient and safest route for bicycle commuters and recreational cyclists
traveling to and from home, work, school, and shopping.
2. The state gas tax revenues are only available for bicycle lanes or paths constructed within public
rights-of-way.
3. Maintenance is easier for public agencies as part of their normal road maintenance.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 96 of 268
Paved Bikeways
Bicycles are legally classified as vehicles which may be ridden on most public roadways in Oregon.
There are four basic types of paved bicycle facilities in Deschutes County:
• Shared Roadway - On a shared roadway facility, cyclists share the normal vehicle lanes with
motorists. Shared roadway facilities are common on urban residential streets and on narrow
rural roads. Shared roadways are acceptable on all streets, other than new construction of
arterials and collectors. In places with significant bicycle travel, these roadways are signed as
bicycle “routes.”
• Shoulder Bikeway - Smooth, paved, rural roadway shoulders provide a good area where
cyclists can ride with faster moving motor vehicle traffic with few conflicts. The majority of
bicycle travel on the state highway system is accommodated on shoulder bikeways. Shoulder
bikeways may be used on any uncurbed street section. A shoulder bikeway shall be provided on
all new construction of uncurbed arterials and collectors. In places that bicycle travel is
significant, these roadways can also be signed as bicycle “routes.”
• Bike Lane - Where bicycle travel is substantial and where adequate width is available, a portion
of the roadway may be designated for preferential use by cyclists. Bike lanes shall be provided
on all new construction of urban collectors and arterials, and on rural road segments designated
as bicycle “routes”. Bike lanes are more common in urban rather than rural areas.
• Bike / Multi-Use Path - A bike path is a bikeway that is physically separated from motorized
traffic by open space or a barrier. Bike paths may be located within the roadway right-of-way or
within a dedicated bike path right-of-way. Bike paths are normally two-way facilities. Bike paths
may be multi-use paths if sufficient width is provided. They generally serve corridors not served
by other bikeways or pedestrian facilities and where there are few crossing roadways.
Unpaved Bikeways
With the advent of mountain bikes, previously unused trails and poor roads are opened up to potential
use as inexpensive bike routes that require little more than right-of-way and signage. This has become
even more possible with the improvements to mountain bikes in terms of their suspension. Deschutes
County has many primitive roads and trails, most of which are on National Forest or Bureau of Land
Management land, some of which are located close to urban areas. There are approximately 1,300 miles
of forest highways and 450 miles of trails within the County, of which most are open to bicycles. The
County controls about 500 miles of unimproved public rights-of-way.
Trails leading from southwest Bend to Benham Falls and along the Deschutes River to Sunriver are two
examples of routes that offer enormous recreational potential. This is particularly true of USFS #41
Road between Century Drive and River Summit Drive (formerly USFS #40/#45 Road). The USFS has
taken the lead in recognizing the growing popularity of mountain biking and has designated many trails
and roads in the County for that use.
Cyclists have always used unpaved roads and paths (smooth and hard-packed) where paved routes were
unavailable. Where their incorporation into the bikeway system is appropriate, they may be classified as
shared, unpaved roadways or unpaved bike paths. With the advent and growing popularity of mountain
bikes, even rough, unpaved routes have become popular bikeways, creating a new classification:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 97 of 268
• Mountain Bike Trail/Route - This category is designed to accommodate bicycle travel on
unpaved roads and trails. Mountain bike trails are primarily recreational, although in some cases
they may provide an interim transportation facility. Mountain bike riding is intended to be as
natural an experience as possible and any improvements beyond that absolutely required for
safety may deter from this experience. Often mountain bike trails are combined with Nordic ski
trails and with roadways that are otherwise closed to motorized vehicle traffic. Mountain bike
trails generally are not shared with pack animals. Most often the only improvement needed to
existing facilities is signing.
Alternative Routes
Typically, main bike routes are chosen because they are the most direct, desirable routes. These
routes, however, often utilize the shoulders of state highways. The volume and speeds of the traffic as
well as the mix of heavy vehicles can make it challenging to ride along the shoulders of state highways.
Additionally, for valid safety reasons ODOT often scours the shoulders to make “rumble strips” as a
countermeasure to inattentive drivers leaving the roadway. These can be harsh on bicycle wheels.
Alternate routes were identified in the Plan to enhance and supplement, rather than supersede the main
routes. Alternate routes are usually the most cost effective or immediate way to provide for bicycle
movement through a difficult section. As such, they may serve in a primary capacity until the main route
can be improved for bicycle traffic. Several high traffic sections with bike facilities in the County have
alternative routes identified in Table 2.2.T14 that were formerly considered “parallel bikeways.”
Table 2.2.T14
Alternative Routes for Riders to Avoid State Highways
Bike Facility Location High Traffic Area Alternate Route
U.S. Highway 20 North of Bend O.B. Riley Road
U.S. Highway 97 Sunriver Entrance to La Pine South Century Drive and Huntington
Road
U.S. Highway 97 Sunriver to Bend Forest Service Road #41 (unpaved)
U.S. Highway 97 Bend to Redmond Old Redmond-Bend Highway or Cline
Falls Highway
Source: Deschutes County staff map analysis
Bikeway Maps
The existing and proposed bike facilities are shown in Chapter 5 at Figures 5.5.F2-F5.. These include the
Three Sisters Scenic Bikeway and County roads that are popular with cyclists.
Typical Bikeway Design Standards
Table 2.2.T15 summarizes the major elements of the typical bike design standards currently used in
Deschutes County. The complete minimum standards for bicycle facilities are found in DCC Chapter
17.48, Table B in Deschutes County Code.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 98 of 268
Table 2.2.T15
Selected Minimum Bikeway Design Standards
Type
Stripe
On/
Off
Road
Width
Vertical
Clearance
Horizontal
Clearance
(ea. side)
Grade
ROW
Multiuse
Path
Off
Min Std High
Use Min Min Std Max Min
8’ 10’ 12’ 8’ 2’ 5%
>5%
up to
500’
15’
Mtn.
Bike
Trail
Off n/a 2’ n/a 7’ n/a n/a n/a n/a
Bike
Lane
8” with
painted
stencil
On
4’
w/open
shoulder
6’
Use on
URBAN
arterial or
major collector,
or RURAL
roads near
urban areas
with high
anticipated bike
use
5’
w/curb
or
parking
Shoulder
Bikeway 4’ On 4’
4’ w/
open
shoulder
6’
Recommended
on higher speed
and traffic
volume rural
roads
5’ w/
curb or
other
barrier
Shared
Road-
way
On
Recommended
only on local
roads with
speeds of 25
mph or less and
<3,000 ADT
Source: DCC 17.48.050, Table B
Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities in Resort Communities
There are four resort communities in the County that have developed independent bicycle networks.
These networks, being privately owned, funded and maintained, are available to owners and guests of
the individual communities and are not open to the general public. However, these bike facilities shall
meet County construction standards and shall not impede movement within the Countywide system.
• Sunriver - Sunriver is a large resort community located fifteen miles south of Bend and several
miles west of US 97. Sunriver has a permanent population of approximately 1,300 people and a
seasonally larger population of guests, vacationers and part-time residents. The Sunriver
Owners Association owns approximately thirty (30) miles of paved off-road bicycle paths within
the resort.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 99 of 268
• Black Butte Ranch - Black Butte Ranch is a planned resort community located approximately
ten miles west of Sisters off of US 20. The 1,830-acre community has a resident population of
approximately 300 people and a seasonally larger population of guests, vacationers and part-time
residents. BBR has approximately sixteen (16) miles of paved off-road bicycle paths.
• Eagle Crest Resort - Eagle Crest Resort is a 1,300-acre destination resort community of single-
family homes and condominiums located approximately four miles southwest of Redmond. The
current resident population is approximately 75 with an added 300 people as overnight or
seasonal guests. Eagle Crest has approximately three to four miles of bicycle paths from six to
eight feet wide.
• River Meadows Recreation Homes - River Meadows is a 160-acre private residential
development located eight miles southwest of the Sunriver Resort on the Deschutes River. The
development has approximately 1.5 miles of bicycle paths surrounding the development.
Pedestrian Sidewalks/Walkways
The majority of the roadways in Deschutes County are rural in nature and thus there is no requirement
for sidewalks or other pedestrian accommodations. The exception is the unincorporated communities
which have smaller lots and higher population densities. Thus in Terrebonne and Tumalo sidewalks are
required for new development along certain arterials and collectors. Both of these communities are
quasi-urban with a recognizable commercial core. The County also has sidewalk standards for La Pine,
which was an Urban Unincorporated Community until November 2006. The County is under contract
to do current planning for La Pine and will continue to require sidewalks until either La Pine established
its own TSP and development code or ceases to contract with the County for current planning services.
The County standard for sidewalk width is five feet. Although most of the County’s improved sidewalks
occurred in La Pine when it was an Urban Unincorporated Community, the other two critical areas for
sidewalks are Terrebonne and Tumalo. These two communities have schools and higher population
densities than in the rural areas of the County. The existing and planned sidewalks are shown in
Chapter 5 at Figures 5.5.F6 (Terrebonne) and F7 (Tumalo) highlight the sidewalk networks. In
Terrebonne, there are extensive sidewalks along US 97 and 11th Street and B Smith Rock Way. In
Tumalo, the sidewalks are concentrated along Cook Avenue and Fourth and a portion of Fifth. The rest
of the rural areas of the County do not have sidewalks.
Public Transportation
The public transportation landscape has had several dramatic transformations since the 1998 TSP was
adopted. Bend began a fixed-route transit service called Bend Area Transit (BAT) in 2006. The hub and
spoke system is centered on Hawthorne Station, which is on Hawthorne between Third and Fourth
streets. Hawthorne Station is an intermodal hub for several other public transportation providers in
addition to Bend’s fixed-route service. The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) through
an Oregon Solutions grant developed a coordinated public transportation plan for Crook, Deschutes,
and Jefferson counties.
The 2007 County plans were based on the concept of combining the transportation offerings of various
public transportation providers such as social service agencies, public health agencies, and non-
governmental groups. These groups provided transportation services to the elderly, disabled, and other
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 100 of 268
people without personal means of transportation. An outgrowth of COIC’s work was the 2008
creation of Cascade East Transit (CET), which offered intercity service within the tri-county area. CET
absorbed BAT in 2010. Figure 2.2.F16 displays CET’s routes.
Cascades East Transit is Central Oregon's regional transit provider and offers the following services:
• Intra-community public demand response services in LaPine, Madras/Culver/Metolius, Prineville,
Redmond/Terrebonne, and Sisters
• Intra-community public fixed route and complimentary paratransit services in Bend
• Inter-community Community Connector Shuttles connecting those communities with each
other and with Warm Springs
CET began in Crook County and requested that COIC take over the operation of the Crook County
Dial-A-Ride, a seniors-only transportation program for Prineville. At that time, there were several
independent transit services in Central Oregon, operated by individual non-profits and social service
providers. None of the services were coordinated, and there were no services available to the general
public except in Bend.
In the next few years, COIC helped Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties develop their required
Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plans. The plans identified a priority need for inter-
community shuttles to connect transit dependent populations to employment and services within their
communities. The plans also recognized a broader need for coordination and pooling of available
transportation and social service transportation funding under one regional roof to enable greater
efficiencies and increased service. Regional stakeholders also realized that general public transportation
resources were available for Central Oregon but were not being utilized, and that they could be
leveraged with local investment.
In October 2007, the Central Oregon Council on Aging entered into a MOU that transferred its buses
and committed its senior transportation dollars (for senior buses in Sisters, Redmond, Madras, and La
Pine) to COIC to create a regional transit system to better meet the needs of seniors in Central
Oregon. COIC used this investment, plus investments from the Oregon Department of Human
Services, the Partnership to End Poverty, Central Oregon Resources for Independent Living, the
Opportunity Foundation, as well as many of the region's local governments, to leverage additional
investment from state and federal sources.
In 2010 the City of Bend formed a transit advisory committee to look at whether it would be best for Bend
to consolidate the City-operated Bend Area Transit (BAT) with the rest of the regional system. The
committee recommended that the City move forward with developing an agreement with COIC to transfer
BAT and consolidate it with CET, and the transfer occurred on September 1, 2010. Around that time,
COIC also entered into an agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to add community
connector service from Warm Springs to Madras, marking the first use of tribal transit funds in CET.
Significant efforts have occurred since then to consolidate the system and create a regional rider guide
and fare stock to create the best experience for the public transit customer in Central Oregon. COIC
opened Hawthorne Station in Bend on April 1, 2011, and will be improving the Redmond Transit Hub in
summer 2011. These transit hubs provide better access and passenger connectivity.
Starting in August 2011, COIC will be developing a Regional Transit Master Plan, to be completed by
December 2012, which will address the following:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 101 of 268
• Short-term changes to transit services to better serve customers;
• Long-term goals for regional transit services;
• Long-term sustainable funding for transit services, tied to specific, high-priority service needs.
Deschutes National Forest (DNF) is currently conducting an “Alternative Transportation Feasibility
Study” to develop a plan to reduce single-occupant vehicle (SOV) access to trailheads and other
recreational assets. The DNF proposal would look at increasing the number of shuttles on Cascade
Lakes Highway and outfitting those vehicles with bike racks and possibly trailer hitches. Deschutes
County, ODOT, and CET are providing technical assistance.
In addition to regularly scheduled services, several transportation providers offer demand-response
services. Commute Options also contracts with employers to provide vanpools and rider-match
services for carpooling as well as transportation demand management (TDM) strategies.
Below is a list of providers of intercity transportation services by geographic links from Appendix C of
the May 2009 Deschutes County Coordinated Human Services Public Transportation Plan.
Inter-City Public Transportation
Sisters to Bend
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
Redmond to Bend
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Cascade East Transit
• Central Oregon Breeze
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• Green Energy Transportation
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
La Pine to Bend
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Cascade East Transit
• Central Cascade Lines
• COCOA, Dial-A-Ride
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
• Sunriver Resort employee shuttle
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 102 of 268
Prineville to Bend
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Cascade East Transit (via Redmond)
• Central Oregon Breeze (via Redmond)
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
Sisters to Redmond
• Black Butte Ranch employee shuttle
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade East Transit
• Cascade Shuttle
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
Madras to Redmond
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Cascade East Transit
• Central Oregon Breeze
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
• Oregon Department of Human Services – Volunteer Services
Prineville to Redmond
• Bend City Cab
• Cascade Shuttle
• Cascade East Transit
• Central Oregon Breeze
• Central Oregon Cabulance
• Crook County Veterans’ Transportation
• High Desert Wheelchair Transport
Additionally, there are public transportation providers with regularly scheduled services that stop in
Deschutes County while connecting to the Oregon Coast, the Willamette Valley, and Eastern Oregon.
(All times, routes, and locations are subject to change and should be verified by contacting the service
provider.) Those providers include:
• Central Oregon Breeze - Bend to Portland with stops in Redmond (CET center and
Redmond Airport) once a day, leaving Bend at 7 a.m. and returning at 6:00 p.m. On Fridays and
Sundays there is a second bus leaving Bend at 11:30 a.m. and returning at 10:30 p.m.
• Eastern POINT - Provides daily service between Bend, Burns, and Ontario. The bus departs
Hawthorne State at 2:45 p.m. Pacific Time arriving in Ontario at 9:05 p.m. Mountain Time. The
bus leaves Ontario at 10:10 a.m. Mountain Time and arrives in Bend at 3 p.m. Pacific Time.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 103 of 268
• High Desert POINT - Provides two daily vans from Redmond, Bend, and La Pine to Chemult,
the latter being the depot for Amtrak rail passenger service. The morning van leaves the
Redmond Airport at 7 a.m.; Hawthorne Station at 7:40 a.m.; Sunriver Lodge at 8:15 a.m.; and
the La Pine Shell station at 8:40 a.m., arriving at Amtrak depot in Chemult at 9:20 a.m. The
evening van leaves the Redmond Airport at 5:20 p.m.; Hawthorne Station at 6:05 p.m.; Sunriver
Lodge at 6:35 p.m.; and the La Pine Shell station at 7 p.m., arriving in Chemult at 7:40 p.m.
The inbound morning van leaves Chemult at 9:45 a.m., arriving in La Pine at 10:25 a.m.; Sunriver
at 10:25; Bend’s Hawthorne Station at 11:15 a.m., and Redmond Airport at 11:50 a.m. The
inbound evening van leaves Chemult at 8:10 p.m.; La Pine at 8:50 p.m.; Sunriver at 9:15 p.m.;
Bend’s Hawthorne Station at 9:45 p.m. and Redmond Airport at 10:30 p.m.
• The People Mover – Grant County to Bend on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with a
stop at Redmond Airport if requested. The van leaves Prairie City at 6 a.m. arriving at
McDonalds on South 97 in Redmond at 9:55 a.m. and Bend’s Hawthorne Station at 10:45 a.m.
The return leg leaves Bend at 3:30 p.m. arriving at the Redmond south McDonald’s at 4:20 p.m.
and Prairie City at 8:20 p.m.
• Porter Stage Lines – Travels to Coos Bay via Eugene daily, leaving Bend at 3 p.m. and arriving
at coast at 8 p.m. The return trip leaves Coos Bay at 9:20 a.m., arriving at Bend at 2:35 p.m.
Currently, the Bend pick up/drop off point is Lava Lanes Bowling Alley, but this may change to
Hawthorne Station.
• Valley Retriever Bus Lines – One daily bus operates between Bend, Albany, Corvallis, and
Newport. The bus leaves Hawthorne Station at 10:55 a.m. and arrived in Newport at 4:10 p.m.
The Bend-bound bus leaves Newport at 5:45 a.m. and arrives at Third Street and Hawthorne at
10:40 a.m.
Finally, Mount Bachelor operates a shuttle from Bend to the mountain which serves both the public and
employees from the park and ride lot at Simpson/Colorado. The shuttle offers a reduced spring
schedule.
Local Demand-Response Transportation Providers
Besides the fixed route services described above, several other organizations transport people to their
destinations. These special transportation providers serve mainly the elderly and disabled populations
or other similar niches rather than the general public. The organizations are a mix of public, private, and
non-profit entities. Reservations are often required.
• City of Bend Dial-A-Ride - The City of Bend operates this service and a form of fixed-
route/demand responsive system called a "scheduled route" for residents of the City of Bend
and the urban area within approximately a three-mile radius of the City limits. This service is
available to elderly residents aged 60 or above and disabled residents of any age. The demand
responsive service operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on
weekends. The scheduled route service operates from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays only.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 104 of 268
• Central Oregon Council on Aging (COCOA) Dial-A-Ride - Located in Redmond, the
Central Oregon Council on Aging (COCOA) is a private non-profit agency that operates a
demand responsive dial-a-ride system for senior citizens aged 60 and older and any disabled
citizens. COCOA will transport the general public on a space-available basis. COCOA
provides service outside the Bend urban area in the following locations:
• La Pine - The service area includes the Fall River area east of the Deschutes River, north to
Vandevert Road, and south to include Jack Pine Village. Trips out of the service area to Bend
are offered one day per week with a stop in Sunriver. Service is available four days per week in
the La Pine area; service hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.
• Redmond - The service area generally encompasses a three-mile radius of the City center five
days per week and extends to a five-mile radius two days per week. Trips to Bend are offered
two days per week via the Madras and Sisters dial-a-ride vans. Service is offered Monday
through Friday in the Redmond area from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. A pre-scheduled shopper van is
available Monday and Thursday.
• Sisters - The service area generally encompasses the vicinity of Sisters including the Cloverdale
and Tollgate communities. Travel to Redmond is offered two days per week and to Bend one
day per week. Service in Sisters is offered four days per week. The Redmond shopper van
operates from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Thursday; the Bend van (via Redmond) runs from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and local service is available Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Opportunity Foundation of Central Oregon - The Opportunity Foundation of Central
Oregon is a private non-profit agency that operates a demand responsive special transportation
service to their program clients (70-100/day), primarily adults with disabilities. It has a residential
and work center located in Redmond (and branch work center in Bend). Their service area is
comprised of the Bend, Redmond, Terrebonne, and Tumalo areas in Deschutes County. Trip
purposes include access to medical services, community resources, special events, recreation, home
visits, competitions, and job sites. Service hours vary depending on community and work sites.
• Residential Assistance Program (RAP) - RAP is a private, non-profit organization that
provides residential care and vocational training for developmentally disabled clients. Their
service area is Deschutes County, but the five residential facilities are located in Bend, and the
primary services are also located in Bend. Service is provided 24 hours per day (residential) but
the vocational element is provided from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Disabled American Veterans - The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 14 in Bend
operates a daily weekday shuttle to the VA Medical Center in Portland. This service is limited
to any veteran needing transport to the medical center.
• Volunteer Services - The Oregon Department of Human Resources (DHR) Volunteer
Services links DHR clients with volunteer drivers. Service hours are generally normal office
hours Monday through Friday.
• Central Oregon Resources for Independent Living (CORIL) - CORIL is a private, non-profit
organization that provides supported employment, recreational opportunities and independent living
services. CORIL provides van transportation for its clients.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 105 of 268
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
Currently, the County, ODOT and the City of Bend jointly fund Commute Options for Central Oregon.
This organization began in 1990 as a volunteer citizen’s group working towards solutions to traffic
congestion and pollution. They are responsible for maintaining the Central Oregon Rideshare list,
promoting Commute Options Week each spring, and acting as transportation consultants to businesses,
cities, counties and other agencies interested in alternative commuting methods such as carpooling, van
pooling, shuttles, and teleworking as well as Safe Routes to School (SR2S).
Rideshare (Park & Ride) Facilities
This plan makes reference to rideshare lots, which are more appropriate for the carpooling emphasis in
Deschutes County, rather than park & ride lots which usually involve a fixed route transit stop (such as
the Mt. Bachelor Super Shuttle). In Deschutes County, there is a significant amount of intercity
commuting as well as commuters who come from Crook County to Bend primarily, but also Redmond.
Prior to the establishment of a public transit system a skeletal network of commuter rideshare lots
developed. With a maturing CET system, these need for park and ride lots can be expected to increase.
The first officially designated lot is located in Wickiup Junction at the southwest corner of Highway 97
and Burgess Road. This lot is signed and paved, and has an average observed usage of approximately six
to seven cars per day. Other pre-existing sites include one at the Deschutes County Services building at
the south end of La Pine, on at Sunriver Marketplace another at Mini-Market in Terrebonne, one in
Sisters near US 20/Locust, another in south Redmond, the Mount Bachelor SW Simpson and SW
Colorado in Bend, one at ODOT’s main campus near Third Street/Empire, and one on ODOT-owned
property at the northwest quadrant of US 20/Powell Butte Highway. In general, Commute Options
seeks locations that are sheltered or shelter is nearby, have access to convenience goods such as coffee,
and have public visibility to ensure users feel comfortable and safe.
Staff has also observed what appear to be informal rideshare areas both in the North and South County
with those in South County being near US 97. An example of these informal lots would be the
northwest quadrant of US 97/Vandevert Road. These locations are generally used by five or fewer cars
per day. Figure 2.2.F17 shows the location of the existing rideshare lots. It is likely that several informal
lots exist within shopping center parking areas, movie theaters, or other similar locations.
Central Oregon Rideshare
Central Oregon Rideshare is a carpool matching service available to Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson
County residents free of charge. The matching service is essentially a database of interested individuals
which is maintained by Commute Options for Central Oregon. The program is a partnership between
ODOT, the City of Bend, Deschutes County, the Oregon Department of Energy, OSU Extension
Service and Commute Options for Central Oregon. Commute Options will debut an enhanced
RideShare website in fall 2011.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 106 of 268
Railroad
The lonesome whistle of the locomotive first sounded in Central Oregon in 1911, five years before
Deschutes County was carved from Crook County. Competing railroads were drawn to Central
Oregon for the region’s timber resources. The rail lines are shown on F2.2.F18.
Passenger Rail
Other than the occasional excursion train from Portland to Bend, no regular passenger rail service is
currently available in Deschutes County. The nearest scheduled passenger rail service available to
Central Oregon residents is the Amtrak “Coast Starlight” train which runs one train each way once
daily (weather permitting) between Los Angeles and Seattle. The station (platform) is in Chemult,
located approximately 60 miles south of Bend along US 97. The City of Prineville Railway (CoPR) has
run dinner trains periodically in the summer.
Freight Rail
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway provides freight operations on a trunk line running
through Deschutes County. This line connects with the Union Pacific main line at Biggs in the north and
with the Union Pacific (UP) mainline at Chemult to the south. Through a haulage agreement, the UP can
also send traffic down the BNSF tracks. The BNSF line usage varies between seasons and by fluctuations
in fuel prices for the trucking industry. The line provides direct rail connections for shipping to markets
in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Current usage on the BSNF mainline ranges from eight to 12 trains
daily.
City of Prineville Railway (CoPR) provides shortline operations between the BNSF wye at Prineville
Junction, which is three miles north of Redmond on the east side of US 97, and the City of Prineville as
well as industrial lands in western Crook County. The 19-mile line carries one train a day.
Central Oregon Rail Plan (2009)
The Central Oregon Area Commission on Transportation (COACT) commissioned a study of rail
issues in the tri-county area. The study’s focus was on the effect of increasing numbers and lengths of
trains through a north-south rail corridor and how that affected cities with major east-west roads that
crossed the tracks at-grade. The study also looked at how to ensure rail freight mobility and how
Central Oregon shippers can have access to BNSF and UP via CoPR. Finally, the BNSF expects to
double-track their line through Central Oregon which has implications for increasing the time at-grade
crossings would be closed to cross traffic.
At-grade crossings are dangerous for both motorists and railroad personnel. There are 41 public at-
grade railway-roadway crossings on the BNSF mainline between La Pine and Madras. Nearly 50 percent
of those are within the communities of Bend, La Pine, Madras and Redmond. The City of Prineville
Railway has 15 mainline at-grade crossings with 33 percent of those within communities. There are also
numerous private at-grade crossings. Over the past 10 years there have been 17 train/vehicle crashes
resulting in 10 injuries and 4 deaths. With increased rail and vehicle traffic this is expected to
substantially increase.
The Central Oregon Rail Plan looked at whether it was feasible to relocate the tracks to the east
instead of upgrading existing urban intersections with overpasses or underpasses. The preliminary cost
estimate (construction plus right-of-way) to relocate vs. upgrade existing crossings is provided below:
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 107 of 268
• Relocate BNSF mainline around both Bend and Redmond - $617 million
• Grade-separate existing crossings from south of Bend, north of Redmond - $386 million
• Relocate BNSF mainline around just Redmond - $176 million
• Grade-separate existing crossing in Redmond - $182 million
Besides costs, the two approaches differ markedly in the ability to phase the improvements. Regarding
realigning the railroad, there is no benefit until the entire route is relocated whereas at-grade crossings can
be upgraded one at a time for additive improvements to freight performance and crossing safety. The
study determined the economics, environmental, and land use challenges were of such magnitude, that it
was preferable to keep the railroad on its current alignment.
The study then examined the existing crossings for vehicle ADT, major issues, and cost estimates. The
result was a prioritized list of which at-grade crossing would be improved or closed.
Of the 41 at-grade public crossing, seven were ranked as the highest priority to grade separate. Of
those seven, two are within rural Deschutes County. The pair is BNSF/CoPR lines at Prineville
Junction/O’Neil Highway and BNSF mainline/Baker Road. The Prineville Junction/O’Neil Highway, which
is about three miles north of Redmond off of US 97, has a preliminary cost estimate of $18 million. The
Baker Road crossing is to the west of US 97 at the southern edge of Bend. The preliminary cost
estimate to grade separate this crossing was $36 million. The Baker crossing will require its own
planning effort due to the complicating factors of proximity to on/off ramps to US 97, access to
Deschutes River Woods Store, and several public intersections in close proximity.
While much of the at-grade crossing study focused on freight mobility, service, and safety, the plan did
mention further research to determine the feasibility of passenger rail service in Central Oregon. The
establishment of bus rapid transit (BRT) would be a logical precursor to passenger rail service.
Motor Freight/Trucking
U.S. Highways 97, 20 and OR 126 all carry intercity and interstate freight trucking. US 97 and US 20 are
designated as Freight Routes in the Oregon Highway Plan.
Air Transportation
Aviation has a long history in Deschutes County with many airfields dating back to World War II as
training fields due to the region’s semi-arid climate. That tradition continues with flight schools for both
fixed and rotary wing aircraft (i.e., planes, gliders, and helicopters) at the Bend Airport and a fixed-wing
flight school in Redmond.
There are seven existing public-use airports in the County. Four of these airports have improved
(paved) runways, and offer a range of services, from the availability of commercial passenger flights
arriving and departing daily at Roberts Field in Redmond, to the Sisters (Eagle Air) Airport which offers
no services or runway navigational aids. Figure 2.2.F19 shows the location of the four public-use
airports in Deschutes County, while Figure 2.2.F20 identifies the locations of the private or “personal-
use” airports in the County.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 108 of 268
The County protects established airports from incompatible land uses or structures through DCC
Chapter 18.76, Airport Development (A-D) Zone and DCC Chapter 18.80, Airport Safety (A-S)
Combining Zone. The A-S zone was adopted in 2001 and the A-D zone was adopted in 2003.
The purpose of the AD zone is to allow for development compatible with ongoing airport use
consistent with the Deschutes County Year 2000 Comprehensive Plan and the 1994 Bend Airport
Master Plan (as amended by a 2002 supplement), while providing for public review of proposed
development likely to have significant impact on surrounding lands. The AD Zone is composed of three
separate zoning districts, each with its own set of allowed uses and distinct regulations, as further set
forth in DCC Chapter 18.76. The City of Bend is currently updating the Bend Airport Master Plan with
an expected completion in 2012.
The purpose of the AS zone is to restrict incompatible land uses and airspace obstructions around
airports in an effort to maintain an airport’s maximum benefit. The imaginary surfaces and zones;
boundaries and their use limitations comprise the AS Zone. Any uses permitted outright or by
conditional use in the underlying zone are allowed except as provided for in DCC 18.80.044, 18.80.050,
18.80.054, 18.80.056 and 18.80.058. The protection of each airport’s imaginary surfaces is accomplished
through the use of those land use controls deemed necessary to protect the community it serves.
Incompatible uses may include the height of trees, buildings, structures or other items and uses that
would be subject to frequent aircraft over-flight or might intrude into areas used by aircraft.
In any zone that is overlain by an A-S zone, the requirements and standards of DCC 18.80.010 shall
apply in addition to those specified in the ordinance for the underlying zone. If a conflict in regulations
or standards occurs, the more restrictive provisions shall govern.
The State of Oregon Aviation Plan (2007) classifies the State’s 97 public airports into several categories
based on types and frequency of operations, runway dimensions and other operational characteristics,
commercial flights, types of aircraft, etc.
Category I – Commercial Service Airports
These airports support some level of scheduled commercial airline service in addition to a full range of
general aviation aircraft. This includes both domestic and international destinations.
• Redmond Municipal Airport
Category II – Urban General Aviation Airports
These airports support all general aviation aircraft and accommodate corporate aviation activity,
including business jets, helicopters, and other general aviation activity. These airports' primary users are
business related and service a large geographic region or they experience high levels of general aviation
activity.
• Bend Municipal Airport
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 109 of 268
Category III – Regional General Aviation Airports
These airports support most twin- and single-engine aircraft and may also accommodate occasional
business jets. These airports support a regional transportation need.
• None in Deschutes County
Category IV – Local General Aviation Airports
These airports support primarily single-engine, general aviation aircraft, but are capable of
accommodating smaller twin-engine general aviation aircraft. These airports support local air
transportation needs and special use aviation activities.
• Sisters Eagle Air (private)
• Sunriver
Category V – RAES (Remote Access/Emergency Service) Airports
These airports support primarily single-engine, general aviation aircraft, special use aviation activities,
and access to remote areas or provide emergency service access.
• None in Deschutes County
Public-Use Airports
Regional/Commercial Service
• Roberts Field-Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) – Owned and operated by the City of
Redmond for the tri-county area, the airport is located in the southeast corner of the City on
OR 126 and east of Highway 97. RDM is the fourth-largest commercial service airport in
Oregon serving all of Central Oregon. Commercial service is provided by Horizon Air (part of
the Alaska Air Group); United, United Express and Delta Connection (provided by SkyWest
Airlines); and Allegiant Air. These carriers offer approximately 46 arriving and departing flights
daily with direct flights to Denver, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle, and
flights twice weekly to Las Vegas and Phoenix-Mesa.
RDM also serves air cargo and general aviation traffic, including extensive corporate and
business travel. Also based out of RDM are Butler Air, Lancair, and the U.S.D.A. Forest
Service. Redmond also provides airfreight package express service via FedEx, AirPac (Airborne
Express) and UPS Air. For planning purposes, the Redmond airport is classified as a small
commercial service or business-class general aviation airport (SCSB).
Annual enplanements (boardings) for the ten-year period between 2000 and 2010 are shown in
Table 2.2T16. The average growth in boardings has been just over four percent per year for the
last decade. Just as the current economic recession has led to lower volumes on highways and
roads, the boardings from 2007-10 also declined overall by 1.3 percent.
Redmond updated its Airport Master Plan in April 2005. The main feature from a rural
transportation perspective is extending Runway 22 to the northeast for 1,500 feet then
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 110 of 268
necessitates realigning OR 126 to maintain the runway protection zone (RPZ) and other
imaginary surfaces. (See Figure 4c from the Redmond Airport Master Plan.) The Plan
anticipates the approximately $6-million extension will be implemented between 2015-2024.
Table 2.2.T16
Redmond Municipal Airport Boardings, 2000-2010
Source: City of Redmond Airport
Municipal
For planning purposes, the Bend and Sunriver airports are classified as medium size general aviation
(MGA) airports due to runway dimensions and operational characteristics.
• Bend Municipal Airport - The Bend Municipal Airport is a public general aviation airport
located 5.5 miles northeast of Bend on Powell Butte Highway. It provides charter flights,
service, and rental cars.
• Sunriver Airport - The Sunriver Airport is a privately owned general aviation airport located at
the Sunriver destination resort 15 miles south of Bend and several miles west of Highway 97.
The airport is open to the public year-round offering fuel and service. Rental cars can be
arranged as well as transportation to the Sunriver Lodge.
• Sisters Airport - Twenty miles northeast of Bend, the Sisters Airport is a privately owned, public-
use general aviation airport abutting the City of Sisters on Camp Polk Road. The airport is open to
the public, but no instrument navigation aids, fuel or services are available. The airport is
unattended and supports locally based aircraft, but primarily accommodates recreation-oriented
traffic. The airport has certain operational limitations, which are associated with runway
orientation, prevailing winds, and high elevation terrain located approximately 2,000 feet northeast
of Runway #2.
In addition to the four public-use airports previously listed, the following airstrips are registered
aviation facilities with ODOT Aeronautics as of December 1994. These facilities may or may
not be currently in use. They are mostly private “personal use” airports and are in most cases
no more than dirt landing strips.
MONTH 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
10-Year
Average
Per Year
2007-10
Average
Per Year
January 12,218 12,726 11,243 11,485 11,678 14,216 16,323 18,166 21,328 17,633 18,621 5.0 1.9
February 11,293 12,506 10,422 10,854 11,859 12,275 14,930 16,523 20,509 16,620 16,427 4.7 1.3
March 13,347 14,627 11,633 12,186 12,601 15,229 17,372 18,969 21,777 19,179 18,887 4.3 0.5
April 11,853 12,753 10,597 10,568 11,353 14,089 15,444 18,224 19,362 16,970 17,870 4.9 -0.3
May 12,966 13,672 11,264 11,530 11,799 15,535 16,126 20,103 20,391 17,578 18,451 4.5 -2.5
June 14,270 14,842 12,764 13,089 13,765 16,556 18,055 22,210 22,322 20,633 20,950 4.5 -1.8
July 15,114 16,137 13,410 13,559 14,082 18,509 18,821 23,856 23,354 22,583 22,879 5.1 -1.4
August 15,746 17,916 15,347 14,082 15,646 18,536 22,380 24,251 23,321 23,205 23,728 4.8 -0.7
September 13,967 9,794 12,545 12,255 13,355 16,408 19,002 20,542 18,743 19,374 19,475 4.7 -1.6
October 14,000 11,181 11,567 12,928 13,420 16,228 19,282 21,106 18,728 18,785 19,310 4.0 -2.7
November 13,231 11,003 11,039 11,852 13,239 14,238 18,347 20,292 17,835 18,790 19,016 4.4 -1.9
December 13,708 11,513 12,751 12,718 14,101 17,176 19,081 22,085 19,722 21,159 21,057 5.0 -1.3
TOTALS 161,713 158,670 144,582 147,106 156,898 188,995 215,163 246,327 247,392 232,509 236,671 4.3 -1.3
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 111 of 268
Private-Use Airports and Heliports
• Cinder Butte HP 3.4 miles N of Redmond
• Cline Falls Airpark 6 miles W of Redmond
• D.M. Stevenson Ranch AP 4 miles S of Bend
• Deschutes County Sheriff's HP 2.7 miles N of Bend
• Fall River Fish Hatchery (DF&W) AP 31 miles SSW of Bend
• Freight Wagon Field AP 5 miles S of Redmond
• Gopher Gulch AP 3 miles NW of Bend
• Horseman HP 6.3 miles NW of Bend
• Inspiration AP 8 miles NE of Bend
• Juniper Air Park 10 miles SE of Bend
• Kennel Airstrip 7 miles E of Bend
• La Pine HP S edge of La Pine
• Pilot Butte AP S of Pilot Butte in City of Bend
• Pine Ridge Ranch AP 5 NE of Sisters
• Sage Ranch AP 9 miles SE of Sisters
• St. Charles Medical Center HP Near 27th/Neff in City of Bend
• Sundance Meadows AP 6.5 miles SE of Bend
• The Citadel AP 9 miles NE of Sisters
• Whippet Field AP 6 miles NE of Sisters
Air Freight Service
Air freight is available at the Redmond Airport through United Express and Horizon Air. Express
package services are provided by Federal Express (FedEx), Airborne, United Parcel Service (UPS), and
the U.S. Postal Service Express Mail.
Waterborne Transportation
No commercial river transport services or port districts are located in Deschutes County, although
there are numerous white-water rafting and flat water guiding companies.
Pipeline Transportation
The TransCanada Corporation (which acquired the Pacific Gas Transmission Company) operates two
natural gas transmission lines from Canada to California that generally follow the US 97 corridor
through Deschutes County.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 112 of 268
2.3 Existing Land Use, Population and Employment
Analysis of Existing Land Uses and Vacant Lands
The combination of zoning regulations and proximity to the County’s four cities and cities in adjoining
Jefferson and Crook County all influence land consumption and travel patterns.
Based on a review of land use patterns, locations, densities and types of development, staff is able to
analyze the current travel patterns in the County and the transportation needs of the residents. A key
element in this analysis is the identification of all vacant developable land and currently platted parcels
within the County. Developable land in the County occurs in several different land-use categories.
The focus of this chapter is the identification of the Unincorporated Communities, the MUA-10 and RR-
10 zones (Exception Areas), and the other areas that also have some development potential. The
location of these developable parcels and vacant land has a bearing on where future County residents
will live and work.
Overall, the Oregon planning system is designed to guide economic development to within Urban
Growth Boundaries with the exceptions of activities that predate the circa 1973 origin of the statewide
land use program. Economic development on rural lands is oriented more toward certain natural
resource activities (logging, mining, related processing, etc.) and destination resorts. None of the uses in
Forest, MUA-10, or RR-10 are major potential traffic generators.
Current Land Use Patterns
Historically, Deschutes County has developed in a linear pattern along the main highways that traverse
the western third of the County. The US 97 corridor from Terrebonne south to La Pine is the most
developed, followed by the US 20 corridor between Sisters and Bend. Most of the development in the
County is confined to a three-mile wide band along these two major highways. Bend, Sisters and
Redmond have developed into regional nodes that provide goods and services for the larger geographic
areas that surround them. These cities have urban growth boundaries (UGBs) which limit residential
and commercial development to specific densities and locations. The County TSP addresses the areas
outside of the UGBs. A much lighter development pattern is a series of nodes on US 20 in the eastern
two-thirds of the County. Brothers, Millican, and Hampton once provided services to through travelers
and area ranchers, but only Brothers has remained economically viable.
Unincorporated Communities (UC)
In 1994 the Land Conservation and Development Commission created a new Oregon Administrative
Rule, 660-22, to define and regulate rural areas with pre-existing commercial, industrial, residential
development as well as public uses. These were areas that contained pre-existing activities at intensities
that were greater than typically found on rural lands. The intent was to support the Oregon land use
system that promotes growth in urban areas while protecting rural lands for rural uses. The new
unincorporated communities rule defined four types of unincorporated communities and required
counties to review existing Rural Service Centers and similar areas for compliance with the new rule.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 113 of 268
The four types of UCs attempted to distinguish between places that were almost small towns with main
streets and adjoining neighborhoods from locales that might be as small as one or two buildings at a
crossroads. The County maintains land use data on every property with special consideration devoted
to the UCs because these are the only areas outside of UGBs that can develop commercial and
industrial uses. From approximately 1997 to 2002 the County applied OAR 660-022 though a series of
staff workshops and public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of County
Commissioners. As a result there are 11 designated Unincorporated Communities (UUC) (Figure
2.3.F1 and Table 2.3.T1), under the following subcategories:
Urban Unincorporated Community - Sunriver
Rural Community - Terrebonne, Tumalo
Rural Service Center - Alfalfa, Brothers, Hampton, Millican, Wildhunt, and
Whistlestop
Resort Community - Black Butte Ranch, Inn of the Seventh Mountain/Widgi
Creek
Other Exception Areas - Rural Commercial: Deschutes Junction, Deschutes River
Woods Store; Pine Forest, Rosland, and Spring River;
Rural Industrial: Bend Auto Recyclers, Deschutes
Junction, and Redmond Military Site
The number of lots includes legal properties within the UUC that are assigned a tax lot number. In
some cases tax lots have been assigned to private roads, common areas, canal rights-of-way, traffic
circles, etc. Development constraints mean lots where one or more of the following combinations of
zoning may overlay the property: 100-year floodplain, Surface Mining Impact Area (SMIA), Wildlife Area
(WA), and Landscape Management (LM). Terrebonne does not have any of these zoning code
development constraints on vacant lands, which is why there is a zero in Table T2.3.T1, but there are
issues with sewer and water which are described below.
The individual UCs vary in the extent of current development and degree of development potential.
While there may appear mathematically to be a number of potential lots to develop, in actuality
constraints such as topography, inability to accommodate new septic fields or sewer, lack of water, and
distance from the region’s cities limit the number of lots that would actually develop.
Table 2.3.T1 shows that Terrebonne and Tumalo are the rural communities that possess the most
potential for regional impact from the development of new lots (mostly residential) in the County.
Both are within easy commuting distance of larger cities (Terrebonne is three miles north of Redmond
on US 97; Tumalo is six miles northwest of Bend on US 20). However, each has substantial constraints
on development.
In Terrebonne the Community Plan (DCC 23.40.030, Ordinance 2010-012) indicates the two major
constraints are topographic and sewer. Both are complicated by the small lots sizes (25 feet by 100 feet)
in the Hillman subdivision. There is a large rim that angles through the community from northwest to
southeast approximately between 19th Street and US 97 just north of F Avenue. There is also the remnant
of a large barrow pit east of NW 19th Street and south of Lower Bridge Way. While Angus Acres and
Terrebonne Estates Subdivisions rely on a community wastewater treatment plant, the remainder of
Terrebonne’s businesses and residents have on-site systems. Yet, certain areas near the Hillman Plat rest
on the aforementioned rimrock, making onsite systems inoperable. The shallow soils, often no deeper
than 18 inches, render a standard septic system infeasible. Alternative systems and advanced onsite
treatment systems in these circumstances are necessary for building additions or new development.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 114 of 268
Table 2.3.T1
Unincorporated Communities
Community
Total
Existing
Lots
Total
Developed
Lots
Vacant
Lots
Vacant Lots
With
Development
Constraints
Total
Area
(acres)
Alfalfa 7 4 3 0 20.32
Black Butte Ranch 1,2850 1,228 57 8 1,914.45
Brothers 6 4 2 2 50.32
Deschutes River Woods 2 1 1 1 4.99
Hampton 4 2 2 2 35.38
Inn of the 7th Mountain 654 548 106 104 317.06
Millican 1 1 0 0 29.5
Spring River 17 7 10 10 9.27
Sunriver 4,47 4,073 374 174 3,745.13
Terrebonne 793 555 238 0 791.76
Tumalo 329 209 120 120 585.51
Whistlestop 9 7 2 2 7.96
Wildhunt 5 4 1 1 11.29
Total 7,559 6,643 916 424 7,522.94
Source: Deschutes County Tax Assessor’s Office
A few properties in Terrebonne also do not meet the requirements for an onsite system because they
are too small, under a 0.5 acre or contain rapidly draining soils. As a result these tax lots cannot be
developed or redeveloped. Deschutes County’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations restrict the
type and intensity of allowed uses to those that can be served by an approved onsite wastewater
treatment system. State and County zoning regulations set minimum lot sizes to ensure that onsite
systems do not exceed the capacity of the land.
The Tumalo Community Plan (DCC 23.40.030, Ordinance 2010-027) shows Tumalo faces similar
challenges of drainage fields and small lots in addition to the floodplain of the Deschutes River. The Laidlaw
Addition, like the Hillman Plat in Terrebonne, has 25 foot by 100 foot lots. Unlike portions of
Terrebonne, none of Tumalo has a community wastewater facility. Instead, land uses in Tumalo rely on
onsite wastewater systems, ranging from newer alternative treatment technologies (ATT) and filter
systems, to old drain fields. Onsite systems in some cases are insufficient and improper for a development
site. According to the Deschutes County Environmental Health Division, most of Tumalo’s soils are
rapidly draining, with rapid or very rapid permeability. Given these soil characteristics, standard septic
systems can only be sited on lots greater than an acre. Smaller lots, between a half acre and an acre are
obligated to site more expensive onsite systems such as sand filters and ATTs.
Additionally, there are circumstances in Tumalo where certain lots cannot be developed or redeveloped
because they are too small or lack sufficient area to meet setback requirements for septic system drain
fields. Deschutes County zoning regulations restrict the type and intensity of allowed uses to those
which can be served by an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approved on-site
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 115 of 268
wastewater disposal system. The County does not allow uses or densities that are unable to obtain a
permit for a DEQ approved onsite system. In addition, County zoning regulations set minimum lot sizes
to ensure the onsite systems do not exceed soil capacity of treating wastewater effluent.
Trip Activity and Unincorporated Communities
The individual trip purposes of County residents were not identified in the 2030 Deschutes County land
use/transportation model. However, studies in other areas have shown that the main sources of vehicle
trips are journeys to work, school and shopping. The activity centers for the larger unincorporated
communities (Sunriver, Terrebonne, and Tumalo) are mainly schools and local-serving retail.
Additionally, Sunriver has numerous recreational amenities (bike paths, golf course, aquatic center, etc.)
and proximity to the Deschutes River and Mount Bachelor. The fringe areas of urban growth
boundaries (UGB) also attract trips from rural residents who rely on schools and services such as Alfalfa
and Tumalo to Bend and Terrebonne to Redmond. Terrebonne experiences commuter traffic on US
97 and Lower Bridge Way from Crooked River Ranch (which is mainly in Crook County) bound
primarily for Redmond or points farther south.
Terrebonne has a large array of goods and services (bank, grocer, gas station, several cafes, a school,
etc.,) with Tumalo providing fewer goods and services (gas station and several eateries, a school) for
their respective economic hinterlands. Sunriver also provides numerous goods and services for both
visitors and South County in its mall; Sunriver also has an elementary school.
At the other end of the scale are places like Alfalfa or Brothers. These locales offer low-order goods
such as convenience stores with gas stations and perhaps a single café. The Brothers Elementary School,
a single-room schoolhouse, opens and closes depending on the school-age population of area ranches.
The cafes and gas stations at Millican and Hampton continue to cycle in and out of business, reflecting
their small population base, isolated locations, and low traffic volumes on US 20.
MUA-10 and RR-10 Exception Areas
The remaining unincorporated properties in the County, outside of UGBs and Unincorporated
Communities, are either developed with low-density residential, recreational, or agricultural uses, or
they are vacant.
Of the existing lots that can be developed, most are found in the Rural Residential 10-acre minimum
(RR-10) and Multiple Use Agricultural 10-acre minimum (MUA-10) zones (Figure 2.3.F2). In 1979 the
County identified lands that were not suitable for commercial farm or forest use. These lands are
known as “exception areas” because they are excepted from Statewide Planning Goals 3 (Agriculture)
and 4 (Forest).
In the state’s land use continuum, Forest (F1 and F2) and Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) are almost solely
intended for non-industrial, non-commercial, and non-residential uses. By County code definition the
intent of the “F” zone is “to conserve forest lands” while EFU’s purpose is “to preserve and maintain
agricultural lands and to serve as a sanctuary for farm uses.” By contrast, MUA-10 and RR-10 are intended
to be a transition into less forest or agricultural uses, recognizing these lands provide for an orderly and
efficient shift from rural to urban land uses. The EFU and Forest zones are shown at F2.3.F3.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 116 of 268
County Code states the purpose of MUA-10 is “to preserve the rural character of various areas of the
County while permitting development consistent with that character and with the capacity of the natural
resources of the area” but preserving lands suited for “diversified or part-time agricultural uses” among
other goals. The intent of RR-10 is to “provide rural residential living environments” consistent with
“desired rural character and the capability of the land and natural resources” among other goals.
There are currently 24,481 tax lots in the MUA-10 and RR-10 zones, and of those, 6,696 (27%) are
vacant. Based on GIS analysis, 3,341 (49.9%) of the existing vacant residential lots are less than one acre
in size, and can still be developed (barring any other land use constraints) even though they now fall in a
10-acre minimum zone.
The location of the exception areas roughly corresponds to the Unincorporated Communities
previously identified, but covers much more area. Table 2.3.T2 identifies the distribution of the existing
MUA-10 and RR-10 lots in the exception areas throughout the County. The table indicates that most of
the lots are located in the South County areas of Sunriver – South and La Pine - North. Based on the
number of existing vacant lots in these two areas alone, the potential exists for the development of
approximately 4,400 new residences in South County. However, many of the existing lots have
development constraints (i.e., floodplain), and the actual development potential remains lower than the
numbers indicate.
Currently, there are 112 existing 20+ acres, divisible tax lots in the County. If these lots were legally
divided, they would create approximately 381new ten-acre lots.
Development Constraints
In Deschutes County, several types of overlay zones exist whose purpose it is to guide the location or
siting of new development on particular properties in an effort to lessen the impact of that development.
Examples of zones which could influence MUA-10 and RR-10 areas include:
• Flood Plain Zone (FP) – Seeks to protect the public from the hazards associated with flood
plains; to conserve important riparian areas along rivers and streams for the maintenance of fish
and wildlife resources; and to preserve significant scenic and natural resources while balancing
the public interests with those of individual property owners in the designated areas.
• Landscape Management Combining Zone (LM) - to maintain scenic and natural resources of
the designated areas and to maintain and enhance scenic vistas and natural landscapes as seen
from designated roads, rivers and streams.
• Wildlife Area Combining Zone (WA) - to conserve important wildlife areas in Deschutes
County; to protect an important environmental, social and economic element of the area; and
to permit development compatible with the protection of the wildlife resource. Examples
include deer winter range areas, significant elk habitat, and antelope range and deer migration
corridors.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 117 of 268
Table 2.3.T2
MUA-10, RR-10 Exception Areas
General Location
Total
Existing
Lots
Total
Developed
Lots
Vacant
Lots
Vacant Lots
With
Development
Constraints
Total
Area
(acres)
Bend - East 2,922 2,471 451 109 13,638.23
Bend – North/Tumalo 720 551 169 91 3,374.63
Deschutes River Woods 2,299 1,986 313 195 3,006.29
La Pine – North 6,241 4,295 1,946 1,946 9,961.65
Plainview 696 522 174 56 3,602.47
Redmond 612 455 157 97 3,638.16
Redmond – West 1,863 1,589 274 120 6,206.95
Sisters 2,050 1,588 462 237 7,923.87
Sunriver – South 5,080 2,662 2,418 2,418 6,087.32
Terrebonne 612 475 137 54 2,863.47
Tumalo 1,386 1,191 195 109 5,876.19
Total 24,481 17,785 6,696 5,347 66,179.23
Source: Deschutes County Tax Assessor’s Office
• Surface Mining Impact Area Combining Zone (SMIA) - to protect the surface mining
resources of Deschutes County from new development which conflicts with the removal and
processing of a mineral and aggregate resource while allowing owners of property near a surface
mining site reasonable use of their properties.
• Airport Height Combining Zone (AH) - to protect persons and property on the ground in the
airport environs, as well as pilots using the airport facilities. This combining zone also seeks to
preserve the function of public-use airports as increased development pressure around airports
continues to threaten their existence.
The AH, FP, SMIA, and WA zones generally have the effect of guiding rather than precluding
development. On the other hand, in some County locations, the issue of septic system feasibility does
have the potential to limit development. Taken as a whole, the combination of existing vacant lots and
potential new lots in UCs and MUA-10/RR-10 areas could have a localized impact on the function of the
County’s transportation system. Most of the 916 vacant lots in the UUCs and the 6,696 vacant lots in
the exception areas lots are located in relatively compact corridors in the County. If even half of the
7,612 lots develop the resulting 36,423 daily trips (9.57 per single-family home according to the 8th
edition of the Institute for Traffic Engineers manual) could require improvements to existing
transportation facilities.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 118 of 268
Other Development Areas
Outside of the RR-10 and MUA-10 zones, much of the remaining land in the County falls into the
Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) or Forest Use (F) zones, and as such, should not develop with a significant
amount of residential use. While there is development potential on the RR-10 and MUA-10 lands, the
vast majority of County land, approximately 80 percent, still remains in public ownership (United States
Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, State of Oregon, Deschutes County), and therefore is
unlikely to be developed during this planning horizon.
Another potential development area is the Rural Industrial (RI) and Surface Mining (SM) areas shown on
Figure 2.3.F4. Even though these parcels are spread throughout the County, they do not amount to a
significant amount of developable land. These parcels generally have the potential for localized impacts
to the surrounding communities, rather than impacts to the region as a whole. Additionally, OAR 660-
022, Unincorporated Communities, sets size limits on RI property to ensure the intensity does not
approach urban levels.
Figure 2.3.F5 identifies the County lands that are currently zoned either Open Space (OS) or Flood Plain
(FP). For all practical purposes, Open Space properties have minimal development potential, while
Flood Plain areas will allow structural development with a Conditional Use Permit if an alternative
location outside the flood plain is not available.
Population
Each year, The Center for Population Research and Census at Portland State University estimates
population for each city and county in Oregon. Deschutes County reviews the draft estimates and
adjusts the estimates according to local trends before the final numbers are released. The estimates of
the 2005-2025 approved Coordinated Population Forecast (Ordinance 2004-012) for each incorporated
city and the total County are shown in Table 2.3.T3. For planning purposes, the County and ODOT
have used the base growth rate of 2005-2025 and extended it until 2030.
Historically, the U.S. Census has recorded Deschutes County population every decade since 1920. In
fact, Deschutes County has been the fastest growing County in Oregon for many years. The percentage
of people living in the unincorporated areas of the County has steadily decreased relative to the urban
areas. Although Countywide population growth is expected to continue, the rate is expected to taper
off as developable rural land is used up. Growth that will occur will be focused in the urban areas as
they build out and slowly increase in density.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 119 of 268
Table 2.3.T3
Deschutes County Population, 2005-2025
Deschutes County 2005-2025 Coordinated Population Forecast
Year
Bend
UGB
La Pine
UGB
Redmond
UGB
Sisters
UGB
Unincorp.
County
Total
County
Unincorp. % of
Total County
2000 52,800 n/a 15,505 975 47,320 116,600 41%
2005 69,004 n/a 19,249 1,768 53,032 143,053 37%
2010 81,242 1,697 23,897 2,306 57,430 166,572 34%
2015 91,158 1,892 29,667 2,694 64,032 189,443 34%
2020 100,646 2,110 36,831 3,166 71,392 214,145 33%
2025 109,389 2,352 45,724 3,747 79,599 240,811 33%
2030 119,009 2,623 51,733 4,426 88,748 266,539 33%
While the absolute number of people who live outside of a UGB will increase by 31,318 from 2010-
2030 or roughly fifty-five (55) percent, the percentage of Deschutes County residents who live outside
of a UGB will actually drop by one (1) percent over the same period as cities expand onto what were
once County-zoned lands. The percentage share of total County population living on rural lands will
decrease by eight (8) percent from 2000-2030. Since 2000 more people have lived in the City of Bend
than the rest of Deschutes County’s rural population. By 2030 the City of Redmond’s population will be
approximately 60 percent of the County’s entire 2030 rural population.
In other words Deschutes County, despite its physical size, is increasingly an urban and not a
rural county.
Employment
Employment data for Deschutes County were derived from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey
(ACS). The ACS states there were 71,701 workers 16 years and older in Deschutes County.
Approximately 48,265 or 67% percent are employed in the cities of Bend, La Pine, Redmond, or Sisters
and 23,436 or 33% percent are employed outside of these cities.
In terms of rural employment the Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) provides annual
profiles of the tri-county area. In 2010 of the top 50 employers by number of workers, Sunriver was
third (850 employees), Mount Bachelor was fifth (750 employees at peak of winter), Eagle Crest resort
was 13th (342 employees) and Knife River was 20th (230 employees).
Taken together, the dispersed rural population and the employment numbers would indicate those living
outside the UGB will still primarily commute to the four cities for work with a small amount traveling to
adjacent counties.
Besides the number of jobs, the other critical factor is how workers get to their jobs. In Deschutes
County the preferred mode is the single-occupant vehicle. Table 2.3.T4 shows the various modes
commuters in the four cities and the unincorporated lands use to reach their jobs.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 120 of 268
Table 2.3.T4
Commuting Choices by Mode
2005-2009 Journey to Work by Trip Mode
Bend La Pine Redmond Sisters Unincorporated
Mode Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers %
Drove Alone 28,957 78.5 270 68.2 8,047 79.6 527 60.4 18,257 77.9
Carpooled 2,877 7.8 54 13.6 1,425 14.1 48 5.5 2,250 9.6
Public Transit 258 0.7 7 1.8 51 0.5 7 0.8 164 0.7
Walked 1,107 3.0 52 13.1 202 2.0 110 12.6 609 2.6
Biked 885 2.4 0 0 81 0.8 9 1.0 328 1.4
Other 184 0.5 13 3.3 40 0.4 43 4.9 164 0.7
Worked at
Home
2,582 7.0 0 0 263 2.6 128 14.7 1,664 7.1
TOTAL 36,888 100.0 396 100 10,109 100 872 99.9 23,436 100
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009, Table S0801
For the rural lands outside of cities the data indicate driving alone is the overwhelmingly preferred
method (77.9 percent). Interestingly, the next two-highest modes are carpooling (9.6 percent) and
working at home (7.1 percent). This would indicate that park and ride lots and/or ride-sharing facilities
are prudent investments as would be improvements to internet services that would enhance the ability
to telecommute or telework. With the development of Cascades East Transit (CET), public transit (0.7
percent) may increase its share as commuters use one mode to reach the CET lots and continue their
journey on CET vehicles. Walking (2.6 percent) and biking (1.4 percent) likely occur either on the edge
of urban areas or within the unincorporated communities of Terrebonne and Tumalo. There is no
officially designated worker housing at Eagle Crest, Mount Bachelor, or Sunriver, though some
employees may live within these resorts/communities.
The data for commuting time is in Table 2.3.T5. It indicates congestion is not a problem for both urban
and rural residents of Deschutes County. The national average for a commute is 25.5 minutes and the
Oregon average is 22.2 minutes. Yet, nearly half (46 percent) of rural Deschutes County residents have
a commute of 14 minutes or less. Roughly 20 percent of those living on rural lands have a commute of
15-19 minutes. This indicates how the bulk of the population on rural lands lives within close proximity
to urban areas. (The total number of workers in each table is different because Table 2.3T6 does not
include those who worked at home.) The relatively short commute times and the dispersed rural
population could prove challenging to get a significant amount of rural commuters to change from
driving alone.
Commute travel times have lengthened in Deschutes County. The 1990 Census under Journey to
Work indicated 23% of workers in rural Deschutes County had a commute of less than 10 minutes vs.
nearly 21% in 2005-2009.
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 121 of 268
Table 2.3.T5
Travel Times to Work
2005-2009 Travel Times to Work
Bend La Pine Redmond Sisters Unincorporated
Minutes Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers %
<10 8,744 25.5 147 37.1 2,166 22.0 369 49.6 4,452 20.9
10-14 10,664 31.1 78 19.7 1,939 19.7 96 12.9 5,347 25.1
15-19 7,029 20.5 9 2.3 1,398 14.2 6 0.8 4,175 19.6
20-24 2,949 8.6 0 0.0 975 9.9 103 13.8 2,386 11.2
25-29 926 2.7 0 0.0 532 5.4 42 5.6 831 3.9
30-34 2,229 6.5 49 12.4 2,038 20.7 57 7.7 2,194 10.3
35-44 514 1.5 46 11.6 256 2.6 52 7.0 639 3.0
45-59 617 1.8 63 15.9 325 3.3 19 2.6 682 3.2
60> 617 1.8 4 1.0 217 2.2 0 0 596 2.8
TOTAL 34,290 100 396 100 9,845 100 744 100 21,303 100
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009, Table S0801
Macro commuting patterns for Central Oregon can be inferred from the commuting data regarding
place of work as compared to place of residence. Table 2.3.T6 compares the three Central Oregon
counties for numbers of people who work outside the county of their residence. While Deschutes
County has a modest export of commuters, Crook and Jefferson send a much higher percentage of
commuters to other counties with corresponding increases in commute times. In terms of population
distribution and travel times, workers traveling between Prineville-Bend (30 miles), Madras-Redmond
(26 miles), and Madras-Prineville (29 miles) will have travel times of greater than 30 minutes. Madras-
Bend (42 miles) is likely being done by a hardy few.
Obviously, not every commute of more than 30 minutes is traveling outside of its home county. For
instance the Deschutes County datum is complicated by the La Pine-Bend (32 miles) relationship. While
10.3% of Deschutes County workers have a commute of 30-34 minutes, a significant percentage of
those are likely intracounty commutes between La Pine-Bend. Yet, overall, a commute of greater than
30 minutes is highly likely to cross county boundaries.
Redmond-Prineville (19 miles) means a commute in the 20-24 minute range would cross a county
boundary, but with that one exception a commute time of 20-24 minutes would normally stay within the
home county.
Table 2.3.T6
Export of County Workers
Commuting Patterns Outside of Home County and Travel Time by Percentage
Workers Crook Deschutes Jefferson
Commuters Who Work Outside Their
County of Residence 27.1 4.4 22.2
30-34 minute commute 9.2 10.3 6.0
35-44 minute commute 5.0 3.0 4.4
45-59 minute commute 10.0 3.2 7.6
60+ minute commute 5.0 2.8 5.8
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009, Table S0801
EXHIBIT C ORDINANCE 2012-005 Page 122 of 268
In terms of affected highways and roads within Deschutes County, the trans-county commuters would
be using US 97 (Madras-Redmond; Madras-Bend) and OR 126-Powell Butte Highway (Prineville-Bend).
The short intercounty commute (Prineville-Redmond) would use OR 126. Outside of Deschutes
County pairings, the main affected route would be US 26 (Madras-Prineville).
Finally, a varying number of Deschutes County residents work outside the city in which they live. Table
T.2.3.T7 displays the percentages of the four cities’ residents who work in their place of residence, outside
of their home cities but still in Deschutes County, and outside of Deschutes County but within Oregon.
Table 2.3.T7
Deschutes County Residents’ Places of Work
2005-2009 Where County Residents Work
Bend La Pine Redmond Sisters Unincorporated
Place Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers % Workers %
Total
Workers 36,888 100.0 396 100.0 10,109 100.
0 872 100.0 23,436 100.
0
Oregon 36,445 98.8 396 100.0 10,089 99.8 853 97.8 22,170 94.6
Deschutes
County 35,671 96.7 388 98.0 9,250 91.5 842 96.6 20,237 90.2
In Place of
Residence 30,875 83.7 32 8.1 5,095 50.4 548 62.8 n/a n/a
Outside
Place of
Residence,
but in Des.
Co.
5,238 14.2 356 89.9 4,185 41.4 313 35.9 n/a n/a
Outside of
Des. Co. 775 2.1 8 2.0 829 8.2 11 1.3 1,031 4.4
Source: US Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009, Table S0801
As the data indicate, Bend has the least amount of residents who leave to work in other cities in Deschutes
County (14.2 percent) whereas almost 90 percent of La Pine’s denizens leave La Pine and more than 40
percent of Redmond’s residents leave to work in other Deschutes County cities. Sisters has nearly 36
percent of its residents leaving the city to work elsewhere in the County.
For this city-city commuting, the primarily affected facilities are State highways due to a lack of parallel local
roads. La Pine-Bend is US 97; Sisters-Bend is US 20; Sisters-Redmond is OR 126; Redmond-Bend is US 97.
Out of all these pairings, only Redmond-Bend has an alternate route (Old Bend-Redmond Highway) to the
State highway. La Pine-Bend could use Huntington Road up to Sunriver but then would need to use US 97.
In terms of rural residents, 90.2 percent remain within Deschutes County while 4.4 percent commute to
workplaces outside of the County.