U.S. 97 North - Bend Parkway
In Deschutes County, U.S. 97 passes through La Pine, Bend, and Redmond. While most of this US highway is two lanes wide, U.S. 97 widens to an expressway configuration through Bend. Known as Bend Parkway>, the expressway is approximately 6.9 miles long, carries four lanes, and has limited access. U.S. 97 was rerouted onto the Bend Parkway after it was constructed in segments between 1996-2002. The northern half of the parkway only has grade-separated interchanges while right in/right out intersections start to appear in the middle and finally there are two signalized intersections toward the southern end. Transportation officials like to claim that the Bend Parkway is not a freeway due to its speed limit of 45 mph. (Oregon has a 55 mph speed limit for non-interstate highways.) An intergovernmental agreement was signed which recognizes that the Oregon Department of Transportation will close or restrict public road connections if they affect the safety or function of the parkway. The entire length of the parkway might become limited access in the future which would make it much more free flowing and call in to question the unusually low speed limit of 45 mph.
Page by John Boren.
North
About to cross over Olney Ave as the parkway approaches exit 137 for Revere Ave and Downtown. Olney Ave was a road that was extended and become much more significant because of the construction of the parkway.
12/17/07
Exit 137 for Revere Ave. Due to cycling's popularity and significant ridership in the region, the parkway is unique in allowing bikes to use the shoulder of the road. Cyclists have to temporarily leave the mainline with the exiting traffic and cross back over rather than cutting in front of traffic just as it starts to exit.
12/17/07
Crossing over NE Division Street cars are reminded that the speed limit is 45 mph. Much to the ire of safety minded citizens as well as the Bend Police, most traffic travels 55 mph or faster. Occasionally the Bend Police set up speed traps, but for the most part traffic flows at the road's designed speed rather than posted speed.
12/17/07
Food services available on the upcoming exit. These blue signs which are meant to aid long distance travelers are frequent on the road. ODOT certainly strived to make the parkway user friendly considering many other shorter limited access highways like this don't even have exit numbers, let alone services signs.
12/17/07
Up next is exit 135b for Empire Blvd & State Offices. This northern portion of the parkway opened first in 2001. The road has been severely rutted due to the extensive use of studded snow tires in the region and thus has had to have portions repaved already.
12/17/07
Onramp for traffic northbound on the parkway from Empire Blvd. Throughout its length, the parkway has a "grassy" median consisting primarily of native plants such as sagebrush. Using native plant life in a median saves on the maintenance costs of a landscaped median as well as puts emphasis on what grows naturally in the region.
12/17/07
Traffic merging onto northbound US 97 is defaulted onto an exit only lane for westbound US 20. The US 97 reassurance shield is a common occurrence on the Bend Parkway. While the project was called the Bend Parkway in the media and in planning it is never signed as such; it is only signed as a rerouting of US 97 with the old routing now being Business US 97. As of this writing only a few shields on the original US 97 have had a business tab added.
12/17/07
Northbound near the northern terminus of the Bend Parkway. The (mostly) limited access parkway transitions into a four lane expressway with many large retail businesses primarily on the western side. The exit to US 20 westbound is the last one with an exit number until exit 124 in Redmond. Note that eastbound traffic on US 20 cannot enter the Bend Parkway at its beginning; they must transition onto third street and take a left at the intersection with Empire Blvd to access it.
12/17/07
Photo Credits:
- John Boren: 12/17/07
Page Updated Saturday April 12, 2008.