Bend 2030 Transportation
Forum Report
Public input on transportation solutions for
Bend
Collected April 11, 2015
Bend 2030 Board of Directors and Staff
Andy Anderson
Anne Aurand
Scott Aycock
Victor Chudowsky
Melanie Grandjacques
Bob Gomes
Robin Lee Gyorgyfalvy
RJ Johnson
Vic Martinez
Mike Riley
Liz Rink
Lawrence Schechter
Ted Schoenborn
Kelly Sparks
Jeff Swanson
Matt Sybrant
Jillian Taylor
Betsy Warriner
Ruth Williamson
Steven Ames, Board Advisor
Erin Foote Marlowe, Interim Executive
Director
Acknowledgements
The Bend 2030 Board of Directors wishes to thank the Transportation Forum Planning
Committee, the Transportation Forum Technical Advisory Committee and all the
presenters, facilitators and volunteers who made this event possible. The board is also
grateful to event sponsor Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council, and to Strictly
Organic and Kittelson and Associates for contributions to the event. Bend 2030 sponsored
by the generous support of the Bend 2030 Leadership Alliance.
Transportation Forum Planning Committee
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Andy Anderson, Bend 2030 Board Member
Kim Curley, Commute Options Community Outreach Director
Scott Ferguson, Deschutes County Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Member
Robin Lee Gyorgyfalvy, Bend 2030 Board Member
Jim Roberts, City of Bend Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Member
Stephanie Serpico, Senior Project Manager at HDR Inc.
Kelly Sparks, Bend 2030 Board Member
Carol Somers, Member at Large
Judy Watts, COIC Outreach and Engagement Administrator
Transportation Forum Technical Advisory Committee
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Nick Arnis, City of Bend Growth Management Director
Scott Aycock, COIC Community and Economic Development Manager
Tyler Deke, Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization
Chris Doty, Deschutes County Public Works Director
Karon Johnson, Bend Planning Commissioner
Steve Jorgensen, Bend Parks and Recreation District Planning Manager
Amy Pfeiffer, Oregon Department of Transportation Planning and Environmental
Manager
Peter Russell, Deschutes County Senior Planner
Karen Swirsky, City of Bend Senior Planner
Transportation Forum Presenters
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Scott Aycock, COIC Community and Economic Development Manager
Victor Chudowsky, Bend 2030 Board Member and Bend City Councilor
Steve Jorgensen, Bend Parks and Recreation District Planning Manager
Eric King, City of Bend City Manager
Matt Kittelson, Kittelson and Associates, Inc.
Robin Lewis, City of Bend Transportation Engineer
Andrew Spreadborough, COIC Executive Director
Karen Swirsky, City of Bend Senior Planner
Judy Watts, COIC Outreach and Engagement Administrator
Bend 2030 Leadership Alliance
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Bend Broadband
Bend Parks and Recreation District
Brooks Resources
Central Oregon Community College
City of Bend
Deschutes Brewery
Northwest Crossing/Harcourts The Garner Group/Sunwest Builders
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
St. Charles Health System
United States Forest Service
Bend 2030 Transportation Forum
Executive Summary
On April 11, 2015 Bend 2030 held a public forum on transportation challenges and in our
city. The goal of the event was to collect ideas and opinions from members of the public
on solutions to these challenges. The input provided by the 175 attendees was
consistently in support of a greater planning and budget-spending emphasis on creating
more complete neighborhoods, building more and safer bike routes, constructing a more
complete sidewalk grid, and developing a more sufficient transit system. Participants
suggested the community pay for these improvements through a gas tax, a tourismrelated tax such as on food and beverage, and through a studded tire fee. Bend 2030 will
use the input and ideas provided at the Transportation Forum to develop a statistically
valid survey in cooperation with professional statisticians, to develop a community survey
available to everyone, and, later, to develop community-supported recommendations to
our transportation challenges.
Background on the Bend 2030
Transportation Forum
By 2030, Bend’s population is expected to grow by 40 percent, or 35,000 people,
according to the Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization. This growth poises many
challenges for Bend, but one of the greatest is providing a transportation system capable
of accommodating our community’s needs.
Congestion is already a challenge on many roadways in the city, and few new roads are
planned for the future. This situation is exacerbated by a lack of funding for the
transportation system, which has led to difficulty in funding even standard maintenance
of the current road system. The funding challenge is two-fold: Bend faces one of the
lowest property tax rates in the state, and state and federal gas tax resources are failing to
keep up with the real costs of managing and developing our transportation system.
The Bend 2030 Vision for transportation calls for an interconnected system of highways,
roads, bikeways, and trails with a strong transit system and a wide variety of multi-modal
transportation options. The mission of Bend 2030 is to engage and empower the
community to realize this Vision. In January 2015, the group launched a transportation
initiative to provide community-supported recommendations to decision-makers on how
to achieve our goals for transportation.
A planning committee made of Bend 2030 board members, representatives of
transportation advocacy organizations, transportation advisory boards, and staff from the
local transit provider was formed to oversee this initiative. A technical advisory committee
made up of city, county and regional planners guided the group in its research and
planning to ensure the community was presented with a realistic view of our
transportation system and funding options.
The first step in this initiative was the Bend 2030 Transportation Forum, held from 9 a.m.
to 12 p.m. on April 11, 2015, at Ponderosa Elementary. This forum was an idea-building
exercise designed to collect public input that would assist in creating both a statistically
valid survey and an online community survey available to everyone. Later, forum input
will also help develop community-supported recommendations to our transportation
challenges.
Over the course of the three-hour event, 175 people attended. They heard presentations
from Bend 2030 board member and city councilor Victor Chudowsky on the realities of
growth in our city, and from Bend City Manager Eric King on our current transportation
funding situation. Participants then broke into three groups and all attended three
workshops on building complete neighborhoods, creating more multi-modal
transportation options in Bend and developing a vision for the future of our transit
system. The workshops were presented by local experts and leaders on these topics. Then
participants met in small groups to discuss funding for transportation and ideas for
engaging the public in this issue. The input they offered throughout the day is captured in
this report.
Workshop Input
Three workshops were held at the Transportation Forum: Complete Neighborhoods,
Multi-Modal City, and Transit to the Future. Participants were asked to provide input or
feedback to presenters and facilitators to assist in the development of Bend 2030
recommendations.
Complete Neighborhoods
This workshop was led by City of Bend Senior Planner Karen Swirsky and engineering firm
Kittelson and Associates principal Matt Kittelson. Workshop participants heard a
presentation on the effects of complete neighborhoods on the transportation system. The
general effect is to require fewer car trips and to encourage multi-modal transportation.
Participants then broke into small groups and designed a complete neighborhood,
understanding first hand the value of planning. Participants then reported back to the
group what they valued or did not value about the complete neighborhood planning
process, as well as their hopes for the kind of planning we will accomplish in Bend as the
city grows.
Outcomes
The following paragraph captures the input offered by the workshop participants.
Participants consistently reported that they wanted a bustling mixed-use
community center in their neighborhoods offering libraries, retail, and
other commercial and employment opportunities with residential areas
radiating out from that central area. These centers and residential areas
should be connected by good trail systems for walking and biking that are
safe and separated from cars with few barriers to access. No participants
said they opposed complete neighborhoods. A few participants said they
were concerned about the higher density of housing and uses associated
with complete neighborhoods.
Multi-Modal City
This workshop was led by Bend Parks and Recreation District Planning Manager Steve
Jorgensen and City of Bend Transportation Engineer Robin Lewis. Workshop participants
first used color-coded stickers to share information about walking and biking patterns and
preferences. Participants also allocated fake money to four possible uses in Bend
including road maintenance, road widening, sidewalk system development and safer bike
routes. Then participants heard a presentation on the realities of developing and funding
an interconnected system of sidewalks, bike routes and trails in Bend.
Outcomes
Participants were asked to answer four questions about their biking and walking
behaviors and preferences. The following are their top three answers to these questions.
Have any of the following circumstances prevented or limited you from
walking?
There are no sidewalks or missing sections of sidewalks where I travel.
There are too many barriers to walking (highways, railroad crossings, busy
intersections, etc).
It would take too long to walk.
Have any of the following circumstances prevented or limited you from biking?
I am uncomfortable sharing the road with cars and trucks that are
driving fast.
There are too many barriers to biking (wide intersections, highways,
streams, etc.)
I often have heavy or bulky items to carry.
What types of improvements would encourage you to walk more?
Better/more sidewalks
Increased traffic enforcement for safer driving and biking around
pedestrians
Lower vehicle speeds
What improvements would encourage you to ride a bike more often?
Better/more bike lanes
Seperated bike path or trail away from traffic
3. Improved maintenance of roads and paths
Participants were asked to allocate fake money to four transportation uses according to
their understanding of the best way to spend our city’s money. The following is the
breakdown of the funding allocation.
How should we be spending our transportation dollars in Bend?
33%—Safer bike lanes
31%—Street maintenance
30%—Sidewalk improvements
6%—More/wider streets
Transit to the Future
This workshop was led by Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council Community and
Economic Development Manager Scott Aycock, COIC Outreach and Engagement
Administrator Judy Watts and COIC Executive Director Andrew Spreadborough.
Workshop participants listened to a presentation from Aycock about the current transit
system, other strong transit systems in the region and how to achieve a stronger transit
system in Bend. Then participants used Post-it notes to share their personal description of
good transit, they placed beans in jars to indicate who should pay for transit, and they
used stickers to vote on options that would improve our transit system.
Outcomes
Participants used Post-it Notes to indicate what good transit means. These are the top
three most commonly noted ideas.
Top three responses on the “Good Transit Is?” Post-It wall:
Frequent
Affordable
Available to everyone
Participants were asked to identify their top choices of options to improve the transit
district and service. The bar graph below shows the level of support for different options.
Transit Improvement Options
Express routes
Bus Rapid Transit (Buses…
Bus shelters
Electronic fare cards
Downtown trolley
More frequent and extended…
Schedule pickups via phone
Level of Support
Special event service…
Smart boards tells when bus…
Wifi
Fare free transit
Sunday service
Alternative fuels
Motionless transit
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Participants were given two kidney beans and asked to vote on who they believed should
pay for transit by dropping the beans into jars labeled Community at Large, Local
Governments, Transit Riders and Private Industry. Participants could split their beans into
two jars or double up with one jar. The graph below shows that forum attendees believe
that the Community at Large is most responsible for paying for transit.
Who Should Pay For
Transit
Community at Large
Local Governments
Level of Support
Transit Riders
Private Industry
0
50
100
150
Group Discussions of Solutions
Funding Solutions
Participants came back to the large space in the gym and then broke into small groups led
by a facilitator to discuss what funding solutions should be considered for developing our
transportation system, and which options were their preference.
Outcomes
The groups came up with more than 30 funding solutions. The most popular suggestions
for funding the development of our transportation system were a gas tax, a form of
tourism tax, and a studded tire fee. The following bar graph shows the number of groups
suggesting the options below as a solution for funding our transportation system.
Transportation Funding Solutions
Gas tax
Tourism tax, i.e. food and beverage tax
Studded tire fee
Property tax
System Development Charges
Transportation Utility Fee
Re-allocate funds we already have
Fee when buying a car or bike
Tax levy such as recent GO Bond
Sales tax
Voluntary payroll tax
Grants
Increase bus fares
Local foundations, other community…
Use buses as billboard advertising
State or federal funding
More community education
Charge to use recreation on the river
Bus passes subsidized by public schools
Use Corvallis model of utility fees to…
Greater contribution from Bend Parks…
Parking meters downtown and on…
Enforce fines for sidewalk clearing
COCC/OSU-Cascades tuition covers…
Bike or bike companies fund…
Vehicle registration fee
Crowd funding such as Kickstarter
Sponsors adopt a sidewalk or bike lane
Congestion tax—Bill ppl for driving at…
Weight based fees for vehicles
Road/trail changes promoting biking…
Fee on big companies to fund…
0
Groups suggesting each option
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Ongoing Civic Engagement
Still in their small groups being led by facilitators, participants shared their ideas for
involving more of the community in the discussion on improving transportation in Bend.
Outcomes
The groups came up with more than 25 ideas for engaging the public in solving our
transportation challenges. The most preferred options were offering presentations to
public groups, holding more community forums, and using social media to connect with
the public.
How Should We Engage the Public?
Create presentation and share across town
Hold more community fourms
Social media, or other online forums
Have marketing firm create logo branded…
Community bike rides
Connect with traditional media
Give incentives through Commute Options
Get large employers to promote…
Pub talks
Close off streets to cars for one day
Get organizations to promote…
Engage PTAs
Talk to City Council frequently
Offer signage for bike and walking routes
Use community centers (library, senior…
Create Milestones- report on achievments
Have bike/ped coordinator on city staff
Use one neighborhood as study group
Bend 2030 advocate more
Tie in Bend Energy Challenge
Cyclovia/Sunday parkways
Nike sponsored walk/bike event
Bike education
Library comment board
Public service announcements
Divert Highway 20 out of town
Adopt a bus stop or bike route
Teach people to advocate
0
Support for each option
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Next Steps
Bend 2030 will use the ideas, input and opinions shared at the Transportation Forum to
create a statistically valid survey and online community survey available to everyone.
These surveys will be completed in early summer 2015. The outcomes of the surveys will
be used to help draft Bend 2030’s recommendations on solutions to our transportation
challenges. News about the surveys, recommendations and other ways to participate in
Bend 2030’s transportation initiative can be found at Bend2030.org.