Bend Installs Traffic Blockers in Old Neighborhood

New diverters and barriers aim to protect cyclists and pedestrians from vehicles on shared streets

Mar. 26, 2026 at 11:19pm

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The City of Bend is installing new traffic diverters and physical barriers on streets in the Old Bend neighborhood to help protect cyclists and pedestrians, reduce speeding, and prioritize walkers and bikers on shared streets. The installations are part of the Bend Bikeway Project, an initiative to create safer connections for non-vehicular traffic around the city.

Why it matters

Residents in the Old Bend and River West neighborhoods have raised concerns about the safety of cyclists and pedestrians due to speeding vehicles and conflicts between modes of transportation on shared streets. The new traffic-calming measures aim to address these community concerns and make the neighborhood streets more pedestrian and bike-friendly.

The details

The new diverters and barriers will be placed on existing Greenway routes, or low-traffic residential streets where pedestrians and cyclists are prioritized. Signage urging drivers to maintain speeds under 20 mph has not been effective, so the city is taking additional steps to physically slow down traffic and reduce cut-through volumes. The installations are located at the intersections of Northwest Sisemore Street and Northwest Colorado Avenue, Northwest Delaware Avenue and Northwest Lava Road, and Northwest Georgia Avenue and Northwest Lava Road.

  • The new traffic-calming measures were installed on March 25, 2026.
  • The Bend Bikeway Project, the initiative behind these installations, has been ongoing for several years.

The players

Jacob Larsen

Community relations manager for the City of Bend.

John Fischer

Chair of the Old Bend Neighborhood Association.

Garrett Smith

Resident of the Old Bend neighborhood.

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What they’re saying

“With these traffic diverters, we are attempting to lower traffic volumes on these local neighborhood greenway shared streets that are also designated as the Bend Bikeway.”

— Jacob Larsen, Community relations manager

“My buddy lived on the corner there and he eventually moved because he had three little kids that were toddler age. He said 'I can't raise them on this corner — they can get squished.'”

— John Fischer, Chair, Old Bend Neighborhood Association

“I don't mind the idea of them. There's a lot of traffic that goes through here when people rip off the Parkway and then they shortcut through here.”

— Garrett Smith, Old Bend Neighborhood resident

What’s next

The city plans to paint the curbs and add road striping to further delineate the new traffic diversions in the Old Bend neighborhood.

The takeaway

The installation of traffic diverters and physical barriers in the Old Bend neighborhood is a proactive step by the City of Bend to address community concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety on shared streets. By prioritizing non-vehicular modes of transportation, the city aims to create a more walkable and bikeable neighborhood environment.