Project Status
Estimated Completion
2026Contact
Wilson Avenue Corridor
WILSON ROAD CLOSURE BEGINS MONDAY, APRIL 27
Full Road Closure of Wilson Avenue, between Ninth Street and Centennial Street, begins Monday, April 27 to complete the Final Phase of construction for railroad work. The closure will impact all users, including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, beginning April 27 and is estimated to be completed in July. The City is working closely with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway to complete this work as efficiently and safely as possible.
BNSF Railway will replace track and signal equipment at the crossing. During this time, railroad warning signals and crossing arms will not be reliably functional. The City’s contractor will also replace the adjacent sidewalk and roadway pavement. For safety reasons, the public should not enter the work zone or attempt to cross the railroad tracks while the road and sidewalk are closed.
The detour route for vehicles includes Ninth Street, Reed Market Road and Third Street.
The detour route for pedestrians and bicycles includes Centennial Street, Reed Market Road and 15th Street.
The Wilson Avenue Corridor is a multi-phase modernization project that improves safety and east-west connectivity for all users along Wilson Avenue from Second Street to 15th Street.
A 2020 Transportation GO Bond Project.
Thank you, voters!
Wilson Avenue Corridor Project is the first project of the Transportation General Obligation (GO) Bond, approved by voters in 2020. Thank you voters! Project benefits include safety improvements for all users of the corridor, improving east-west connectivity and infrastructure modernization.
Project Updates
WILSON ROAD CLOSURE BEGINS MONDAY, APRIL 27
The final phase of work at and around the railroad will require a full road closure for all users, between Ninth Street and Centennial Street, and is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 27 and estimated to be completed in July.*
*Dates are estimates and subject to change.
Frequently Asked Questions: Wilson Avenue and Third Street Intersection
No. A cyclist can cross within the green crosswalk in the same manner as any other vehicle – when there is a green light for their direction of travel.
No. The curb-protected bike lanes are for bike travel only.
This intersection was designed to reflect newer design philosophies to enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety. The intersection is based on a ‘protected intersection’ design. More information can be found here: https://nacto.org/publication/dont-give-up-at-the-intersection/protected-intersections/
The concrete medians have two different levels. The lower level that is closer to the travel lanes are meant to be driven on by large vehicles (buses, trucks, vehicles that are towing). The upper level is not meant to be driven on and is there to protect cyclists from vehicle strikes.
Location
Wilson Avenue from SE 2nd Street on the west to SE 15th Street on the east.
Use the interactive map above to see active detours and closures for this project and all city projects. Sign up to receive a weekly traffic report at www.bendoregon.gov/traffic.
Schedule
There are three phases to the Project:
(please note the schedule is subject to change)
- FINAL PHASE – BNSF RAILROAD: BNSF Railroad improvements construction begins April 27 and is estimated to be completed in July.
- PHASE THREE – COMPLETE: Spring 2023-May 21, 2024 – Modernization of Second Street to Centennial, including intersection improvements, pedestrian crossing, new sidewalks and bike lanes.- COMPLETE
- PHASE TWO – COMPLETE: Summer 2022-Spring 2023 – Roundabout at 15th Street and Wilson Street. Includes modernization of the east side of 9th Street to 15th Street, new sidewalks, and bike lanes.- COMPLETE
- PHASE ONE – COMPLETE: March-Summer 2022 – Roundabout at Ninth Street and Wilson Street. Includes improved pedestrian, accessibility and bike safety features. – COMPLETE
What to Expect During Construction
- BNSF Railroad construction dates are to be determined. This page will be updated when more information becomes available.
Funding
This Project is primarily funded by the Transportation General Obligation (GO) Bond approved by voters in 2020 for $12.8 million, which includes $1.4 million that is allocated for water and sewer upgrades.
Community Meetings
- Final Phase Pre-construction Information Booth – April 9, 2026 (Fact Sheet)
- Phase 3 Informational Meeting April 26, 2023 – Flyer (Spanish)
- Open House July 2021 – West Section 60% Design –July 2021 Open House Flyer
- Open House December 2021 – Corridor Design Concept Updates – December 2021 Flyer (Spanish)
- Open House April 2022 – 15th & Wilson Construction – Open House Flyer
Project Design
The 15th Street and Wilson Avenue Roundabout is complete.
Watch this video: to learn to safely use this new roundabout.
Watch the video above and learn how to navigate
Bend’s first bicycle-protected roundabout at Ninth Street and Wilson Avenue.
PROTECTED BIKE LANES PILOT STUDY
Wilson Avenue corridor is the first application of protected bike lanes that the City of Bend is installing. After researching and testing, we are confident that utilizing dura-curb is an appropriate, and a well-accepted industry standard, for treatment along Wilson Avenue. The treatments used on this project will continue to be monitored and evaluated.
Three key factors will help identify future treatment applications:
- Safety
- Cost effectiveness
- Maintenance requirements
The City will continue working with the community to develop when and how protected facilities should occur in the future. See questions 5A and 5B in the FAQ section below for additional information about other other bike lane safety products and testing results.
The West Section design focuses on Wilson Avenue from Second Street to the railroad tracks.
- The 3rd Street and Wilson Avenue intersection reconstruction replaces the damaged and aging traffic signal, improves signal detection for all modes, enhances traffic flow and upgrades the controller to allow more responsive timing changes. Lane utilization changes on the east leg will improve turning movements for large trucks that have been hitting the signal pole.
- The City identified Wilson Avenue as a key route for walking and bicycling. This project enhances facilities for biking and walking to help ensure Wilson Avenue becomes the walking and bicycling route envisioned by the City.
- This is defined as a synergy project because during the roadway construction, the existing water line system will also be upgraded to bring it up to current standards.
Click on drop-downs below to view the most recent designs.
The above rendering is based on draft design and subject to change.
- Wilson Avenue and Second Street intersection improvements are designed help people walking and biking to cross the intersection more easily as they use the Second Street Neighborhood Greenway.
- Turn restriction at Second Street will be added to improve safety.
- The new design for the Third Street and Wilson Avenue intersection includes replacement of the aging signal with a modern traffic signal, improving traffic signal detection of all users and timing responsiveness.
- Protected intersection design – bike lanes currently end before the intersection.
- The new design will also improve turning movements for larger vehicles that currently drive over the curbs.
- Design along the Wilson Avenue corridor includes a wider shared use path with a landscape buffer along the length of the corridor. Sidewalks will be completed where they don’t currently exist. On-street protected bike lanes will be added where they don’t currently exist. Dura-curb product will be used for bike protection.
The above design is a draft and subject to change.
- Crossing at Fifth Street with refuge island facilitates multiuse path moving from the south side of Wilson Avenue to the north side for future connections to Ponderosa Park and trail system east of 15th Street.
- Dura-curb product used for on street bike lane protection.
- Curb extensions along Wilson Avenue minimize east/west crossing distance.
See how the Wilson Avenue Corridor fits into the City’s transportation planning efforts. Great communities don’t happen by chance:
- Take a deep dive into Bend’s Transportation System Plan.
- See what other projects are included on the 2020 Transportation GO Bond.
- Stay up to date on progress of GO Bond projects – Transportation Bond Oversight Committee.