The City is pleased to announce that the intersection of Neff Road and Purcell Boulevard is scheduled to open at noon on Monday, Dec. 11. Please drive carefully as the contractor completes sidewalks, landscaping and other finishing touches. Expect intermittent lane shifts with flaggers and use designated pedestrian access routes.
In a vital area of Bend and with proximity to the St. Charles Medical Center and multiple schools, the reconstructed intersection improves traffic flow and safety for all modes of travel.
The new improved intersection added separate left-turn lanes, new southbound and westbound right turn lanes, wider shared-use paths, street lighting, accessible curb ramps and missing gaps of sidewalk to create a continuous pedestrian corridor. It also includes new options for people riding bikes to easily get off the street to use shared-use paths and crosswalks at the intersection – similar to roundabouts.
“The upgrades at Neff and Purcell create a safer intersection for everyone,” said Mayor Melanie Kebler. “I’m excited that we are completing this important north-south connection.”
The project, originally scheduled to open earlier this fall, ran into delays when crews found old, unmapped infrastructure remnants, gas, communication and power lines for example, deep under the road.
“We really want to thank the community for its patience with this project that we know has impacted a lot of travel this past year,” said Ryan Oster, Engineering and Infrastructure Planning Department Director. “Building a project of this magnitude within an existing roadway brings challenges to even the best laid-out plans. The end product will be a great improvement to the area for all types of road users.”
In addition to the intersection, the project includes completing a modernized Purcell Boulevard from Full Moon Drive to Courtney Drive, including widening the roadway, building sidewalks, and also adding bike lanes on Purcell Boulevard between Butler Market Road and Robinson Street. The Purcell extension is anticipated to open late December, connecting Purcell between Neff and Butler Market.
Travelers accustomed to using Daggett Lane for cross-town travel will be able to instead use Purcell, a collector street designed for higher traffic volumes. Please drive slowly and stay alert: this new section of Purcell is a residential collector road with a 25 mph speed limit.
The Purcell Extension portion of the project is primarily paid for by voter-approved 2020 Transportation GO Bond funds. The intersection improvements portion is paid for by City Capital Improvement Program funds and the Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Both portions included funding contributions from utility funds (water, wastewater, and stormwater) for infrastructure improvements.
Learn more at bendoregon.gov/neff-purcell.
