Letters to the Editor

Bend’s Midtown Crossings: Moving through the muddy middle

This summer, the build-out of the voter-approved 2020 Transportation Bond projects (looking at you, Greenwood and Olney) has tested the patience of our community — but it is a test we can pass.

The win on the horizon is a safer, more balanced transportation system with better flow for all modes of travel: cars, bikes, pedestrians, and transit. Big livability wins — like cleaner air and more freedom to choose how we get around — await on the other side of the road closures and frustrating traffic signal cycles we’ve all sat through this summer. Right now, we’re in the muddy middle where our community can’t yet see and feel these benefits.

Nowhere is this more evident than Bend’s Midtown Crossings — Franklin, Hawthorne, and Greenwood Avenues. Transformations underway on these East-West connectors are key to the revitalization of the BCD – the Bend Central District — and highlight the pain and potential of rebalancing how we get around in a growing city. As Bend City Council makes decisions about the Midtown Crossings in September, our community is ready for three key outcomes:

Get Franklin done: Prioritize Franklin Avenue’s (Harriman–4th) safety, streetscaping, and stormwater improvements. This construction will again be disruptive, but the payoff is a safer street for drivers, bikers and pedestrians, along with further unlocking the BCD’s redevelopment potential. Adjust Franklin’s design to free up and redirect some funding to Hawthorne, which is poised to become the main East-West spine of Bend’s bike network.

Catch up on Hawthorne: Ensure the Hawthorne Corridor — the “Drake to Juniper” route — has a clear plan, design, and funding for becoming a safe, connected route that syncs with the Hawthorne Bridge’s construction timeline (2027). This includes redesigning the 3rd Street crossing to improve safety and traffic flow for all modes of travel. The Hawthorne Bridge will be a redevelopment catalyst for the BCD, a community landmark, and a strong move toward sustainable growth and a more livable future — if the City prioritizes and leverages the opportunities beyond the bridge landings to make this an outstanding bike and pedestrian corridor.

Hold steady on Greenwood: The Midtown Crossings (and Olney) aren’t isolated projects. They’re an interconnected system designed to move people safely and efficiently through the heart of Bend. As project construction continues, taking a systems approach gives a clearer sense of how these pieces fit together — and helps avoid repeating the frustrations of Olney and Greenwood. We urge City Council to hold steady in the face of understandable but temporary construction fatigue. Complete and open all three Midtown Crossings (plus Olney) to see how they work together before selecting a final Greenwood design.

Gaining more freedom to choose safe, efficient ways to get around our community is going to take grit, patience, perseverance and focus. Fortunately, Bendites have these qualities in spades — and we’re ready for a more balanced transportation system that supports daily life, fuels the BCD’s ongoing transformation and strengthens our shared livability.

—Corie Harlan, Cities & Towns Program Director, Central Oregon LandWatch

Who We Are

The concept and nature of our country is established by the Declaration of Independence, our founding document. We the people declare ourselves to be free of despotic Monarchy. And we declare among other things that freedom consists of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Constitution established our form of government and further codified individual freedoms and governmental restrictions. We tend to refer to the Constitution when in fact it is the Declaration of Independence which defines who we are, a free people.

And there is the rub. Are we indeed free? Are we allowed to pursue happiness? Or are we subject to governmental interference in our lives?

Does government have the right to punish lifestyles when those lifestyles harm no one? Does government have the right to harass and punish immigrants, gays, transgenders, political dissidents even educational institutions? No, that violates not only our Constitution, but our national values as established by the Declaration of Impendence. Those are the actions of dictatorships, most embodied by the German Nazis, Japanese Military and the Russian Communists.

We, the citizens of the United States of America, are being tested.

—James Scott

RE: Letters to the Editor Opinion: “Criminalizing Homelessness”(8/21)

According to a rather old but still relevant study by the NIH: Three factors contributing substantially to the recent increase in the numbers of homeless people are the low-income housing shortage, changing economic trends and inadequate income supports, and the deinstitutionalization of mentally ill patients.

When you look at their three classifications, you can see that different solutions are required.

Temporary — these folks are usually homeless due to a catastrophic event such as a fire which displaces an individual or family who may quickly run out of funds for temporary housing.

Episodic — those who may require public benefits and run out of funds before the next payment.

Chronic — these are most often people with addiction or mental health issues.

—Diane Burns

Roadless Rule

There couldn’t be a worse time for the Roadless Rule to be rescinded. But that’s the reality of the threat we are facing from this current administration. They want the public to believe this is necessary for the prevention of wildfires but that is simply inaccurate. The facts are that the majority of fires are started by people. Inviting access into backcountry areas will make wildfires more likely, not less.

The Trump administration has decimated the United States Forest Service by 25%, including a large percentage of firefighters. Their intentions are not benign. Our public lands are vital habitat for species like elk, grizzlies, wolverines, salmon and so many more. These pristine forests are already at risk. Their demise should not be endangered by people who refuse to recognize the value and beauty of our precious land.

I commend Andrea Salinas, our 6th district representative who is heading this campaign in favor of preserving the RACA (Roadless Area Conservation Act) which has protected over 2 million acres in Oregon for 25 years. We need to contact our representatives to encourage them to keep our roadless areas as they stand. The future of our magnificent state should not be compromised by corporate handouts to billionaires; enough of their despicable greed.

“Be proud. Retreat into the depths of thought and morality, but do not, whatever else you do, descend into the servitude of imbeciles.”

—Ms. Oakley Taylor

Letter of the Week:
Thanks Oakley. Most of us live in Central Oregon because of the natural treasures surrounding us. As letter of the week, you can stop by our office in downtown Bend for a gift card to Palate coffee. Managing Editor Nic Moye

This article appears in the Source September 4, 2025.