Cascades East Transit officials are inviting the public to discover public transportation during Try Transit Week.
The pop-up event is the first of its kind and comes as a way for CET to remind people about Central Oregon’s often-overlooked transit system. On June 3, community members will meet at the new Central Library on Southeast Santorini to participate in games and indulge in ice cream all while learning about the importance of using transit systems.
“A lot of people don’t know that there’s a public transit and we’re really trying to spread the word about the bus system and where it goes and trying to get people who have never tried the bus to hop on board and leave the car behind to save on gas,” CET Outreach and Engagement Administrator Andrea Wasilew told the Source.
Currently 10 bus routes wind through Bend city limits, with nine routes that connect Bend riders to outside communities. The Hawthorne station offers buses outside of CET that can take people to farther locations outside of Central Oregon like Boise or Eugene. There are also more niche seasonal shuttles like Ride the River that take riders from innertube rental spots to Riverbend Park.
Leaders want to show locals how taking transit can ease traffic congestion during busy seasons.
“When tourists come in town in the summer, it’s pretty backed up,” Wasilew says. “There’s also a large population of people who don’t have cars, and knowing about the transit is important.”
During the event, the nonprofit organization Commute Options and the City of Bend Transportation and Mobility Department will educate attendees on the myriad alternative riding sources available in the region, and how they directly ease traffic congestion. Free bus rides will be available on Bend fixed routes and Redmond flex routes all week during certain hours.
As part of the event, CET officials are decorating and celebrating the addition of the new bus stop for the number 6 route, located on 27th Street just outside of the Central Library.
“This event is a great opportunity to demonstrate how people can safely walk, bike, roll and ride the bus to the new library,” Derek Hofbauer, mobility programs manager for the City of Bend stated in a press release. “We encourage community members to hop on the bus during Try Transit Week to get to and from their destinations.”
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