My wife and I live in New Hampshire but spend about five months in Bend every year, usually through the winter months. This winter I can't tell you how disappointed I am at the conditions of the roads, sidewalks, parking lots of stores, parks, etc. in the city and surrounding area.
Coming from NH, I expect a lot, I guess - being able to drive on streets that have been plowed free from snow and ice, being able to walk on sidewalks or streets that are plowed down to the pavement - in other words, getting around in a safe manner.
Today (Jan. 10, 2008) the slush from the melting snow is even more horrendous, since it hides some very slippery spots underneath. Not only that, but when the temperature drops tonight, I can imagine what conditions will be later tonight and tomorrow for the commute to work/school. No wonder there were 50-plus accidents this past weekend during that storm; I can only imagine how many occurred from this most recent one.
Doesn't somebody in city government get it? I have a feeling at some point you are going to - when someone files a huge lawsuit against the City of Bend for failing to provide safe roads/sidewalks around town. A lot of the aforementioned also goes for the store parking lots in the area - back home we'd avoid shopping at your store if you left your parking lot in the conditions I have seen.
Maybe you should contact other communities that do take care of these things and find out how they do it.
Slippin' and slidin,'
Gary and Claire Philippy
