Thank you to City of Bend traffic engineer Drew Wells for joining us at our November meeting. He provided an overview of the Purcell extension and Neff Intersection projects and answered questions from our neighbors. Find more detail further down in this newsletter.

The changes to Purcell continue to be a concern for many of our neighbors living along this street. The board summarized these concerns and advocated for increased safety measures to be put into place in a letter sent to Council in advance of their Dec. 7 meeting.

At this meeting, Council will be voting on the contract for the Purcell Extension. Folks who would like to comment on the project are encouraged to write to Council or speak during the public comment portion of the Dec. 7 meeting.

Read a draft of the November minutes or watch the Zoom video on the MVNA website.

Upcoming MVNA Board Meetings:

December 26 - cancelled for holidays.

January 23 at 6:00 pm - location TBD.

A Message about E-Bikes:

The following is adapted from a message by Bend Police Dept.

We’ve seen a huge increase in the number of e-bikes on the roads and we want to ensure the community knows the rules that apply to them.

• In Oregon, e-bikes are not legal for kids under 16 to ride.  
• In Oregon, e-bikes are generally supposed to top out at 20 mph; e-bikes that go faster than 20 mph may be considered a moped or a motorcycle, which would require a license, registration and insurance.
• We recommend bicyclists wear helmets, and please remember that bicyclists under the age of 16 are required to wear them.
• E-bikes are not legal to ride on sidewalks. Regular bicycles are allowed on sidewalks, but e-bikes are not.
• Only e-bikes built for passengers should carry them.

It’s great to see people having so much fun on e-bikes [but] we want to be proactive and ensure people know the rules.

Traffic Changes are Coming to Purcell/Neff

• Construction will begin on the Purcell Extension and the Purcell-Neff interesection in Jan/Feb.
• Once started, the Neff intersection will be closed to all traffic until the project concludes in July.
• The Purcell Extension's expected completion is the end of June.
• Detour traffic may increase on local neighborhood streets; reach out to the project team or MVNA if you have concerns.
• Changes to Purcell will include the removal of on-street parking, bike lane striping, and the addition of two pedestrian crosswalks. This is in line with Purcell's classification as a collector street. MVNA and our Purcell Action Group have advocated for increased safety measures to calm traffic.

Winter snows are here! Please remember to do your part for our neighbors and clear your sidewalks as soon as you are able after each snow fall. See the City's snow removal expectations for more information.

Neighborhood Liaison Questions and Answers:

What is the difference in how to navigate a roundabout vs. a traffic circle?

Click here for info on correct roundabout usage.

Click here for tips on traffic circle usage.