Construction may begin this fall on a smart improvement to Bend’s roads — neighborhood greenways should make it safer and easier for people to bike, walk and drive across town. The city will be holding a meeting next week on one of the first roads to get the greenway treatment — NE Sixth Street, north of Greenwood Avenue.

The greenways won’t just be good for bicyclists and pedestrians. They will channel some bikers and walkers to selected north/south and east/west routes, improving traffic flow for cars on other streets.

Greenways are sometimes called bike boulevards or quiet streets, but their nature is essentially the same. In Bend, the city plans to try to make the selected streets safer with some changes. Expect speed humps, signs indicating the designation and pavement markings. There will likely be other changes to make it easier to cross busy streets.

It’s important to note cars are not going to be banned on greenways. Parking is not planned to get cut. And the roads will not be painted green as they have been on some greenways in Portland.

The city has budgeted for 9 miles of greenways. NE Sixth Street north of Greenwood is in the first phase. The work on that street is estimated to cost the city about $100,000. Another north-south route will be along 15th Street on the west side.

There are plans for two east-west routes, as well. In some ways, they are more important because of the challenges in finding good, safe crossings among the limited options for the Bend Parkway and the Deschutes River. One route crosses the parkway at Franklin Avenue and the river at the footbridge at Drake Park. A second crosses the parkway at SE Wilson Avenue or SE Aune Street and the river at the footbridge near Columbia Park.

Greenways can work to make moving about town safer as Bend’s population grows. Want to learn more? The city has maps and more information on its website. Search for Bend neighborhood greenways. The city will be holding a neighborhood meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Marshall High School about the plans for NE Sixth Street.