1. Federal officials take notice of homelessness near China Hat Road

After a delay over the summer due to excessive heat, the U.S. Forest Service said it now plans to start a large paving project along China Hat Road, southeast of Bend, in the Deschutes National Forest. Paving work is set to begin Monday.

Approximately 6 miles of road — also known as Forest Road 18 — will be paved, with work expected to conclude by November. The work will require complete closure of some sections of the road.

While work is ongoing, Forest Road 1815, or Horse Butte Road, will be open and available as a detour to reach sections of China Hat Road east of Coyote Butte.

“The condition of Forest Service Road 18 is deteriorating rapidly,” said Jaimie Olle, a spokesperson for the Deschutes National Forest. “This reconstruction project will improve driving safety.”

The road is a timber haul route for thinning, mowing and other fire-fuels treatments within the 25,804-acre Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project south of Bend.

Visitors to the Deschutes National Forest also use the road to access biking and hiking trails, as well as caves in the area.

The Forest Service announced earlier this year that the road project would start during the summer months, but excessive summertime heat and elevated industrial fire precaution levels forced the agency to delay the project.

Homeless camps have been established in recent years along China Hat Road, with an estimated 200 to 400 people living in the area. The Deschutes National Forest said it has informed individuals camping in the area that road construction will begin next week.

Kaitlyn Webb, a spokesperson for the Deschutes National Forest, said campers in the area are not required to move as most are a safe distance from the road. But she adds that the closure of the road will limit access in the area.

“Forest Service staff, along with partners, have notified these camps well in advance of the construction so that individuals in those camps can take proper measures to avoid being cut off once the work commences,” said Webb.

Homelessness on Forest Service land in the China Hat Road area grabbed the attention of five federal agencies and Central Oregon’s congressional delegation in June, when they met with local leaders to discuss what can be done to address the growing concern. As a result of the meeting, relationships were built and possible resources were identified, but tangible solutions weren’t expressly deployed, according to previous reporting by The Bulletin.