Work continues on a mini roundabout on Century Drive and recently renamed Innovation Way in Bend. Weather has delayed completion of the roundabout. 

Early snowfall and cold weather have delayed the construction of Bend’s first “mini roundabout” near Oregon State University-Cascades, extending the road closure on Century Drive by several weeks.

Jacob Larsen, a spokesperson for the city of Bend, said the anticipated opening of the roundabout is Dec. 9. The opening was originally planned for Nov. 15.

“If the cold weather continues and affects construction schedules further, their plan is to place the necessary asphalt to open Century Drive for the winter, with the completion of the roundabout occurring in spring when weather conditions allow for the project to complete,” Larsen said in an email.

The road closure, which began Sept. 9, blocks traffic on Century Drive north of the intersection with Colorado Avenue, directing cars to use Colorado,, Columbia Avenue and Simpson Avenue instead.

The Bend City Council voted Wednesday to rename the street that intersects Century Drive at the location of the mini roundabout Innovation Way, a nod to the university’s developing Innovation District, a future hub of research and business development along with office space and housing on the site of an old pumice mine and construction landfill.

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The university is building the roundabout as part of its master plan for the district, which lies west of Century Drive.

According to Larsen, the roundabout will be “substantially smaller” than the other 50-plus roundabouts in Bend, but function similarly by slowing traffic speeds and allowing safer bicycle and pedestrian crossings.

Trucks will be able to drive over the mini roundabout’s rolled curbs in the center, similar to the “truck apron” on the inside of a larger roundabout, Larsen said. The main difference is that the mini roundabout doesn’t have a fully curbed, undrivable center section, such as where art is placed in larger roundabouts in Bend.

“The mini roundabout is desirable at intersections where obtaining right of way from adjacent properties is restricted by existing buildings, topography or other constraints,” Larsen said.

A mini roundabout is in place at the intersection of Canal Boulevard and Pumice Avenue in Redmond, Larsen said.