Traffic on U.S. Highway 97 in Bend in September.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has proposed a path forward that would allow Deschutes County to build entry/exit lanes from U.S. Highway 97 to county owned lands just north of Bend for a county-owned campground.

ODOT will only permit the access lanes for a recreational campground. Other uses that create more traffic wouldn’t be allowed under the current permit application.

For more than a year Deschutes County officials have been mulling the option of building a 500-acre recreational campground off Fort Thompson Lane west of Highway 97, around 2 miles north of the Bend city limit.

The transportation agency said in a memo published in May that providing access to the county land from the highway is permitted because such a development “maintains the scenic aesthetic of the corridor.”

ODOT says it won’t permit the entry/exit lanes if the county wants to use the property for commercial purposes or any other development that significantly increases vehicular traffic more than a recreational campground.

Kacey Davey, a spokesperson for ODOT, said if the county moves forward on the access lanes it would be responsible for the construction and associated costs. Details of the access lanes are covered in a seven-page memo.

The county decided to pursue access from Highway 97 after a listening session with community members last year. Neighbors near the property expressed concern that building access roads from the south or east would create unwanted traffic.

Jen Patterson, strategic initiatives manager for Deschutes County, says that as it stands now, there is no plan to build the campground but the ODOT memo says there is a path forward to build one if county commissioners choose to move ahead with the idea.

“There is potential. They have proposed an option to give access from Highway 97,” said Patterson.

If the campground is built, initial plans are for it to feature up to 150 RV campsites and an area for tent camping. A trail system for bikes and walking is also part of the plan.

Now that the option is available from ODOT, the county can apply for an Oregon State Parks grant to move the concept forward to a design and planning phase. That decision is now in the hands of the three county commissioners — Phil Chang, Patti Adair and Tony DeBone.

At a June 23 meeting, the commissioners were split on which way to go. Chang advocated for having those discussions immediately to ensure that the county has time to apply for state matching funds to pay for the next phase. By late July, the window to apply for state grants will close, he said.

Adair said there are more pressing issues to discuss and wanted to focus attention on homeless encampments east of Highway 97. DeBone remained undecided, saying that he isn’t convinced that the county should be operating a campground.

At least two commissioners must get behind the concept to enter the next phase.

In a follow up phone call after the meeting, DeBone clarified his position, saying the county isn’t well positioned to develop a recreational campground because it doesn’t have a parks department. He is also concerned about the county’s budget with the possibility of inflation on the horizon.

“We just don’t have the capital to dive into something like this,” said DeBone. “It would be wonderful to have more rural recreational campground opportunities but I just don’t support proceeding with Deschutes County proper starting that project right now.”