Traffic backed up for blocks on Reed Market Road at the train crossing has been the reality for southeast Bend residents for years, even though city planners have discussed building an overpass for nearly a decade.

But now a solution has become a major priority.

The city of Bend received $1.05 million in federal funding for the project in early June through the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, which is funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law. Bend was one of two cities in Oregon to receive money. The other was Portland.

“Freight and passenger trains are vital modes of transportation for businesses and communities, but when their tracks intersect with car, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, they can cause huge headaches,” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, said in a June 6 press release. “We’ve all had the frustrating experience of being stuck for what feels like ages at a crossing, or worrying about going over dangerous tracks on a bike.”

A 2006 estimate put the cost of building an overpass above the railroad tracks on Reed Market Road between $6 million and $7 million, according The Bulletin’s archives. Now, the project will cost upwards of $25 million, said Garrett Sabourin, a principal engineer for the city.

A 2015 reconstruction of Reed Market Road, which was one of the most expensive projects from the city’s 2011 $30 million bond package, was notably completed without a train overpass for drivers. This propelled voters to prioritize an overpass when voting for the $190 million Transportation General Obligation Bond in 2020.

The railroad crossing has created congestion and really significant delays, Sabourin said.

“We’re seeing a lot of growth in southeast Bend, and we’re going to continue to see that growth over the next couple of decades,” he said.

Improving access to the southeastern part of Bend could not only ease traffic burdens, but it can help spur economic development, Sabourin said.

Plus, with less congestion and delays, emergency vehicle access will likely improve.

“There’s a large safety component tied to this, which is the more you improve safety, the more you decrease accidents,” Sabourin said.

Most, if not all, officers at the Bend Police Department have experienced delays or have had to change their routes when a train is stalled across Reed Market Road, said police spokesperson Sheila Miller. Sometimes the delays even show up in radio communications or dispatch notes, she said.

Bend Fire & Rescue deliberately avoids railroad crossings like the one on Reed Market Road, when planning the best routes to respond to calls, according to Dan Derlacki, a spokesperson for the fire department.

The Murphy Road railroad overpass, a similar project completed in 2021, created huge improvements for the department’s emergency services, Derlacki said.

The overpass will be one more access route that will allow the fire department to avoid traffic and decrease response times.

“It will make a huge impact for us,” he said.