Improvements to the Empire Corridor represent long-term multimodal solutions that allow the City to balance connectivity, safety, and user improvements with increased traffic from local and regional growth. On this first progressive design build project for the City of Bend, Parametrix is partnered with Knife River Corporation to efficiently design and construct improvements to the Empire Corridor. Multimodal improvements include connectivity and safety. Subprojects include two new roundabouts, improvements to bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, sidewalks and additional turn lanes, lighting, stormwater, and a traffic signal at Purcell Boulevard and Butler Market Road.

Following are measures of the success of project phases completed so far:

• The initial phase was scoped and initiated in one week, and phase 1 went from contract to finished construction in seven months.
• The project team, including City staff, accelerated the overall project by combining two subprojects to take advantage of shared traffic control measures.
• Careful construction phasing has resulted in minimal impacts to the public.
• With BPRD, the team incorporated more than a mile of multiuse pathway and connected it with the broader trail network.
• Proactive utility coordination resolved more than 20 separate pole conflicts.