City Council Work Session - 1/28/2026 - 4:00 PM

The City of Bend, Oregon City Council held a work session on January 28, 2026, focusing primarily on equity program structure and transportation infrastructure updates. The council received a detailed presentation from consultant Ben Duncan of Karns West regarding the city's equity and accessibility efforts, including recommendations for a centralized leadership role within the city manager's office and a hub-and-spoke model for equity implementation. Discussions included embedding equity analysis into decision-making processes and enhancing community engagement. The council also reviewed ongoing and upcoming transportation projects, including updates to street design standards aimed at improving safety, lowering speeds, and accommodating multimodal transportation. The council discussed the integration of federal and state funding, consultant engagement for design standards, and the timeline for public outreach and adoption of updated transportation policies. No specific contract awards or procurement actions were taken during this session, but plans to engage consultants for transportation standards development and equity program support were outlined, indicating forthcoming procurement activity.