|
Bus service gets off to fast start
The
numbers are in and they show that the first day of bus
service in Bend got off to a great start; 986
people rode the bus. Although some expected first-day
glitches popped up, there were no apparent serious
miscues.
Buses run every half hour from 6:15 a.m. through
6:15 p.m. weekdays, and every hour from 7:15 a.m. to
5:15 p.m. on Saturdays on six routes. Another route
(Route 11) from Summit High School to the transfer
station on Hawthorne Avenue runs during peak hours from
6:15 to 8:25 a.m. and 3 to 6:10 p.m. There is no service
on Sundays except for Dial-A-Ride, which now is reserved
for those with disabilities or low-income seniors.
Service will be free the first week, and the cost to
ride after that will be $1 per ride (no transfers) or $2
for an all-day pass. Riders must use exact change. For
more information: 322-5870 or www.bendareatransit.com.
Top of Page
Bend bus use depends largely on
location
Last week's survey question was, "Do you or your
employees plan to use the new fixed-route bus system?" A
"yes" or "no" answer seemed to depend mostly on how
close people are to the bus routes. Some responses:
"I absolutely intend to use the bus. I think it
will be fun and relaxing to get around town this way. It
will help improve our growing traffic issues, and it
will be a nice break not to have to cruise for parking
at the Old Mill."
"I am very excited about the bus system starting
up. But the goal is to get a rider across town in 30
minutes. As the bus routes are now proposed, it will
take me another 30 minutes to walk to work. It is a good
start but not good enough to work for me on a regular
basis. I hope the planners of the bus system continue to
look for ways to get people to work and back in a
reasonable amount of time."
"The bus system does not extend to my neighborhood,
and according to maps, there is no park and ride
facility at the closest transit center (Pinebrook), so I
will not be able to use it conveniently. I may use it on
occasion when I am in the downtown core area."
Top of Page
New survey: Bend middle-class
house most expensive in state
As
if all the national surveys about Bend aren't confusing
enough, another one came out this week that states a
four-bedroom, 2½ -bath, 2,200-square-foot house with a
two-car garage in a nice, middle-class neighborhood in
Bend is the most expensive in the state of Oregon
compared to other cities. The survey, by Coldwell Banker
and reported by CNNMoney.com, was based on average sales
prices for listings for that type of home sold in the 12
months ending July 31, 2006. The survey was designed to
provide an "apples to apples" comparison of 342 U.S.
markets. It found that the home described above would
cost $482,750 in Bend, $447,427 in Medford, $357,233 in
Portland, $329,075 in Eugene and $304,000 in Salem. This
comes on the heels of recent surveys that ranked Bend
86th among the top 100 places to retire and found that
Bend was the second-most overpriced real estate market
in the country.
Top of Page
Chalkboard
project identifies legislative priorities
The independent non-partisan Chalkboard Project, which
has spent two years going around the state to find out
what Oregonians want for their schools, has come up with
key legislative action items that it will present to the
2007 Legislature. The Chalkboard Project was formed by
five of Oregon's largest philanthropic foundations, and
held a hearing in Bend earlier this year. Chalkboard's
legislative priorities center on four areas where Oregon
can begin improving schools immediately: Ensuring
high-quality teachers in every classroom, high-quality
principals in very school, providing more support to
early learning programs, increasing financial
accountability, and strengthening school system funding.
For more information on Chalkboard and its legislative
agenda, go to
www.chalkboardproject.org
or call 1-877-YOUR-K12.
Top of Page
Good news and bad news on health
care costs
The
good news on health care costs: In the past year, health
insurance premiums have risen at their lowest rate - 7.7
percent - since 1999. The bad news: Since 2000, health
insurance premiums have gone up 78 percent and wages 20
percent. Those were the main findings of the annual
survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation that tracks the
cost of health insurance. Those employers who do offer
health insurance on average pay for 84 percent of the
cost of insurance for individuals and 73 percent for
families. Since 2000, the percentage of employers who
offer health insurance has fallen to 61 percent from 69
percent.
Top of Page
This
week's survey
question
What's the most important race or issue for you
personally on the November election ballot and why?
Please e-mail your responses to:
jeff@bendchamber.org. |
