A fatal crash last week left one woman dead after succumbing to her injuries, and caused extensive delays since the highway was shut down as crews investigated and cleared the scene. Crashes like this aren’t uncommon on this stretch of highway, an issue that has prompted the Oregon Department of Transportation to push for some safety improvements for the corridor between Redmond and Bend, but budget restrictions are proving an issue for the sweeping changes that are likely needed.
Central Oregon Daily’s Allison Roecker spoke with ODOT officials and residents to see what kind of changes could be in store for Highway 97.
