Pay to drive to Bend

Some day you'll have to enter in your key pad number and wave to the security guard as you enter Bend. I often joked with my friends that Bend has so many gated-communities, the idea would eventually rub off, motivating council elects to establish Bend as the first gated-city.

There's been talk about expanding hwy 97 to a four laner and paying for it by having toll booths. I knew it was only a matter of time before this would come up.

The reality of traveling to Bend, Oregon is there are limited (especially during the winter) ways to get here. You can drive from the south, from the north and the east, or you could fly in. That's it. No interstate here. In a way it's like an hour glass, limiting the flow of people driving to Bend, which could be a good thing as much as it is bad.

I can see how a two lane highway would ease up the congestion a bit. Nothing is more frustrating than being stuck behind an eighteen wheeler or stopping because of an accident up the road.

I am not, however; a huge fan of paying a toll booth to get back home. If it meant higher taxes, then I'd choose the lesser of two evils.

What I think they should do is put a train, (like the MAX in Portland) to run down the center of the highway to the Columbia River and to California. I'd ride it, rather than drive.

It'd be cleaner, it'd reduce the traffic and it'd be fun for visitors. It'd also cost a lot of money

Any thoughts on this subject?