At 50 roundabouts and counting, Bend has more traffic circles than any other city in Oregon. Proudly, there’s not a single signal light west of the Deschutes River and more roundabouts are slated for the next few years. As roundabouts were initially built, people soon began to wonder what to do with all the empty space in the middle. In 2001, the first roundabout art piece was installed at Mt. Washington and NW Crossing Drive called “Sunrise Spirit Column” by the late David Govedare. A few years later, “Redsides” by Miles Addison Pepper went in at Simpson and Colorado beside Deschutes Brewery. Today, the City of Bend doesn’t just offer beautiful mountains, rivers and forests; it’s an outdoor gallery of world-class proportions. However, first-time roundabout drivers and cyclists have a lot to learn. Driving and cycling through roundabouts can feel a bit disorientating, especially in Bend, where arterial roads curve with the Deschutes River, neighborhood grids subtly shift into spirals, and there are at least a few roundabouts between you and wherever you’re going. Luckily, there’s world-class art to calm you in these traffic-calming circles.