Parking Lot Curbing Installation in Bend, Oregon

Parking lot curbing in Bend, Oregon faces a different climate problem than the I-5 corridor cities. At 3,623 feet elevation in Central Oregon, Bend gets 120 to 180 freeze-thaw cycles per year compared to Portland's 30 to 50. That extra cyclic loading is what kills under-spec curb pours after 15 to 20 years instead of the 40-plus-year design life. Every curb spec we write for Bend accounts for that climate reality.

What follows: the practical version of how our crews scope, permit, pour, and inspect parking lot curbing in Bend — including the freeze-thaw additives and air-entrainment discipline the climate forces on every pour.

What is the right curb spec for a Bend parking lot?

Direct answer: A standard Bend parking lot curb is 6 inches tall, 6 to 8 inches wide at the base, slipformed in Class 4000 concrete with 6 to 8 percent air entrainment (higher than the I-5 corridor 5 to 7 percent because of cyclic freeze-thaw exposure) per Bend Development Code and ODOT 00759. Expansion joints sit every 10 to 15 linear feet, and ADA curb ramps follow the 1:12 slope rule. Cojo crews slipform 100 to 200 linear feet per day on commercial Bend lots.

What permits apply in Bend?

Three permit paths:

• Inside private parking lot: Bend building permit covers the curb work as part of site civil scope under the Bend Development Code Title 4 standards.
• Right-of-way work: Bend Public Works Permit. Review takes 4 to 8 weeks for a standard commercial application.
• Stormwater changes: Bend's Stormwater Management Plan applies when a curb-and-gutter retrofit changes flow into the city system.

What concrete mix does Bend require?

Bend's spec is driven by the freeze-thaw cycle count, not just standard Class 4000 mix:

Spec	Bend / ODOT 00759 (cold-region)
Compressive strength	Class 4000 (4,000 PSI at 28 days)
Air entrainment	6% to 8% (higher end for freeze-thaw resistance)
Maximum water-cement ratio	0.42 to 0.45 (tighter for cold-region)
Slump (slipform)	1 to 2 inches
Surface tolerance	1/4 inch over 10 feet
Subgrade compaction	95% standard Proctor
Base aggregate	6 inches compacted under curb line (deeper than valley standard 4 inches)
Curb depth below grade	18 inches minimum (frost protection)

The combination of higher air entrainment (8 percent vs 6 percent), tighter water-cement ratio (0.42 vs 0.45), and deeper base aggregate (6 inches vs 4 inches) is what gets the curb to its full 40-plus-year design life in Bend's climate. Skipping any of those steps drops the lifespan to 15 to 20 years.

A recent Bend install of ours

In May 2025 our crews installed 980 linear feet of new 6-inch barrier curb plus four ADA curb ramps at a 22,000-square-foot mixed-use lot in NW Bend off Newport Avenue. The project replaced a 1990s asphalt curb that had failed at every joint after 27 freeze-thaw cycles per year had widened cracks past the point of repair. We over-excavated the subgrade 6 inches deeper than valley spec, placed and compacted aggregate base, and slipformed Class 4000 mix at 7 percent air entrainment and a 0.43 water-cement ratio, at 140 linear feet per day. Bend Public Works inspector signed off on day 12. The project added cast-in-place truncated dome panels at all four ADA ramps.

How much does parking lot curbing cost in Bend?

Industry Baseline Range

Curb Type	Price Per Linear Foot (Installed)
6-inch barrier curb (slipformed, cold-region spec)	$13 to $24+
Mountable curb (4-inch face)	$11 to $20+
Curb and gutter (combined section)	$19 to $34+
ADA curb ramp (each, with truncated domes)	$1,500 to $4,000+
Hand-formed irregular radius	$20 to $40+

These figures reflect published industry averages. Current market pricing varies significantly and actual quotes may fall well outside these ranges based on site-specific conditions, material costs, and project complexity.

Current Market Reality

Bend tracks 8 to 15 percent above I-5 corridor pricing because of: (a) longer concrete haul distances from Madras and Redmond batch plants, (b) deeper base prep required by frost-line, (c) higher mix-design specifications (extra air entrainment, tighter water-cement), and (d) shorter productive pour window (May through September, with October as a borderline month). The 2026 winter shoulder rates are notably higher because heated-blanket and tarp protocol is required.

What neighborhoods do we cover for curbing in Bend?

Our Bend-area curbing crews regularly work in:

• NW Bend (Westside, Awbrey Butte, Old Mill District)
• Downtown Bend
• NE Bend (Greenwood, Boyd Acres)
• SE Bend (East Bend, Larkspur)
• South Bend (DSL, Romaine Village)
• Surrounding Deschutes County (Redmond, Sisters, Tumalo, La Pine)

For combined paving and sealcoating scope, see the existing sealcoating Bend Oregon page.

Why does Bend need different specs than Portland or Eugene?

Three climate facts drive every Bend curb spec:

1. 120 to 180 freeze-thaw cycles per year. I-5 corridor cities see 30 to 50. The cyclic micro-expansion of water inside the concrete matrix is what spalls the surface. The 8 percent air entrainment buys the buffer to absorb the expansion without surface failure.
2. Frost depth penetration of 12 to 24 inches. Untreated subgrade at this depth heaves seasonally. The 18-inch minimum curb depth (and 6-inch base aggregate) keeps the curb anchored below the active frost zone.
3. Snowmelt-and-refreeze cycles in spring. A March or early April pour can see overnight ambient drop below 25 degrees F. We schedule curb pours strictly between mid-May and late September unless a heated-blanket protocol is in place.

What about ADA curb ramps in Bend?

Bend's ADA Transition Plan applies the 1:12 maximum slope rule, 36-inch minimum width, 4-foot top landing, and detectable warning surface (truncated domes) at the base per ADAAG 4.7. Cast-in-place truncated dome panels are preferred over surface-applied at this elevation because the freeze-thaw cycle pulls surface-applied panels loose faster. We use cast-in-place on every new pour.

Ready to scope parking lot curbing in Bend?

We handle slipform and hand-formed concrete curbing across Bend, Redmond, Sisters, and surrounding Deschutes County — Bend Public Works permits, cold-region mix specifications, ADA-compliant ramp work, and paving/sealcoating bundling. Contact Cojo for a site walk and a written scope.

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