On July 14, Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) announced the approval of the state’s transportation plan.
The OTC approved the Oregon Transportation Plan, a 25-year plan that shapes the state’s transportation system, the plan includes information on how to prioritize limited funding and how additional funding should be allocated. Commissioners said the state would need additional funding to reach all of the OTP goals.
“Without additional funding, we need to make tough tradeoff decisions,” said ODOT Director Kris Strickler. “This plan helps us advance toward more equitable outcomes, address the most critical safety issues, and build and maintain a cleaner transportation system with the limited funds we do have.”
Developed over the past year and a half with the help of state resident, the plan addresses operations and maintenance, as well as new construction of multimodal systems. Officials said the new plan focuses on users of the system, instead of the system itself.
“The updated OTP charts a path for a different future for Oregon,” said Amanda Pietz, ODOT administrator for the Policy, Data and Analysis Division, where the plan is housed. “We heard loud and clear that the plan is only as useful as it is implemented. The OTP will direct the work of ODOT, but additional partners – including tribes, other state agencies, local governments, members of the private sector and more – will be critical in working with us to implement the policies in this plan so we can fully realize its vision.”
Commissioners also adopted the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program for 2024-2027 which includes projects on federal, state, city and county transportation systems including highway, passenger rail, freight, public transportation, bicycle and pedestrian systems, and projects in the National Parks, National Forests and on tribal lands.
Commissioners also adopted the Oregon State Rail Plan-Implementation Plan, and the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program.