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At the end of a process that stretched across six meetings, the Oregon Transportation Commission has approved the allocation of $2.4 billion in funding in the 2021-2024 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Based on public input and other factors, the Commission’s approved allocation directs most discretionary funding to Fix-It programs that preserve roads, bridges, and other assets.
However, the Commission also put a significant amount of funding into Enhance Highway projects that improve roads to address growing congestion and freight mobility concerns. In addition to over $600 million in funding directed by the Legislature in House Bill 2017 for Enhance projects, $24 million will go to a State Highway Leverage program that will allow Area Commissions on Transportation (ACTs) to add Enhance features to Fix-It projects.
If federal funding comes in above the anticipated level, the first $40 million of additional funding would go to a Strategic Investments program that would allow the Commission to target funding to high priority needs on the state highway system. The Commission also provided funding to safety, non-highway and local government programs based on direction in state and federal law and our agreements with local governments.
A full list of all programs and the funding allocated to them is available online, as is a document describing all programs and funding categories.
The Commission chose this allocation for a number of reasons.
- Even with the infusion of money under HB 2017, state highway bridge, pavement, and other asset conditions will decline as the system ages. The Commission prioritized Fix-It to ensure we keep our highways in good shape.
- Public opinion and comments provided from advisory committees strongly favor investing in safety and preservation.
- Focusing investments on Fix-It is consistent with the policies of the Commission, including the Oregon Transportation Plan and Oregon Highway Plan.
- HB 2017 includes more than $600 million in funding for specific Enhance Highway projects in the 2021-2024 STIP, providing a strong base of investment for improving highways.
- This level of investment in Fix-It is consistent with legislative direction in HB 2017, which provided additional funding on the assumption the STIP would continue to fund Fix-It programs.
The Commission directed ODOT to ensure that the ACTs have a role in selecting projects to benefit from their knowledge of local priorities. The allocation the Commission approved includes a number of programs that will allow ODOT to meet community needs, in many cases while undertaking Fix-It projects. For example, three programs—State Highway Leverage, Active Transportation Leverage, and Safety Leverage — will allow the ACTs to recommend adding safety, enhance, and non-highway elements to Fix-It projects.
Throughout the funding allocation process ODOT undertook significant public outreach to ensure the process was open, transparent, and accessible. ODOT provided information to stakeholders and the public by making the Commission’s work accessible, regularly engaging stakeholder groups at meetings, and garnering nearly 2000 responses to an online survey and online open house. Public opinion strongly prioritized investments in preservation and safety.
Completing the funding allocation is just the beginning of the STIP process and the beginning of the public’s opportunity to weigh in on what projects ODOT builds and what they look like. Project selection processes will begin in 2018, with Commission direction, and continue into 2019. At this point the ACTs and other stakeholders will have the ability to impact project selection decisions. In 2020, the Commission will release the draft STIP for formal public review, and the public will have the opportunity to comment on projects.
For more information, visit ODOT’s STIP website.
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