Broad Coalition Supports Emergency Road Maintenance Funding Proposal

Today, a broad coalition of Oregonians – ranging from trucking businesses to local community leaders – testified in support of Governor Tina Kotek's proposal to fund basic maintenance and operations for Oregon's roads and bridges.

During a public hearing held by the Joint Interim Committee on Transportation Funding, these Oregonians made the case that Legislative Concept 2 would keep Oregon's roads safe, accessible, and reliable.

"Oregonians depend on safe roads to go about their lives. We have to keep our roads safe through winter weather, rain, and wildfire threats," Governor Kotek said. "Without additional funding, we would be abandoning Oregon families from Brookings to Joseph who are counting on us to step up and keep roads maintained all year round."

“This package is the most significant policy bill for the trucking industry in the past 30 years,” said Jana Jarvis, President and CEO of the Oregon Trucking Associations. “It allows us to address our longstanding overpayment issue and modernizes our taxing methodology to be more in line with the rest of the country.”

The proposal raises revenue needed to fund the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) maintenance and operations budget. The new revenue is paired with accountability measures that provide greater oversight into ODOT's spending and operations.

The buying power of available funding for daily road maintenance has been steadily decreasing, threatening deep service cuts across the state. Service cuts would slow emergency response times, leave potholes unfilled, and close roads that Oregonians rely on during winter storms.

The proposal also simplifies weight-mile rates to alleviate administrative burdens on trucking companies and the state. It also raises the point of taxation for diesel fuel to reduce complexity, reduce fuel tax evasion, and align Oregon with other states.

“I have served the public of Tillamook County for three years – one year with Parks, and two years with the Road Department. Our team takes care of our community, which is crucial because we are geographically remote and rural,” said Morgan Niles, member of Oregon AFSCME Tillamook County Local 2734. “This proposal ensures that local governments can protect our communities by fixing landslides, filling potholes, repainting fog lines and replacing guardrails.”

Tesmond Hurd, who has worked as an ODOT Transportation Maintenance Specialist in La Grande for seven years, said: "This special session and the funding that is being proposed from it is a critical step toward ensuring Oregon’s roads are maintained at the standard they should be–and the level Oregonians deserve."

Counties and cities across Oregon also face transportation funding shortfalls. Legislative Concept 2 maintains the state's commitment to local road safety, sending 30% of State Highway Fund revenue to counties and 20% to cities.

“Oregon counties are responsible for the largest share of Oregon’s public road system,” said Mallorie Roberts, Legislative Affairs Director of Association of Oregon Counties (AOC). “AOC estimates that without new revenue, over the next five years, more than 4,500 miles of county roads will go without critical maintenance work and will quickly deteriorate beyond repair; over 800 miles of county roads will go without needed reconstruction, and 169 county bridges will miss essential maintenance. AOC and the Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES) support Legislative Concept 2 and urge the legislature to work with their partners to develop a comprehensive statewide transportation package in the 2027 legislative session.”

“I would like to thank the Governor and Legislature for listening to counties and local governments over the past two years, and responding to our educational materials and outreach,” Umatilla County Commissioner Dan Dorran said. “The state/county/city partnership may be complicated, but we have a shared, long-term commitment to the common goal of providing to all of our constituents an above average transportation network.”

Legislative Concept 2 includes increased funding for transit providers across the state. The services maintained by the increased funding are crucial for Oregon's seniors, veterans, and working families.

“Without new resources, tens of thousands of Oregonians, students, workers, seniors, and people with disabilities stand to lose reliable transportation,” said Allan Pollock, General Manager of Cherriots. “The proposal before you is modest but critical. Oregon cannot afford to let transit fall behind. I urge you to approve this increase in transit funding as part of the broader transportation proposal”

"This proposal is just the first step toward building a transportation system that works for everyone, for years to come," Governor Kotek continued. "We have to address the crisis at our front door before we can move forward."

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