PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive $19 million to restore winter road maintenance services, improve street safety, and to buy new snowplow trucks amid an aging fleet, Gov. Tina Kotek announced Monday.
The joint announcement from the governor, Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield noted ODOT reduced its services this biennium due to shortfalls in the State Highway Fund, record levels of inflation, and limits on agency funds.
“Oregon needs to have safe state highways,” Kotek said. “I am committed to finding long-term solutions that ensure our state roads and highways are meeting the needs of Oregon families, businesses, and visitors. In the meantime, I greatly appreciate Senate President Wagner and House Speaker Rayfield for prioritizing this funding now so that Oregonians can have safer road conditions this winter.”
Senate President Wagner says the funding will help keep state roads safe through winter and year-round.
“Whether it's July or January, Oregonians need to be able to travel safely on our highways,” President Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) said. “This commitment from myself and Speaker Rayfield — in coordination with our budget co-chairs — guarantees critical funding to keep Oregonians safe throughout the year.”
“It’s critical that all Oregonians have a safe, reliable transportation system to get to work, school, and play,” Speaker Rayfield (D-Corvallis) added. “Thanks to the work our transportation and budget leaders have invested to understand the safety and functional needs of our communities, we are able to ensure a safe winter season and ultimately, a more sustainable, equitable system.”’
The lawmakers announced $8 million will restore essential winter maintenance for the 2023-2025 biennium, including funding for deicer and salt, and will eliminate staff overtime restrictions for a better level of service in peak winter events.
Additionally, $7 million will go towards road, bridge, and traffic maintenance including fixing potholes across the state and retracing edge lines on low volume highways, which was paused in 2023.
Another $4 million will replace 10 trucks used mostly for snow plowing. Officials said ODOT has about 400 of these trucks, with many beyond their service life.
In a press release, the governor's office said the anticipate the new trucks to be delivered by winter 2024.
