Posts tagged: Oregon Department of Transportation

An ODOT engineer talked about protecting bridges along state highways but a city councilor asked about keeping critical lifeline routes open.

The Oregon Department of Transportation will be changing the intersection of 54th Street and Main Street in Springfield. In 2015, a driver ran a red light there, injuring a mother and killing all three of her kids crossing legally in a crosswalk. BEST sees a need to redesign all of Main Street to encourage slower travel speeds.

BEST will be at the table representing taxpayers in Lane County.

BEST supports efforts to protect all lives on roadways across Lane County. Although BEST supports some elements, we find that ODOT’s preferred design will encourage more and faster driving and have other negative impacts. Regardless, at an estimated cost of $250–350 million with no identified source of funding, the project is “too big to build.” BEST recommends making less costly targeted improvements before too many more tragedies occur.

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a.k.a. the Infrastructure Investment and Investment Act (IIJA), states—including Oregon—where 15% or more of traffic deaths are people outside vehicles are required to spend 15% or more of Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds on vulnerable road user safety.

In the name of ‘balance,’ Oregon continues to chase large road-widening projects without evidence that these actually reduce congestion for drivers while underinvesting in the safety of people not driving.

BEST executive director Rob Zako testified to the Oregon Transportation Commission, urging them to direct the flexible portion of Oregon’s share of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act away from highways and towards active transportation, slowing climate change, and local transportation needs.

On February 14, 2022, the River Road Community Organization (RRCO) hosted a discussion of plans to widen Beltline Highway between Delta Highway and River Road.

BEST and other transportation leaders are calling on the Oregon Transportation Commission to direct more of Oregon’s share of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to active transportation and slowing climate change.

Responding to questions about potential environmental impacts of widening Highway 126 between Veneta and Eugene, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) denied that there were any “that rise to the level of ‘significant.’ ”