State receives $1 billion in a infrastructure package
By Paul Hall on Monday, November 15th, 2021 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Information provided by ODOT) The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive over $1 billion dollars in additional transportation funding as part of the federal infrastructure package.
The money will go toward projects around the state that will benefit drivers, transit riders, cyclists and pedestrians, help maintain roads and bridges, and address climate change.
We’re still analyzing the legislation to determine exactly how much funding ODOT will receive and where it will spend the money. Many projects are ready for construction, and others are in the final stages of planning so we should be able to move quickly. According to local ODOT officials in the La Grande Office, it is unclear how much the Northeastern region will receive. Tom Strandberg of the La Grande Office said, “We’ll receive some, but at this time, we don’t know how much.”
Oregon Transportation Commission Chair Bob Van Brocklin released the following statement on the bill’s passage:
“This past weekend Congress completed work on the largest infrastructure finance bill in history. Once signed by the president, the $1.2 trillion bill will allow ODOT to address a number of major challenges in our state.
“The Oregon Transportation Commission and ODOT will direct these funds, combined with state funding from the Oregon Legislature, to make real progress on Oregon’s transportation priorities. Specifically, some $1.2 billion will be allocated to our state in the next five years for highway and bridge construction and maintenance, safety improvements, mass transit investments, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, electric vehicle charging stations, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions from transportation sources.
“These resources will help us address congestion, which is increasing in our urban areas as the state’s population continues to grow; freight mobility, earthquake recovery preparedness, passenger rail, and other elements of the comprehensive mobility system we seek to create. All of this work will focus on improving our economy, our environment, and the quality of life of all Oregonians. Working together, we can attain this vision.
“In anticipation of this major new commitment at the federal level, beginning in 2020, the Oregon Transportation Commission and ODOT began working on a number of changes to create a modern transportation system that prioritizes equity, climate, safety, and the delivery of reliable transportation options to serve the diverse need of our citizens and businesses across the state. These early efforts position us to quickly invest the federal funds we receive and additional funds we will seek from new and continuing federal grant programs authorized by the bill Congress passed last weekend.
“The Oregon Transportation Commission and ODOT are deeply grateful for the hard work of our federal delegation to make this historic legislation a reality. We look forward to putting these new resources to work to build a better future for the people of Oregon.”
