Earlier this month, TriMet — in a last-ditch effort to fill the local funding gap in their $1.5 billion Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project — put in a request for a 10-year, $19 million funding commitment from the State of Oregon. Artist rendering of Portland-Milwaukie light rail line. The request raised serious concerns with transportation officials … Read more
“We strongly urge that the state look to other sources for funding this vital project.” — BTA’s Rob Sadowsky in a letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission Last week we shared the news that TriMet is making a major funding request for ODOT’s $21 million pot of Federal Flexible Funds. The request is for a … Read more
Gail Achterman at the 2008 Oregon Bike Summit.(Photo © J. Maus) The Oregon Transportation Commission is like the Jedi Council when it comes to setting statewide transportation policy. Its members are appointed by the governor and they have tremendous influence over funding, setting direction and priorities, and a host of other decisions that have a … Read more
“The OTC also recognizes the need to balance highway needs with other modal needs.”— From a statement released by ODOT today The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC), acting on behalf of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), has announced the application process and more details on how they’ll allocate their remainder of federal stimulus funds. The … Read more
OTC Commissioners: Gail Achterman Michael Nelson Janice Wilson Alan Brown David Lohman See photos/bios below Now that it’s crunch-time for the Oregon Department of Transportation and their Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) to decide on how to spend the infrastructure chunk of our federal stimulus money, I thought you might want to know a little more … Read more
“What went wrong?… The Transportation Commission got heavy pressure from pro-highway legislators, road builders, and Washington County and other local governments looking for road-building money.”— excerpt from a statement set to go out to supporters of Transportation for Oregon’s Future Transportation for Oregon’s Future — a “network of organizations and businesses supporting transportation choices for … Read more
Riders will no longer be in the dark on the I-205 bike path.(Photo © J. Maus) On Friday, the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC, a body appointed by Governor Kulongoski) made their final decisions on how to spend $122,592,742 in federal stimulus funds. And, if you remember our report from last week, it seems like their … Read more
Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, Gail Achterman, is in the driver’s seat on how our statespends its federal stimulus money.(Photos © J. Maus) The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) is meeting this morning in Salem to discuss which infrastructure projects will get built with money from America’s recently passed economic stimulus plan. The OTC is … Read more