On April 24, the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources unanimously passed the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) budget (Senate Bill 5527). Included in the budget was a $1.25 million allocation to support work on the Oregon Coast Trail. These funds will be used to make improvements and conduct maintenance on State Parks property.

The Association of Oregon Counties’ County Solutions Program is using a collaborative approach to develop ways to make connections that are currently needed to improve safety and improve the trail experience on the Coast. In the current phase of this work, three county commissioners, Melissa Cribbins (Coos County), Doug Hunt (Lincoln County), and Bill Baertlein (Tillamook County) are convening community based stakeholder groups to identify creative solutions to close the gaps.

Funding from SB 5527 would be used for conducting an assessment of existing Oregon Coast Trail conditions and facility needs, restoration, or trail reroutes to hit maintenance goals, design and construction of trail side facilities, and signage improvements.

The OPRD budget now moves to the full Joint Committee on Ways and Means for further consideration.

Contributed by: Megan Chuinard |Public Affairs Associate