County commissioners capitalized on opportunities to engage with the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation (JCT) at the committee’s Transportation Safety and Sustainability Outreach Tour stops in Albany and Eugene in July.
Listening tour host counties Linn and Lane worked closely with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to plan a local facility site tour to demonstrate cross-jurisdictional partnership and the essential nature of the shared county/state/city road system in supporting public services, jobs, and the economy of our state.
Following the site tours, county commissioners from the Albany and Eugene regions were invited to attend an intimate roundtable conversation with JCT members, local legislators, Oregon Transportation Commission members, governor’s office staff, ODOT leadership, and other community transportation leaders.
County commissioners discussed the impact of inflation, dwindling federal support, and limited local revenue bases on county road department budgets and stressed that counties put their 30% of the State Highway Fund to good use.
“The vast majority of Lane County’s road infrastructure was built over 100 years ago and, with escalating costs, we are falling further behind in our maintenance and preservation backlog,” said Lane County Chair Laurie Trieger. “Beyond the preservation needs of our existing century-old infrastructure,” she said, “we are also focused on key system pillars to carry us into the next century of service: safety, resilience, equity, and access.”
One of the Association of Oregon Counties’ (AOC) top legislative priorities for the 2025 session is to ensure a comprehensive transportation funding package prioritizes investments in operations, maintenance, and safety; incorporates diverse and modern funding mechanisms to ensure the growth and stabilization of the State Highway Fund; maintains the 30% county share of State Highway Fund revenues; and reduces barriers to local revenue sources.
The JCT listening tour continues throughout the summer, stopping next in Coos Bay on Aug. 7. Find the complete tour schedule and resources on the AOC website. AOC and the County Road Program are offering support via talking points, template testimony, and one-pagers to our member counties.
The AOC County Road Program conducted a statewide survey this spring and will present a comprehensive County Road Needs Study to the legislature during September Legislative Days in Salem.
Submitted by: Mallorie Roberts | Legislative Affairs Director