An accountability package will likely be included as part of any transportation package. Counties, cities and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will all be required to report. Current discussions relate to funding (where money comes from and how it is spent) and the condition of the infrastructure (roads, bridges, safety).

Financial accountability is focused on the Local Street & Road Questionnaire, which counties already submit each year.  This questionnaire provides detail around revenue sources and disbursements.

From the infrastructure perspective, conditions of bridges and safety can be provided by ODOT, as they gather information on both these areas for counties, cities and the state system.  Road condition data collection is currently under discussion, as there is no centralized system.  We have requested the road condition aspect of the accountability discussion be referred to a workgroup that will discuss how to develop a reporting protocol across state, county and city judications that uses existing data.

There is interest in displaying this information on a website and accumulating information over time, so that the public can see trends.  We will keep you posted as the conversation develops.

Contributed by: Susan Morgan | Transportation Steering Committee Policy Manager