ODOT invests $46 million in new aviation, rail and marine projects around the state, May 25

SALEM — The Oregon Transportation Commission approved $46 million in new funding for multimodal transportation projects at their May meeting. The funding is part of Connect Oregon, an initiative established by the 2005 state legislature to invest in non-highway modes of transportation. For this current round of Connect Oregon grants, ODOT originally received 51 applications for funding. The projects went through a rigorous, multi-step review process. The review process included evaluations by ODOT staff, ODOT economists and Business Oregon Regional Development officers, Regional Solutions Teams, statewide modal committees, Area Commissions on Transportation, and the final review committee. ODOT ranked the projects based on a number of factors: Access to jobs/labor; Reduced transportation costs; Economic benefits to state; Critical link for system; Readiness; Required match; Useful life; Proximity to mining aggregate; Geographic mix; Equity; Climate/GHG impacts. The 21 projects that ODOT is funding include two on the South Coast: City of Port Orford – Port of Port Orford Crane Replacement; Total Project Costs: $2,313,656; Connect Oregon Grant Funds Requested: $1,619,559; Coos County Airport District – eVTOL Cargo and Pacific Northwest Seafood Transfer Facility; Total Project Costs: $9,826,000; Connect Oregon Grant Funds Requested: $3,000,000. “I appreciate the work that’s gone into this,” said Commission Chair Bob Van Brocklin. “There have been a lot of stages, a lot of communication, and a lot of opportunities to be heard.” For the six previous rounds of Connect Oregon funding, the OTC funded 221 projects, with a total leverage of non-Connect Oregon funds of $605 million. All but five of those projects are complete, with the remaining projects at various stages of design and construction. Multimodal investments are a key part of ODOT’s Strategic Action Plan, which lays out priorities and goals for the next several years. Information about the Connect Oregon program is available on the program website.