Oregon’s Transportation Crossroads: How to Protect What Works While Building for Tomorrow
The 2026 legislative session is underway, and transportation is front and center. Right now, legislators are making decisions that will shape how Oregonians get around for years to come – whether that’s driving on safe roads and bridges, riding transit to get to work or school, or walking and biking around neighborhoods.
OEC is a founder and steering committee member of Move Oregon Forward, a coalition fighting to protect the transportation programs that thousands of Oregonians rely on daily. Together, we pushed for policies that will bring greater accountability and transparency to the way our state manages transportation dollars.
Here’s what we’re advocating for in the 2026 legislative session:
ODOT Budget: A Transportation Budget that Reflects Oregon’s Values
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is facing a significant budget gap. There’s a growing concern that the state will try to close the gap by cutting or pausing the programs that keep people (especially kids) safe, make clean electric transportation accessible, and passenger rail affordable for those who rely on it.
Programs like Safe Routes to School and the Transportation Operating Fund have track records of delivering real benefits to working families, seniors, people living with disabilities, and those who don’t drive.
These programs work. They connect communities, boost local economies, and keep Oregonians safe. Jeopardizing the things we all rely on – safe routes to school, off-road trails, and chargers for electric vehicles in rural communities – is not the answer.
We’re calling on ODOT to protect these crucial programs. That means:
- Identify budget cuts that reduce harm to the traveling public and protect frontline ODOT staff from further job losses.
- Prioritize “fix-it-first” investments in bridge and seismic preservation and safety projects to protect Oregonians on the road now, while preventing higher costs in the future.
- Don’t commit more money to large-scale projects without clear funding paths; redirect funds toward immediate needs and revisit these big projects in the 2027 session.
- If a funding gap remains, focus on strategic, low-harm, temporary solutions, such as limited short-term financing tools or reducing funds for Connect Oregon’s next grant cycle.
Oregonians want strong stewardship of the transportation systems they rely on. That means protecting what works, investing where demand is highest, and NOT cutting crucial programs to advance new projects that lack adequate funding.
Right now, lawmakers need to hear from you. Write your representatives, and tell them to protect the transportation programs we all rely on from budget cuts this legislative session.
Update on bills: Already this session, the following two transportation bills failed to make it out of committee. These will remain a top priority for Move Oregon Forward next session, and in the months ahead.
Guardrails for Good Governance (SB 1543): Stopping the Debt Spiral
Beyond the immediate budget crisis, ODOT’s debt has spiraled out of control. Since 2007, the cost of paying back ODOT’s loans has exploded by 400%, far outpacing the money coming in. Outdated policies actually incentivize ODOT to take on more debt. Now, we’re at a breaking point where interest payments are eating into funds meant for bridge and road maintenance, seismic retrofits, and safety investments.
Without action, Oregon’s transportation infrastructure will crumble as funds are diverted to pay off ballooning debt. That’s why Move Oregon Forward advocated for Guardrails for Good Governance (SB 1543) to create Oregon’s first binding Transportation Debt Management Policy:
- Before a single shovel hits the ground, ODOT must show the public the total price tag, including interest and opportunity costs (including which other projects will be cancelled to pay for this one).
- ODOT can no longer borrow money without joint sign-off from the State Treasury and the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC).
- The OTC gets independent power to approve or deny taking on debt through bond sales, serving as a genuine check and balance on ODOT leadership.
- OTC materials must be posted at least 24 hours before the public comment period closes, giving the public a real chance to be heard.
These reforms balance today’s needs with the future, so our children aren’t paying for our road projects 30 years from now. By making sure every dollar is used efficiently and oversight is tightened, we can fix our roads while keeping costs down.
Measure What We Drive (SB 1542): Ensuring Smart Investments
ODOT has taken on new projects that we can’t afford to maintain – while neglecting the roads we use every day. Oregonians are waiting for safer streets and reliable bridges, but those repairs are being eclipsed by new projects with unknown price tags.
Measure What We Drive (SB 1542) would have fixed this by requiring every project to earn its funding through a transparent scoring system:
- Creates a public accountability dashboard so Oregonians can see whether their tax dollars are improving pavement quality, bridge maintenance, road safety, and emissions (modeled after successful programs in Washington and Virginia).
- Every major project gets scored based on safety, climate impact, accessibility, and maintenance value.
- Establishes a safety and maintenance floor for how worn and damaged our roads can get. When we fall below these standards, ODOT must automatically prioritize money away from new expansions and back into urgent repairs.
- Ensures that projects that make roads safer, better maintained, or more multimodal are prioritized.
When resources are limited, we need to ensure the most effective projects move to the front of the line. Every dollar we spend today should be used to make Oregon safer and more resilient, not lock us into expensive highway expansions that increase pollution and traffic.
Oregonians also need to understand that neglecting road maintenance for too long actually increases costs. It’s more cost-effective to maintain a road rather than completely resurface it if it is too far gone. Similarly, neglecting to transition to climate-smart modes, like electric vehicles, drives extreme heat and wildfires that causes more damages and costs to roads and bridges.
Ways to Take Action
You can help advance smart transportation policies and protect the programs Oregonians depend on!
- Speak up for Oregon’s transportation budget.
- Sign up for our action alert emails. We’ll keep you informed about more ways to make your voice heard when it counts.
- Become a member of OEC with your donation today! 100% of OEC’s revenue comes from individuals, foundations, and philanthropic giving. Your support powers our ability to show up and fight for the transportation systems Oregonians deserve. Join in with your support now!
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