5 results for tag: public transportation

Move Oregon Forward: A Coalition and Vision for Our Transportation Future

There’s a big problem happening in our transportation system today, and it’s been decades in the making. The Oregon Department of Transportation is facing a $1.8 billion deficit. If this is not met, ODOT staff have said they will need to eliminate more than 1,000 jobs, and that basic services that help to keep the state moving – including snow plowing, road repair, and bridge maintenance – will be halted or delayed dramatically. What is being left out of this conversation is what will happen to the state’s commitments to reduce traffic violence, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve community health, economic resilience, and ...

What could we do with a billion dollars?

Now that Congress has passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more than a billion dollars will be coming to Oregon for transportation. That’s great news and it presents us with a big opportunity to think about how we can spend that money wisely. Some of the money is committed to specific projects already underway. But, we’ll have choices with the rest and we should demand that it be invested in things that we know we need in the future. Things that will give people more freedom, access, and choices about how they get around, and which also make our communities safer, healthier, and more resilient. What kinds of things could this ...

Speak Up for Transportation Options in Oregon!

If you are like us, you are deeply concerned about transportation options for your community. Please join us in attending public hearings with Oregon Legislature's Joint Transportation Committee. Why does your community need more transit options, safer routes to school and less air pollution? You can make a difference when you share your transportation story. Together we can send a clear message to our lawmakers: Oregonians deserve modern transportation systems that provide more options for all of us—with well-maintained roads and bridges, convenient public transportation, and safe paths to walk and bike.‪ Why does your community need more ...

Smoother Road Ahead: Two Transportation Measures Pass in Oregon

Transit and safe streets will get a boost thanks to the passage of two measures on the May 2016 ballot, making it easier and safer for Oregonians to get around. OEC was proud to endorse both of these measures, and we are celebrating their success! In Southern Oregon, voters said YES to 15-141, which provides funding to restore and expand bus service in Ashland, Medford, Central Point, Jacksonville, Talent, Phoenix and White City. Given that the state of Oregon only contributes 3% to local transit operations (compared with an average state contribution of over 24% nationally), local measures like these are essential for keeping critical public ...

OEC supports ballot measure to fund “Cherriots”

The public transportation system serving Salem-Keizer residents has a great name – “Cherriots” – conjuring up images of beautiful horse-drawn carriages, but Cherriots has been struggling for years to meet the community’s needs. In fact, if you want to take the bus on the weekend or after 9:00 PM, tough luck! Part of the problem is the fact that Oregon lags far behind other states in supporting the daily operations of its local transit systems. From Basin Transit Service in Klamath Falls to TriMet in the Portland metro area, bus drivers and rail operators are getting people the places they need to go and creating broader community benefits, ...