Governor Silent as Oregon’s Transport System Begins to Unravel With First Major Layoffs

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has yet to announce her plans to resolve the transportation network crisis following the failure of the legislature to reach consensus on a funding package for the state’s Department of Transport (ODOT).

In the meantime, warnings that ODOT services will begin to erode are already materializing.

Highway Clean-Up Company Lays Off 40 Workers on Friday

On Friday, the Interstate Business Solutions highway clean-up company laid off 40 of its Oregon employees. A $4 million contract with the company signed in April 2024 and set to expire at the end of last month has been extended for 30 days by ODOT to the end of July at a cost of an additional $70,000.

Until then, only three workers will man a crew that will focus on illegal dumping hot-spots from Interstate 5 and main thoroughfares around the Portland metro area.

Until then, only three workers will focus on illegal dumping hot spots along Interstate 5 and main thoroughfares in the Portland metro area.

An ODOT spokesman says the decision not to renew the contract was based on a lack of funding. This followed a funding freeze by the federal government, and ODOT now faces a budget shortfall of $354 million over the next two years. The agency has been forced to shelve or drastically downgrade transport network upgrades.

ODOT Could Prune Its Work Force by 700 People

Apart from the loss of employment at the clean-up company for veterans, homeless individuals, and those who were previously incarcerated, ODOT  is facing major staff cutbacks. It has already said farewell to 500 employees, with a further 200 jobs on the line early next year.

The ODOT spokesman says from the beginning of August, the agency will continue to cleanup illegal camp sites, litter, and graffiti, but less frequently.