Oregon Begins Major Transportation Layoffs as Road Funding Bill Falls Through

The first 483 of an estimated 700 Oregon Department of Transportation ODOT) employees were retrenched yesterday following the legislature’s failure to pass a funding package to maintain and upgrade a dilapidated road and bridge network system.

Governor Says This is an Emergency for the Transportation System

According to the office of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, the layoffs will hurt the state and constitute an emergency for the transportation system.

ODOT was relying on an $11 million funding package. The failure of lawmakers to pass the transport bill is now expected to negatively impact municipalities statewide that rely on much-needed gas tax revenue.

A second round of staff layoffs at ODOT will take place early next year unless lawmakers can agree on a funding package.

Layoffs Also Expected at Portland Bureau of Transportation

Also facing staff cutbacks is the Portland Bureau of Transportation, whose director, Millicent D. Williams, says the department is preparing to lay off 50 staff members by next week.

The only way the situation can be salvaged is for the governor to call a special session of the legislature and to recall lawmakers to set aside party politics and reach consensus on a transportation funding bill.

In the meantime, Governor Kotek has instructed a review of ODOT’s staff reduction plan between the state’s Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Neal, the Department of Administrative Services Director, Betsy Imholt, the Chief Financial Officer, Kate Nass, and the ODOT director, Kris Strickler. Kotek wants them to devise a plan that will limit any immediate impact on basic services.

Immediate impacts will be delays or alternative maintenance and repairs to high-volume traffic corridors and intersections.