Oregon Statewide

Exciting news for students and families across Oregon - over the summer, community partners received notice of more than $3 Million in Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grants throughout the state.

The 2019 Oregon Legislature adjourned just hours before their constitutional deadline on June 30. This was a highly contentious session that received national news coverage for the partisan gridlock and multiple walkouts that occurred. Like so many others, we were waiting for news on priority bills right up until Sine Die. We had some significant wins this year, including the passage of a bill that phases out dirty diesel, and the death of a bill that would have removed local regulation of TNCs.

June 26, 2019 Update: All eyes are on the Oregon Legislature as the 2019 Session comes to a close. Although we had hoped for a statewide policy to reduce diesel emissions and phase out old dirty diesel engines this session, HB 2007 has been limited to the tri-county area. Still, the bill is a meaninful step forward and necessary to allocate remaining VW Settlement funds. HB 2007 has successfully passed the House and, along with many other important bills, awaits the Senate to resume its business.

Are you thinking about applying for an Oregon Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Non-Infrastructure Grant this spring? Considering the ODOT Rapid Response Program? The Safe Routes Partnership wants to help! We may be able to provide technical assistance to help your agency in meeting grant requirements before the deadline this May. Our team can provide support in clarifying grant criteria, providing proposal development tips, and reviewing your application.

3/27/19 update: HB 2007 has been scheduled for a work session on April 4, 2019. The bill was scheduled prior to the first chamber deadline so that it may continue to advance this session. While no amendments have been posted yet, we're supporting partners in asking for amendments that will strengthen the bill. Read our post from earlier this month for more details:

ODOT is gearing up for the next round of SRTS funding, including the Non-Infrastructure, Rapid Response and Project Identification Programs. The Non-Infrastructure Program opens in April, with about $500,000/yr available for the 3-year grant cycle, and can help fund education, encouragement and enforcement programs. About $1.8M is available for the Rapid Response Program, for projects that simply cannot wait for the 2021 competition. More details are expected soon on the Project ID Program.

With the First Chamber deadline quickly approaching, we're monitoring key transportation and climate bills advancing in the Oregon Legislature. Here are just a few bills we're watching:

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) is a new dedicated source of funding for expanding public transportation service in Oregon. (Read our earlier coverage of STIF & activity in the Salem-area). Eighteen of the forty-two eligible transit providers in Oregon have submitted applications for the first STIF review cycle, which started in November 2018.

Following a competitive call for projects, last week the Oregon Transportation Commission approved a list of 24 recommended Safe Routes to School (SRTS) infrastructure grants. These projects will invest more than $15 million across the state to create safer ways for students to get to and from schools via walking and rolling.

As cities across the country take steps to address equity, traffic congestion, and reduce climate emissions, many are looking to bike and scooter share programs for possible solutions. New mobility programs seem to make headlines each week, with announcements of new transportation technologies hitting our streets. Last year, Portland held a fourth-month pilot program to test out e-scooter share programs in the City. And in recent weeks, the City of Salem has been gearing up for a new bike share and contemplating its own e-scooter deployment.