ODOT is asking Oregonians for their feedback. Will lawmakers listen?
After experiencing budget woes for several budget cycles, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is asking Oregonians what they think its priorities should be. The survey, available until September 10, asks Oregonians to rank six priorities, determine how they would allocate funding, and explain how budget cuts would impact them.
At last, the government listens!
Perhaps that’s a bit premature. After all, it’s lawmakers that will need to take the survey results into account when they craft ODOT’s budget during the 2027 legislative session. A good dose of priority-based budgeting focused on the needs of Oregonians as Oregonians specify could ensure ODOT functions efficiently and effectively without tax increases or mass layoffs.
Below are the options in the “Priorities” section of the survey, listed in the order OFC would prioritize them.
Priority #1: Maintain the System
The first priority for ODOT should be to maintain the system. As the survey describes, this would ensure “roads, highways and bridges are maintained well, with crews fixing potholes, clearing debris and plowing snow quickly.” Ask any Oregonian and they would probably give you an answer similar to this.
Lawmakers might actually say the same thing. Yet, the workers dedicated to this priority are always the first to be threatened with layoffs. That’s purely political, as it’s intended to scare Oregonians into accepting tax increases without question. No one wants layoffs, and layoffs don’t have to be the alternative to tax increases. In fact, Salem proved that during the 2026 legislative session when it fixed ODOT’s budget without tax increases as it stared down an impending 83% rejection–thanks to OFC–of previously enacted tax increases.
As the top priority, elements of ODOT that serve to maintain the system should be protected in the budget process.
Priority #2: Preserve Key Assets
According to ODOT, preservation of key assets means “bridges and roads are regularly repaired and replaced to ensure long term performance of Oregon’s transportation system and avoid higher repair or replacement costs later.” In a way, this priority folds nicely into the first. The key difference is the replacement piece. There are times in which funds are allocated to replace bridges and roads that don’t necessarily need replacing. To be clear, if a bridge or roadway poses a true safety risk, then it should be replaced. But this doesn’t mean that assets which are currently well maintained and in good condition should be replaced to save money down the line. When these assets were built, they were ostensibly designed and built in a way that was intended for longevity. Funding should be focused on assets urgently needing repair or replacement and anything left over should be allocated to budget items that serve other, higher priorities.
Priority #3: Improve Safety
As a standalone priority, OFC ranks improvement of safety third because it’s inherent in the first two priorities. An ODOT that properly maintains the system and preserves key assets ensures “people can get where they need to go safely.” When it comes to the overhaul of entire transportation networks, it should take a higher priority than improving traffic flow. Essentially, that prioritizes sanctity of life over convenience.
One key thing to note is that these questions are being posed as though safety would be thrown out in any budget cuts. That’s not the case in any sense. ODOT lists safety as one of its primary values. It undergirds all of its priorities, as it should. The key difference is between what’s a project necessary for public safety and what isn’t. When it comes to safety projects, some are necessary because the design of a road creates a danger. Others are predicated on urgency. Discernment in the urgency of the project and to what degree the danger poses a threat is key. Overhauling an entire roadway because drivers speed through a certain stretch shouldn’t be as high a priority compared to replacing a bridge on the verge of collapse. Likewise, a downhill stretch that causes accidents because it’s too steep might need fixing before that stretch where drivers speed.
Priority #4: Better Traffic Flow
Better traffic flow means “highways, roads and bridges are improved through construction projects to improve traffic flow.” Similar to the previous one, this priority can sometimes be inherent in other priorities. However, entire overhauls of transportation networks for the sake of traffic flows should not be a high priority during budgetary crises. Oregonians expect traffic during their commutes to and from work. It becomes a key factor in their daily routines. Designing transportation to save Oregonians five minutes on their commute is a convenience best saved for when ODOT has the money, not a necessity to be factored into fixing a budget shortfall.
Priority #5: Reliable Public Transit
“Public transit remains available and reliable for people who use it.” Ensuring a reliable public transit system is best left to the localities these systems serve. Understandably, there’s a case for ODOT to have some hand in ensuring reliable public transit for systems that span multiple jurisdictions. However, the scope of those responsibilities should be limited and that consideration should be low on the list when in a budget crunch.
Priority #6: Easier to Bike and Walk
“Safe and comfortable options are available for people to walk and bike.” Ease of biking and walking should not be an ODOT priority regardless of whether the agency faces budget issues. ODOT is a statewide agency, and these items are issues for localities to deal with. If cities and towns would like to improve bikeability and walkability, they should be the ones to make the plans and put up the funding. Improving the walkability of Ontario has no discernible impact on Astoria. Neither does improving the bikeability of Portland have a discernible impact on Medford.
This survey gives a unique opportunity for lawmakers to find out what exactly Oregonians value in the state’s transportation system. Whether or not they pay attention is another matter altogether. Nonetheless, you can make your thoughts known by clicking the button below and taking the survey yourself.