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Oregon

The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations

Oregon is the 10th largest state in the U.S. in land area, 28th largest in population, and 12th most densely populated. However, approximately 52 percent of Oregon's population and jobs, and 99 percent of the land, is non-urban. About 90 percent of Oregon's roads are rural. Federally owned lands amounts to 60 percent of the state's land area.

Oregon is a moderately growing state, as measured by population, and has slow growth in employment. The portion of the state's jobs in the uniquely rural agriculture and mining sectors is moderate to small (8 and less than one percent, respectively). Most of Oregon's rural employment is within sectors also common in urban areas: construction, transportation, and utilities (12 percent); manufacturing (20 percent); business and trade (26 percent); and services and government (34 percent).

Demographically, Oregon's non-urban population is predominately white (95 percent). Compared to the other states, the proportion of Oregon's non-urban adult population who did not graduate from high school is about in the middle (20th lowest), as is the proportion who did graduate from college (22nd highest). The 13 percent of Oregon's non-urban population who are poor ranks near the middle compared to other states. About 43 percent of the state's non-urban population is in non-working age groups (28 percent 18 years or younger and 15 percent 65 years or older).

Governmentally, Oregon has 36 counties, a fairly manageable compared to many other states. Oregon also has 240 municipalities, but no towns or townships. This ranks as the 17th smallest number of sub-county governments. There are nine federally recognized Indian tribes.

In addition, the 1997 U.S. Census of Governments has identified 104 independent, special-purpose governments in Oregon that have transportation responsibilities. This number is higher than in most other states. These special-purpose governments include 86 for highways, 9 for water transport, and 9 for transit. Oregon also has 27 other public transit providers serving rural areas and an additional 23 organizations that provide specialized transit services to elderly and disabled populations in those same areas.

Oregon has 10 regional councils that cover approximately 50 percent of the state and 4 MPOs. These regional units help to coordinate other local governments.

Oregon has a total of 95,237 miles of roads, of which 12 percent are state-controlled and 44 percent are federal, the highest in the nation. Of the total miles of non-federal rural roads, 15 percent are state, 71 percent are county, none are township and 4 percent are municipal and other.

Processes For Consultation And Cooperation With Local Officials In Non-Metropolitan Areas

Oregon's rural transportation planning process is focused in the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) district offices. However, with the recent introduction of Area Commissions on Transportation (ACTs), the process is undergoing change.

Plans for specific geographic areas of the state are developed through consultation with and review by the affected local governments. Under state law, counties and cities develop comprehensive, local transportation system plans. Also, as of mid-1999, three ACTs had been formed. These advisory commissions represent a specific geographic area and are made up of local transit officials, elected officials, and representatives of businesses and Tribal governments. ACTs were created to provide local officials and others a means of direct access to the members to the Oregon Transportation Commission, which oversees ODOT. They serve as sounding boards for the local plans in their area, but do not supplant local government approval; local governments must directly approve or adopt plans affecting their jurisdictional boundaries. Regions with ACTS also submit regional TIPs to ODOT.

ODOT officials meet regularly with ODOT district staff and ACTs (Councils of Government are also invited) to discuss transportation issues. Local elected officials are encouraged to participate through ACTs and COGs; areas without these groups can provide direct input to ODOT. ACTs can also communicate directly with the State Transportation Coordinating Commission. ODOT's Stakeholder Involvement Handbook states that involvement should be accessible, continuous, responsive and responsible.

ODOT district offices develop geographic plans based on the input form ACTs and COGs, as well as from regions without ACTs. ODOT has recently reengineered the project selection process. A Community Solutions Team has been formed with representatives from five state agencies--Housing, Economic Development, Land Conservation and Development, Environmental Quality, and Transportation-with a goal of more effectively focusing state agency efforts on solving problems in partnership with local communities. Also, solution teams, consisting of stakeholders and technical people, have been created to develop solutions to identified problems, especially on the highway system. Citizen advisory committees, comprised mostly of people who are directly impacted by a project, provide input to the solution teams.

ODOT updates the STIP every two years. The STIP includes prefunded projects, strategic projects and unfunded projects. It is part of the 6-year corridor-based Oregon Highway Plan. As a result of various initiatives, including the Oregon Livability Initiative, the state is taking steps to better coordinate transportation planning with other areas. The Departments of Human Services, Housing, Corrections, Education, Veterans, and Transportation are working together to develop a coordination model for transportation. Federal land management agencies are included in the consultative process when federal lands are affected.

Rural roads are financed primarily through state highway funds and the federal gasoline tax. One half of State Highway Fund revenue goes to local (city and county) governments for transportation maintenance and improvement projects, planning activities, and operations. Counties may have new development fees or local gasoline taxes to supplement transportation funding. Rural transit is funded though a mix of state funds and funds from FHWA and FTA.

Oregon uses these practices:

State Processes to Compile Transportation Needs: ODOT prepares a list of projects based on input from locals (ACTs, COGs, and "advisory" groups).
State Processes for Interactive Exchanges of Views with Local Officials: ODOT officials meet regularly with ODOT district staff and ACTs (COGs invited) to discuss needs and issues. Also, solutions teams and citizens advisory committees appear to be less formal, more interactive, than other methods.
State Policy-Making and Advisory Bodies: Oregon Transportation Commission.

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