One in five jobs in Oregon is transportation and trade-related. The state heavily relies on exports from farms, forests, and factories to support jobs.
Two new reports from the Oregon Department of Transportation show that at the state’s current rate of investment, Oregon’s roads and bridges will deteriorate, and if the state doesn’t pay now, it’ll have to pay a lot more later.
Over half of the state highway bridges have reached or exceeded their 50-year life span, and they were not built to withstand a major earthquake. The Rough Roads 2 report estimates by 2036, the state’s deteriorated bridges that force trucks to detour will have a significant impact on Oregon’s trade economy. By 2036, Oregon is projected to have at least 75 thousand fewer jobs than if the bridges are kept from deteriorating, and the state will have given up $150 billion in gross domestic product.
ODOT’s current pavement budget also lacks to maintain and preserve state highways. Without additional investment, nearly half of state highway pavement will be in poor condition.
At the end of 20 years of operating at the current forecast funding levels, Oregon would need to spend between $ 4 billion to $5.5 billion to upgrade to today’s conditions, which is much higher than the $2.6 billion in additional funds needed in the near future to keep them in good condition.