Last Call to Influence Oregon's Transportation Package
This week is your last chance to support historic funding levels for safe crossings, sidewalks, lighting, and bikeways that can save lives and connect communities.
The long-awaited Transportation Package for Oregon, HB 2025, was released Monday. It could be a huge, historic victory for a better transportation future, assuming we can get it across the finish line and passed by the end of this month and the mandated end of the session on June 29th.
The Good News
The bill proposes historic investments in safety and active transportation including our recommendation for a "1% for Safety" vehicle sales tax to fund safety programs and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
That would mean $250 million per biennium for Great Streets to transfer some of the state’s deadliest highways to local management and fund improved street design and infrastructure, preventing traffic fatalities and increasing community development, plus $50 million per biennium for Safe Routes to School which would improve the health, safety, and wellbeing of our children and students.
THESE ARE UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF SAFETY FUNDING IN OREGON! Your advocacy and support of The Street Trust made this progress possible.
What’s Missing?
While we fully support the on-street safety investments, they often lead nowhere if we don’t also fund off-street connections. We need to call for the final bill to include support for the Oregon Community Paths program to help fill these critical gaps.
Take Action:
Our final ask is to please submit your written testimony on the Transportation Package today for maximum impact before the public hearing on active transportation in the bill (walking, biking and rolling!) at 4pm. We need to ensure that safety programs are fully funded in the final bill and not negotiated away.
This hearing is the final opportunity to demonstrate strong public support for safety, accessibility, and equity in the bill. We need parents, youth, educators, health advocates, and community members like you to submit testimony on why safety is non-negotiable for our children and communities.