Date: Friday May 2, 2025
To: Senate President Rob Wagner, House Speaker Julie Fahey
Joint Committee on Transportation Co-Chairs Chris Gorsek, Susan McLain
Joint Committee on Transportation Co-Vice Chairs Shelly Boshart-Davis, Bruce Starr
Re: Mechanisms for Cost and Climate Accountability in the 2025 Transportation Package
The 2025 transportation package is an opportunity to bring climate and cost accountability to Oregon’s transportation system. As we invest in preserving our roads and bridges, we must also ensure the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is held to clear standards that curb carbon emissions and rein in skyrocketing megaproject costs.Transportation accounts for roughly 35% of Oregon’s carbon emissions and is the second-largest expense for most households after housing. By aligning future investments with our climate goals and cost-effectiveness, we can build a system that truly serves the needs of all Oregonians—rural and urban alike.
Our request is for the Transportation Package to require ODOT to evaluate the projected greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled for all future highway projects as part of its project selection criteria.
Similar measures have been adopted in Colorado[1] and Minnesota[2] and proposed in New York and Maryland. These efforts do not block projects outright but help guide DOTs toward right-sizing proposals and increasing investments in active and public transportation.
This approach also supports stronger cost controls and improved project delivery. Over the past two decades, nearly every major ODOT highway project has faced significant cost overruns, often due to inflated traffic forecasts and oversized designs.[3] By requiring consideration of more efficient alternatives, we can free up resources for critical maintenance, especially in rural areas.
Reducing car dependency is also an anti-poverty strategy by eliminating or reducing the high costs of car ownership, insurance, fuel, and auto loans.[4]
We urge that the 2025 transportation package include clear accountability measures to ensure ODOT’s future investments align with Oregon’s affordability, livability, and climate goals.
Sincerely,
Senator Khanh Pham Representative Courtney Neron
Senator Jeff Golden Representative Mark Gamba
Senator Anthony Broadman Representative Hoa Nguyen
Senator Wlnsvey Campos Representative Thuy Tran
Representative Lisa Fragala Representative Willy Chotzen
Representative Farrah Chaichi Senator Floyd Prozanski
Representative Tom Andersen Representative Travis Nelson
Signatures updated as of May 2, 2025
[1]“Colorado’s Bold New Approach to Highways — Not Building Them” New York Times. May 31, 2024 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/31/headway/highways-colorado-transportation.html
[2] https://www.dot.state.mn.us/sustainability/ghg-legislation.html
[3] “ODOT’s Reign of Error: Chronic highway cost overruns” City Observatory, June 9, 2022. https://cityobservatory.org/odots-reign-of-error-chronic-highway-cost-overruns/
[4] Smarter MODES Calculator: Smarter Mobility Options for Decarbonization, Equity, and Safety. Rocky Mountain Institute.