The Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation Division received a grant to help advance the Westside Trail project.
(Photo: THPRD)
The Oregon Department of Transportation released the list of projects funded by the new Oregon Community Paths (OCP) program. The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee has recommended 18 projects valued at $ 11.3 million.
The OCP program is funded from a combination of sources including bicycle excise tax, a portion of Oregon Lottery proceeds through the Multimodal Active Transportation Fund, and the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives program.
Here is more from ODOT in a statement released yesterday:
Reedville Trail alignment in Hillsboro.
The Oregon Community Paths Program (OCP) is a new program designed to help plan and build off-road hiking and biking trails that connect communities and destinations. It makes an important contribution to ODOT’s strategic action plan as it expands the agency’s priorities in terms of equity, a modern transport system and adequate and reliable funding. The program, funded by Keep Oregon Moving (HB 2017), also aims to improve safety for hikers, bikers and other users of personal mobility devices.
According to the guidelines of the OCP program, only paths outside the motorway are allowed. No projects from Multnomah County made the cut. The closest projects to Portland to be funded are in Washington County: The Reedville Trail in Hillsboro grossed just over $ 1.5 million to begin construction, and four sections of the Westside Trail in Tualatin are receiving over $ 635,000 for further improvements and planning.
Project selection was based on a mix of criteria including equity, safety, digging readiness and regional connectivity. The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee used Metro’s Transportation Disadvantaged Index to calculate the equity valuation of each project. This index uses the variables from the American Community Survey Census to determine the socio-demographic and travel behavior of local residents.
The list published yesterday contains projects and funding for the funding cycle 2022-2024. Note that this is just one way that ODOT is funding bike-related infrastructure. It is separate from the mandatory minimum 1% provision for cycling and walking infrastructure from the Highway Trust Fund, which is approximately $ 7 million per year. Even so, that funding is dwarfed by the billions ODOT is spending on upgrading highways for drivers of cars and trucks.
More information and a full list of projects can be found on the OCP program website.
– Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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