The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Metro, and Clackamas County engaged Oregon Consensus to conduct an assessment of transportation decision making processes in ODOT’s Region 1. The assessment also explored possibilities for a collaborative effort among stakeholders to increase public input into transportation policy, particularly input from under-represented areas of the region. The effort came in response to increasing requests from predominantly rural stakeholders in ODOT’s Region 1, who desire greater involvement in prioritization of transportation funding and selection of projects for inclusion in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP).
The Oregon Consensus Assessment Report (PDF) discusses key themes that surfaced during interviews of more than 60 stakeholders representing rural and urban communities, ports, state, local and regional government, and others. Based on the interview findings, Oregon Consensus recommended that the Governor’s Office convene a short-term ODOT Region 1 task force with broad regional stakeholder representation. The task force would be charged with recommending a formal structure for prioritizing future STIP projects in the region. A technical advisory committee would be paired with the task force to conduct a transportation summit to educate stakeholders about the role of Oregon’s Area Commissions on Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations in current decision making processes, and to engage stakeholders in evaluating alternatives for improving public involvement in transportation prioritization in the region.
ODOT, Metro and Clackamas County have issued a memo (PDF) committing to move forward on the recommendations.