As fires scorched through a record 2.5 million acres this summer, mostly in eastern and central Oregon, many of the state’s transportation maintenance crews traded patching potholes and cleaning culverts for wildfire response.  Diverting resources to respond to severe weather events is becoming increasingly common for the Oregon Department of Transportation. But as the agency […]

Oregon’s beleaguered transportation agency is staring down a $200 million budget gap for the 2027-29 budget cycle and layoffs unless the state Legislature intervenes, according to agency officials.  The Oregon Department of Transportation’s budget gap largely stems from inflation and declining gas tax revenue as more people drive electric vehicles, and it means the agency […]