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Oregon will receive $362 million to address transportation system resiliency and bridges as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The amount includes $268 million for bridges and $94 million for system resiliency.

With the recently passed IIJA, the Oregon Department of Transportation is evaluating possible projects that qualify for the bridge and resiliency portion of the funding. ODOT considers many factors during the project development and evaluation process. The agency looks at inspection information, inventory data, local perspectives and cost-benefit analysis to prioritize projects and identify recommendations for the Oregon Transportation Commission to consider.

Repainting a portion of the Fremont Bridge is one project on the table. Completed in 1973, the Fremont Bridge spans the Willamette River, connecting I-405 and I-5, and is due for painting. If approved, ODOT could begin this multi-phase project using part of the bridge funding.

The resiliency portion of the allocation funds projects that increase our infrastructure’s ability to withstand and recover from events like earthquakes and floods. While bridges are often a focal point, enhancing resiliency extends to other areas of the transportation system. Replacing a culvert on U.S. 30 near the St. Johns Bridge is one project vying for resiliency funding. This project would replace an aged culvert with a larger one, better suited for the area and significance of the highway as an emergency corridor.

Other projects under consideration for bridge and resiliency funding include a slope stabilization project to reduce rockfall hazards, replacement of a culvert that supports fish passage and a bridge replacement needed to complete a jurisdictional transfer to a local agency.

While the $362 million is a much-needed addition, it doesn’t fix the state’s system preservation funding shortage and it won’t cover every need. A portion of these funds also goes to local agencies, helping cities and counties fund bridge projects in their areas. There are nearly 2,800 bridges in the state transportation system.

For more information about ODOT’s plans, go to . For more information on the federal funding, go to ODOT’s IIJA website, . Those interested in the project selection process can submit comments and letters through the OTC website, . The public can also provide comment at OTC meetings on March 10 and March 30 (a special meeting on IIJA).