LOC News
Transportation Committee Tour Stopping in Coos Bay and Medford Next Week
The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation (JCT) is moving its statewide roadshow to the following stops in Coos Bay and Medford next week:
Coos Bay - August 7
Public Hearing - 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Marshfield High School Heritage Hall
S. 10th & Ingersoll St., Coos Bay
Medford – August 8
Public Hearing 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Jackson County Expo Center
1 Peninger Street, Central Point
Prior to these public hearings, committee members will take guided trips of local transportation facilities and hold a roundtable discussion to better understand transportation needs . The afternoon roundtable discussion with local leaders will focus on the local members from the Area Commissions on Transportation (ACT), and the evening session will start with a 5-7 p.m. hearing for the public and interested parties.
If you are not part of the local tour or afternoon roundtable, the LOC is recommending you sign up for the 5-7 p.m. public comment portion . Committee members need to hear from you and learn more about your local interests and what the transportation package needs to look like. The hearings will be available via live stream on olis.oregonlegislature.gov. The LOC is asking cities to take the time to provide testimony during the public hearing. You can sign up to testify in person 30 minutes before the hearing. If you can't attend, email your comments to the committee at JCT.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov. The LOC has prepared core messages based on input and recommendations from its Transportation Policy Committee. These messages can be found here.
The 2025 transportation package will require considerable effort and advocacy from all local governments. The 2017 package created a historic level of investment, with more than $5.3 billion towards transportation infrastructure, transit expansion funding, and community critical safety programs. For example, the Small City Allotment program emerged during the 2017 session, along with a historic commitment to funding the expansion of local public transit.
For the 2025 legislative session, city leaders can influence the scope and scale of the next transportation package with a strong showing at roadshow events. The LOC is asking those communities within the South West ACT to participate in the Coos Bay event and Rogue Valley ACT cities to participate in the Medford meeting. Local governments need to show up to support a robust transportation investment. There are 6 remaining stops in Oregon for other regions to participate in later this summer.
Remember, you have proven that local government grassroots works! It’s now time to push for a robust transportation package in 2025.
Contact: Jim McCauley, Legislative Director - jmccauley@orcities.org
Last Updated 8/1/24