There Is No Money I-5 Rose Quarter Project Slated for August Groundbreaking, Budget Woes and All

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) plans to commence initial construction on the I-5 Rose Quarter project in August, despite significant funding challenges. The Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) approved the move at a July 24 meeting, where officials stressed that halting work would lead to higher costs and more complications. The project aims to widen I-5 and create caps to reconnect the historically Black Albina neighborhood, with a total expected cost of $2. 1 billion. ODOT currently has a fraction of this budget secured, as a crucial $450 million federal grant was recently rescinded.

OTC Chair Julie Brown emphasized the importance of starting initial construction while warning that future funding is not guaranteed. The ongoing financial uncertainty follows mass layoffs at ODOT, triggered by the Oregon Legislature's failure to pass a transportation funding package. ODOT has broken the project into phases, with phase 1A focused on maintenance work estimated at $75 million. The agency has already signed contracts with contractors for the initial phase, increasing pressure to proceed despite funding limitations.