Every Mile Counts: Share Your Views on Statewide Transportation Strategy Work Plan
A collaborative of Oregon State agencies are renewing efforts to achieve greenhouse gas reductions through the Statewide Transportation Strategy.
Share your views on the draft work plan: www.oregon.gov/odot/Programs/Pages/Every-Mile-Counts.aspx
One of the best ways to reduce the carbon emissions that cause climate change is to modify the way we travel. Oregon is developing strategies and designs to encourage cleaner ways of getting from Point A to Point B, including increasing public transit options, promoting land use that encourages walking and biking, and supporting cleaner fuel options for driving.
Background
In 2013, Oregon’s Statewide Transportation Strategy: A 2050 Vision for Greenhouse Gas Reduction outlined ways to fight climate change by reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Oregon’s statutory goal is to reduce overall emissions to at least 75 percent below 1990 levels. The Strategy, if fully implemented, would get us nearly there. While Oregon has increased investments and support for transportation options and systems, strong land use planning, and more, the state is far from meeting our goals.
Renewing Efforts
In 2019, Governor Brown directed the Oregon Department of Transportation, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Department of Environmental Quality, and Department of Energy to collaborate and identify specific actions to help the state get back on track with the Strategy’s vision. In 2020, the Governor boosted Oregon’s goals in her Executive Order 20-04 to reduce pollution to at least 45 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2035 and to at least 80 percent below 1990 emissions by 2050.
The four agencies worked together to develop a two-year Multi-Agency Implementation Work Plan to make progress toward the Strategy’s vision. The plan focuses on initial objectives and priority actions that can benefit from collaborative relationships and programs already established among the agencies. This Work Plan does not replace but rather complements existing agency efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, because the Strategy is not enough to reach the goals in Executive Order 20-04, the four agencies recognize that more must be done.
What’s Next?
Actions over the next 18 months (and beyond) will involve rulemaking, studies, public outreach and engagement, and more. Details are available in the Work Plan and on the project’s web page:
www.oregon.gov/odot/Programs/Pages/Every-Mile-Counts.aspx
Get Involved
The public will have ample opportunity to learn about and comment on the elements of the plan as it moves forward. Opportunities for public involvement will be highlighted on the project’s web page, and interested stakeholders can also sign up to receive email updates.