April 17, 2020

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $42 Million in Funding for Rural Oregon Transit Options

Funding comes as public transportation continues to support essential workers; make grocery shopping, pharmacy visits possible

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will receive nearly $42.7 million in funding to support rural public transportation operations and projects—including coronavirus response efforts—in communities throughout the state.

The funding will be allocated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress approved last month.

“As we continue to battle the coronavirus pandemic, countless Oregonians are still relying on public transportation to report to their essential jobs, buy groceries, and get to their pharmacies,” said Merkley. “I’m grateful to our dedicated public transportation workers for everything they’re doing on the frontlines to support our communities during this tumultuous time. I am going to keep fighting for the funding and resources—like these grants—that will help Oregonians in every corner of our state get where they’re going safely.”

“Rural Oregonians depending on public transit to get around their communities need to know that option remains viable during this public health crisis,” Wyden said. “More needs to be done of course to help these Oregonians and the public transit employees working hard under very challenging conditions, but I am gratified these resources are now on the road to help our state’s rural communities.”

Specifically, the grants will provide for rural operations, preventive maintenance work, project administration, intercity bus operations, and direct and indirect state administration costs related to the response to the coronavirus public health emergency.

The first tranche of funding will be made available in the coming months, with estimated allotments as follows:

Agency Name

 Allocation Estimate

 Basin Transit Service Transportation District

                         $552,332

 Benton County

                          $126,156

 Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council

                          $584,985

 City of Canby

                          $280,663

 City of Cottage Grove

                          $123,965

 City of Lebanon

                            $95,208

 City of Pendleton

                          $137,444

 City of Sandy

                          $395,141

 City of Silverton

                            $67,303

 City of Sweet Home

                          $104,500

 City of Woodburn

                          $139,996

 Clackamas County

                          $117,691

 Columbia County

                          $436,751

 Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc.

                          $431,147

 Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon

                            $50,000

 Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

                          $306,531

 Coos County Area Transit Service District

                          $214,766

 Curry County 

                          $194,572

 Douglas County

                          $487,333

 Grant County Transportation District

                          $138,732

 Harney County

                          $148,787

 Hood River County Transportation District

                          $152,268

 Josephine County

                            $91,666

 Klamath Tribes

                          $129,684

 Lane Transit District

                            $88,031

 Lincoln County Transportation Service District

                          $610,918

 Linn County 

                          $144,210

 Malheur County

                          $217,106

 Mid-Columbia Economic Development District

                          $129,749

 Ride Connection, Inc.

                          $244,708

 Salem Area Mass Transit District

                          $364,155

 South Clackamas Transportation District

                          $282,027

 Sunset Empire Transportation District

                          $501,222

 Tillamook County Transportation District

                          $395,358

 Yamhill County

                          $814,023

 Grand Total

                    $9,299,126

 

 

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