Oregon's scenery on the commute may soon get a refresh as lawmakers earmarked $20 million to clean up Portland's highways. The generous legislative package, which is awaiting Gov. Tina Kotek's signature, is set to revitalize Interstate arteries like I-405, I-205, and I-84. KGW reported that the plan includes cleaning up graffiti, trash, and homeless camps, alongside installing deterrents to prevent future unsanitary settlements.
According to the breakdown provided by ODOT spokesperson Kacey Davey in a KWG interview, the approved funds will see an even split for immediate cleaning needs. This translates to $4 million apiece for graffiti removal, trash collection, and campsite cleanup. In addition, $8 million is allocated for preventive measures. Davey emphasized on the urgency and readiness to begin, saying, "We've already got our spending codes lined up, so we can charge it correctly, and the crews are ready to go. We're hoping to get started no later than the beginning of April to do all this work."
ODOT's efforts to beautify highways have been met with some skepticism, however. Rep. Travis Nelson expressed concerns over the sustainability of the cleanup projects. According to a post found on his social media, Nelson stated, "I withdrew my support for this funding when neither ODOT or the City of Portland could assure me that this cleanup would last." He went on to question the prudent use of "$20 million in taxpayer dollars" as reported by KATU, which covered the full of legislative passage of the budget amendment last week.
The urgency conveyed by ODOT to start cleanups is a telling indication of the state's struggle with maintaining its infrastructure aesthetics. "As you saw through the last winter, we had limitations on our maintenance, which was helped extremely by the $19 million that was provided by the Legislature,” Davey recounted in a statement obtained by KATU. An issue she connected to structural revenue deficits and resource constraints impacting ODOT's cleanup and maintenance capabilities.
Should Gov. Kotek sign the funding into law, ODOT plans to collaborate with contractors and city officials to improve work efficiency. This will allow tripling the work amount that can be done to maintain clearer roadways, Davey detailed to KGW. Access prevention includes installing fences and barricades, as mentioned by Davey to KOIN, stating "$8 million that’s going towards access prevention. So that means fencing and barricading some ODOT right-of-way areas to prevent people from parking vehicles or camping in areas that are really unsafe for folks to be in." Her comments captured by KOIN reaffirm the commitment to the communities' health, safety, and livability.
