Oregon Transportation Commission directs ODOT to advance collaboratively re‑scoped Rose 0.25 phase

The Oregon Transportation Commission on Dec. 11 voted to advance a collaboratively re‑scoped next phase of the Rose 0.25 freeway cover and I‑5 improvements, directing ODOT staff to work with local partners to define a balanced package for construction while protecting statewide freight and safety priorities.

Vice Chair Beyer moved the action and the commission approved it in a roll‑call vote after extended discussion. The motion asked staff to preserve elements that serve statewide mobility needs and to consult Metro, the City of Portland, Albina Vision Trust, freight interests and the contractor, then return with a defined scope for commission validation in March or April. "We want forward momentum but we also need parity between mainline investments and surface‑street and community investments," Witeo Hanes, executive director of Albina Vision Trust, told commissioners during the meeting.

The vote followed nearly three hours of public comment in Salem and a staff briefing that outlined the project’s funding and phasing choices. ODOT Deputy Director Travis Brower said about $480 million of project funding is currently identified and about $167.5 million remains available for near‑term Phase 1 construction under the HB 2017 urban mobility strategy allocation. Brower emphasized federal restrictions on some grant dollars, noting that the reconnecting‑communities (RCN) discretionary grant was largely rescinded and that $67.5 million remains only for the uses to which it was originally obligated.

ODOT staff presented three formal options: (1) proceed with a defined Phase 1b using the $167.5 million; (2) complete design for a full Phase 1 package and await more funding; or (3) reallocate the construction funds to Phase 1a (effectively pausing Phase 1b). A joint letter from Metro, the City of Portland and Albina Vision Trust proposed a variant (described to commissioners as Option 4) that would maintain construction continuity while giving partners a more detailed role in shaping the Phase 1b scope.

Commissioners pressed staff for clarifications about schedule, constructability and the risk of remobilization costs. "Time is money," Commissioner Baker said; Director Chris Strickler noted the funding is bonded and could not be converted into immediate operating cash without legislative change. Vice Chair Beyer framed the approved motion as a directive to move ahead with collaborative work while ensuring the commission retains final approval of the scope before construction starts.

Next steps: ODOT will convene partner workshops over the next couple of months, refine scope/schedule/budget for the repackaged Phase 1b and present recommended scope back to the commission in the March–April timeframe. The commission recorded a unanimous yes vote among the members present (Commissioners Chang and Baker, Vice Chair Beyer and Chair Brown).