Editorial: Where ODOT may make cuts for Oregon roads

Published 9:30 am Monday, December 29, 2025

By The Astorian

Workers from the Oregon Department of Transportation face layoffs across the state. (Astorian file photo)

The Oregon Department of Transportation will begin the new year by looking at where it can make its agency smaller.

ODOT may face a funding gap of $242 million, because Democrats and Republicans can’t reach an agreement on raising money for the state highway fund. House Bill 3991, passed in this fall’s special session, was supposed to fill the hole. It had gas tax increases, registration fee increases and payroll tax increases. A Republican-led ballot measure put all of that on hold and re-formed the hole.

The disagreement could mean scores of layoffs, projects getting canceled and reductions in paving and other maintenance. ODOT has told its staff that any layoffs would not take effect until after the legislative session ends in March.

We wondered where ODOT might make cuts.

It might start by looking at the reductions it identified for legislators in October. Gov. Tina Kotek had asked all state agencies to look at where they could make possible cuts because of worries about overall state revenue. In those cuts, ODOT looked first at keeping vacant jobs open. ODOT had said it could hold 52 positions open for a total savings of more than $27 million over two years.

The $27 million is not just the total value of the salaries over two years. It also represents reductions in related paving work and bridge repair.

Another eight positions that ODOT has dedicated to working with local governments could bring in a total savings of more than $5 million in salaries and projects that would be eliminated.

Another $7.4 million could be saved by holding open 38 positions at DMV headquarters. ODOT said that would mean levels of customer service would not improve. By holding open 15 positions in information technology, human resources and procurement, ODOT could save almost $5 million.

The money for those vacancies and projects comes from the state highway fund. There were more that we didn’t list, but the total is not $242 million.

Unless the Legislature comes up with solutions, it looks like ODOT must cut deeper — with layoffs.