Metro Seeks Public Comment on Local Transportation Projects Eligible for Federal Economic Stimulus Funding

Metro anticipates about $33.5 million to be available to fund city and county transportation projects in the Portland metropolitan region as part of the federal economic stimulus package. Because the stimulus package is geared toward immediate job creation, the project selection process is on a very short timeline. For projects to be eligible for these funds, they must be a part of the current Regional Transportation Plan, the 25-year blueprint for addressing transportation needs in the region. Some of the projects may already be programmed to receive existing funding revenues in the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP), but proposed to receive economic stimulus funding to expand the scope of the project or to shorten time to implementation.

More information about the program, a list of proposed projects and a tentative timeline is available through a link from the MTIP web page.

 

How to Comment

Comments may be submitted by e-mail to trans@oregonmetro.gov, by fax at 503-797-1930, or by mail to Metro Planning and Development, 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232. Please put "Federal Stimulus Package" in the subject line for e-mail and fax, or as the addressee on mailed envelopes. Comments will be accepted until March 3, 2009. Assuming federal approval of the stimulus legislation, the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) and the Metro Council are scheduled to consider adoption of the proposed projects and to amend the MTIP with the first group of eligible projects on March 5.