In yesterday’s Interstate-5 Bridge Replacement Project Joint Committee Hearing, AGC President Tom Gerding testified that:
The extended economic recession has had devastating impacts on far too many of our members across rural Oregon…[AGC] requests that you do not place the extended funding of this project on the back of ODOT’s annual budget…the consequence of doing that would decimate already struggling firms, especially small rural firms dependent on the various small road, bridge, and other miscellaneous projects ODOT administers throughout all regions of our state.
In the first hearing on House Bill 2800, supporters and opponents of the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project testified for four hours. Testimony opened with Governor John Kitzhaber’s remarks that the time to build the bridge is now while the project has an opportunity to leverage significant federal funds. President Gerding, along with AGC’s Government Affairs Director John Rakowitz, testified in support of House Bill 2800. They emphasized that AGC views the funding approach in HB 2800 as “stopgap” only, and requested assurance that no funds for existing projects or programs be reduced. AGC also urged the committee to recognize that additional funding will be necessary in the near future to meet the preservation, maintenance, and modernization investments needed across the state. AGC also underscored the urgency in initiating discussions to address this need for additional revenues for Oregon’s transportation infrastructure. For more information on the testimony from yesterday’s committee hearing, please click here. For further information on AGC’s position or any questions, please contact John Rakowitz, 503-317-1781.