Oregon faces major funding gap for road and bridge maintenance

A national study by The Pew Charitable Trusts reveals that Oregon has one of the largest funding gaps in the United States for highway and bridge maintenance. The state faces a $200 million shortfall in its 2027-29 budget cycle and holds the second-highest gap-to-expenditure ratio in the country, trailing only New York and tying with Connecticut.

According to 2022 data submitted to the federal government, Oregon reported over $7 billion in maintenance needs to ensure infrastructure is in a state of good repair, yet only planned to spend $2.8 billion. To meet its repair targets, the state would need to spend $4.8 billion, which includes $1.8 billion for highways and nearly $3 billion for bridges. This would require more than doubling its current planned roadway maintenance spending.