The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is undergoing a challenging process of laying off hundreds of its employees due to significant financial constraints.
Union representatives have expressed deep concern about the situation. SEIU 503’s Melissa Unger stated, “This is never an ideal situation; people are going to lose their jobs, and they’re going to lose their jobs because the legislature did not pass the transportation package.”
Ritchie Maes, a leader within ODOT, added, “Everybody is nervous; really no one is safe.”
In an email to staff that was obtained by FOX 12, ODOT Director Kris Strickler described the message about impending job losses as “the hardest message I’ve ever had to send in my career.” He noted that due to the legislature’s failure to address the funding shortfall, the agency would have to make “deep, painful cuts.” Strickler admitted, “I know this is shocking, scary, and frustrating for every single one of you. It is for me too.” He extended his apologies to the employees, stating, “I’m sorry again that it has come to this.”
Further compounding the agency’s challenges, ODOT announced the termination of its agreement with the City of Portland’s Impact Reduction Program, which had focused on coordinating the removal of homeless encampments on state-owned properties within city limits.
The agreement, which expired on June 30, was not renewed due to significant funding constraints tied to the state’s 2023-25 budget cycle. ODOT clarified that the decision to end the partnership was primarily influenced by the necessity to balance its budget for the 2025-27 period and was not a reflection of the program’s overall performance.
While collaboration with the city has concluded, ODOT will continue its clean-up efforts by employing an existing contract with the same private contractor previously used by the city. Nevertheless, these efforts will now adhere to ODOT’s statewide policy guidance and will operate at a reduced capacity. Clean-up operations for litter removal, graffiti removal, and homeless camp cleanups will persist, but residents can expect delays and less frequent service.
The agency is currently navigating a difficult layoff process, anticipating that hundreds of employees across the state will be affected. ODOT has emphasized that notifying affected staff is currently their top priority.
As ODOT copes with the fiscal fallout, officials predict that Oregonians will begin experiencing the repercussions in their communities. The agency has warned that reductions in services will likely include fewer pothole repairs, diminished graffiti removal, and less trash clearance.
Maes remarked, “We’re going to have less people and expect to do the same thing we’ve been doing, which we’re not going to be able to do, so potholes are not going to be fixed as quickly.” He added, “It’s going to affect all of us, so we have to do the same or more with less.”
Unger also voiced concerns about the broader impact of the job losses, stating, “In addition to the impacts that this is going to have on people when they lose their jobs, it’s going to have real impacts on Oregonians to move throughout our state and our economy to move throughout our state.”
She highlighted the unseen nature of ODOT’s work, saying, “It’s clearly really important work to keep our state moving, and I think people are really going to feel these impacts.”
More information regarding specific program and service impacts is expected to be released in the coming weeks. Until then, ODOT assures the public that it will continue to do “the best we can, with the resources we have, to keep Oregonians safe.”
image source from：kptv
