Representing Harney County, Harney County Judge Bill Hart and Rick Paul attended the Southeast Area Commission on Transportation (SEACT) meeting that was held in Ontario on Monday, Nov. 27.

During the meeting, Ken Patterson, regional manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), led the discussion regarding the budget for Region 5. This region includes Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Baker, Grant, Harney, and Malheur counties.

Patterson said ODOT is implementing a $6 million budget cut across all programs funded with state dollars in Region 5 for the 2023-25 budget year, as well as a hiring freeze for 11 positions. Judge Hart asked whether there will be layoffs. Patterson replied that positions won’t be filled when they become vacant. Budget cuts and lack of personnel will lead to a reduction of service for Region 5 and the rest of the state. All non-interstate roads will see a one-to-three service level drop.

In Harney County, the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) directed ODOT not to paint the fog lines (white edge lines) on roads with fewer than 3,000 daily trips. This would include Highway 20. For instance, refraining from painting the fog lines from Roaring Springs Ranch to Fields is expected to save the state approximately $700,000.

Another reduction will be to cut litter patrols and encourage groups to volunteer to clean up the side of the roadways. There will also be a 75 percent reduction in herbicide for shoulder applications. Roadways will be spot-sprayed for noxious weeds, only when they are observed in medians and along the highways. ODOT will also reduce the amount of sand and deicer applied, with no purchase of rock and salt for two years.

According to ODOT, Oregonians may see more potholes and ruts on roads and may spend more time waiting for roads to reopen after a crash. During winter, there will likely be an increase in snow and ice build-up, more chain requirement, longer delays, and more road closures. ODOT is prioritizing safety, and focusing their efforts on work with the biggest outcomes for the most people. They’re dedicating more resources to keeping travelers safely moving on key corridors with fewer resources on less-traveled roads.

The graph provided by ODOT shows the five service levels from red (greatest) to blue (least). The red service areas are the interstate freeways; orange is for secondary travel (Highway 97, 101, 95, and some of 20); yellow is the remainder of Highway 20 through Eastern Oregon, Highway 395 north of Burns, and Highway 78 to Crane; green includes Highway 393 from Riley to Valley Falls, Highway 78 from Crane to Burns Junction, and Highway 205 from Burns to the Narrows; and blue is the rest of Highway 205.

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Sean Maloney, area manager for Harney, Malheur, and Grant counties reported on current construction projects. He mentioned the roundabout being installed at the junction of Highway 20 and 201.

Maloney said most of the participants who travel that intersection said the three-way stop was very successful and was faster at moving traffic than the previous configuration.

He also mentioned that there is continued work on the animal crossings with an emphasis on underpasses, making it safer for animals to cross the roadway.

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Suzanne Settle will be the new representative of the Northern Paiute Tribe for the SEACT.

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The SEACT meets six times a year. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25, at 10 a.m. in Burns.