A long-awaited review of the Oregon Department of Transportation will be conducted by a New York company that Thursday received a $1 million contract.

ALEM – Three state agencies expect to hire 60 positions and spend $115.2 million to execute a proposed $5.3 billion statewide transportation funding bill.

The spending plan is separate from the greater transportation funding legislation, House Bill 2017. Both bills are headed to a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives later this week. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Monday, July 3, voted to recommend passage of the spending plan, called House Bill 5045.

Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, said he would vote no on both the transportation funding bill and the spending plan.

The positions and agency spending limits cover levying and collecting new taxes and fees, managing and reporting on transportation projects, overseeing an electric vehicle rebate program and processing a surge of storm water permits.

The spending bill includes:

• $110.9 million and 50 positions for the Oregon Department of Transportation for direct project costs and project-related studies in the first six months of the next two-year state budget cycle,

• $3.9 million and eight positions for the Department of Revenue to levy new taxes on payroll to pay for transit, car and bicycle excises taxes and hikes in the gas tax.

• $389,122 and two position for the Department of Environmental Quality to establish a rebate program for low- and moderate-income residents who purchase low-emission and electric vehicles and to handle a greater workload with an influx of storm water permitting.

The fate of the transportation package remains in question after 16 Democrats sent a letter to Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, Saturday, July 1, suggesting the funding plan may be in peril if lawmakers refuse to raise new revenue before the July 10 constitutionally-mandated end of the legislative session. The Democrats want to use the money for K-12 education and general government operations.

“Signing onto the letter shouldn’t be seen as an indication by the signers that they’re a no on transportation,” said Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Clackamas, who signed the letter. “We all support a good, robust transportation package. But we all believe it’s be a mistake to only get that done while revenue reform — and big investments in our kids — remains unfinished.”

Bynum did not say how she would specifically vote on the mulit-billion-dollar, seven-year transportation funding bill.

Lawmakers have downsized the transportation funding bill from $8.2 billion to $5.3 billion late last month as part of a deal between Democrats and Republicans to win enough votes for the plan.

Specific Portland-area projects designed to address congestion shrunk dramatically.

A Rose Quarter congestion-relief project on Interstate 5 declined from at least $400 billion to $30 million in the bill that is headed to the House of Representatives.

Under the first iteration of the plan, Interstate 205 would have received up to $452 billion in the previous plan for widening, an extra lane and the replacement of the Abernathy Bridge between West Linn and Oregon City. The version headed to a vote later this week would earmark just $30.7 million toward I-205.

In addition, the plan instructs the Oregon Transportation Commission to establish a tolling program on I-5 and I-205 to help raise funds for more congestion-busting projects.

Capital Bureau reporter Claire Withycombe contributed to this story.