BAKER CITY — A key state lawmaker said legislative leaders plan to send a letter to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek committing to provide money to ensure the Oregon Department of Transportation can maintain its normal level of snowplowing on highways across Eastern and Central Oregon this winter.

The agency said earlier this year that due to decreased budgets it would have to reduce plowing, sanding and salting on some secondary highways.

But that won’t be necessary now that legislative leaders have pledged to “backfill” the ODOT budget when lawmakers convene in Salem in early February for a short session, said Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, a Democrat from the Portland area and co-chair of the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee.

“If that’s the case, that’s really good news,” said Grant County Judge Scott Myers. “It’s essential that the roads are well taken care of because people out here have to travel. Even the short commute from Prairie City to John Day; if those roads aren’t well plowed and well graveled, they are extremely dangerous and can be deadly.”

The money will allow ODOT to plow snow as usual, said Steiner, who emphasized the importance of keeping state highways, particularly in remote rural areas, passable.

“We took this very seriously and worked closely with the governor’s team,” Steiner said on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Steiner, who said she hasn’t received a copy of the letter from the House speaker and Senate president, acknowledged that the Legislature can’t help ODOT deal with challenges in hiring employees.

But the money for snowplowing will be available, she said.

Legislators have also committed to providing money to the agency to paint fog lines on highway shoulders and to buy new plows as needed, Steiner said.

According to ODOT’s “Level of Service Reduction” reports, the agency expected to cut back on snowplowing on some secondary highways and to use less sand and de-icer.

“We encourage area communities and travelers to prepare (for) the possibility of extended delays, closures, more chain restrictions, and varying degrees of traction as they navigate roads,” ODOT said in the report for Region 5, which includes most of the northeastern corner of the state, including Grant County. “With smaller budgets for staff and materials needed to plow, sand and de-ice, the potential for traffic jams and crashes increases. Incidents will take longer to clear.”

Editor’s Note

The first paragraph of this story has been revised to reflect that the letter to Gov. Kotek has not yet been sent.