ODOT denied new federal funding for Rose Quarter freeway expansion

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- In a blow to a project years in the making, the U.S. Department of Transportation has rejected ODOT’s request for $750 million to spend towards the Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion, Oregon State Rep. Susan McLain announced Thursday.

This has now left ODOT at least $900 million behind on the plan to expand the width of Interstate 5 through the Albina neighborhood, which was expected to cost between $1.5-1.9 billion.

This comes after the project's plan to put a cap over the expansion secured a $450 million grant back in April, which made up more than half of the project's available funds at the time. This would have solidified the first part of the effort to restore the Albina neighborhood, the inner-Northeast area of the city that was razed in the 1950s and ’60s during the freeway’s initial construction.

In August, Portland City Council also approved a $800,000 grant awarded to the city by the U.S. Department of Transportation to go toward the project.

A few months later, a key vote from Metro Council laid the groundwork for the first phase of that cap, allowing ODOT to “complete the design and construct the central segment of the cover around Broadway-Weidler to support reconnection for the Albina community,” according to a Metro press release.

While some, like nonprofit Albina Vision Trust, helped spearhead the idea alongside ODOT, the project has faced pushback with multiple lawsuits. These were filed against the USDOT and the Federal Highway Administration in an effort to stop the project, alleging the agencies violated environmental standards.

According to the Move Oregon Forward coalition, Oregon legislators conducting a statewide transportation tour earlier this year received public comments "overwhelmingly" demanding more investment in public transit, road maintenance and street safety improvement, as opposed to projects like the Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion.

“We continue to call on state legislators, Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Department of Transportation to develop a plan for a “right sized” Rose Quarter project that leads with investments that restore the livability of Albina, rather than needlessly doubling the size of the I-5 freeway,” said Chris Smith, co-founder of No More Freeways.

KOIN 6 has reached out to both ODOT and Albina Vision Trust for comment. This story will be updated if we hear back.