Oregon’s 36 counties will need more than $800 million per year to maintain roads and bridges, according to a new study from the Association of Oregon Counties.

The study, presented to the Legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee, comes as lawmakers start to craft a multibillion-dollar transportation package over the coming months. The Oregon Department of Transportation this summer said it needed an extra $1.8 billion annually just to keep up with maintenance – let alone pay for high-ticket projects like a replacement bridge on Interstate 5 connecting Oregon and Washington. 

Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale and a co-chair of the joint committee, summed the main problem up simply in a meeting last week. 

“Our transportation system is old,” he said. 

The interstate highway system built in the 1950s and 1960s has essentially lived out its useful life, Gorsek added, and Oregon hasn’t kept up with maintaining and replacing roads, bridges and machinery, like snow plows and graders. 

Lawmakers have seens the struggling road system firsthand on a 12-stop transportation tour this summer. Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, said the tour made clear that local governments were struggling to keep up.

“The cities and the counties have made significant adjustments, and they figure they’re just about adjusted out,” he said. 

Counties are responsible for the largest share of the state’s road system – nearly 27,000 miles of roads and more than 3,400 bridges, about half of the total bridges in the state. The federal government is next, with more than 25,000 miles, followed by cities with more than 11,000 miles of roads and the state at nearly 8,000.  

Most of the county bridges were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and more than 1,000 of them are so degraded that heavy trucks can’t drive on them. That’s a particularly acute problem in agricultural areas, where farmers have to take different routes to transport crops, and in forests, where trucks are used to respond to wildfires. 

Deferred maintenance on roads and bridges results in more expensive replacement projects down the line. ODOT officials estimate that each $1 spent on preventive maintenance and minor repairs, like chip seal surface treatments, is equivalent to between $8 and $12 spent reconstructing a dilapidated road. 

​​“Many county roads that were built over a half-century ago have failed down to poor condition and weren’t originally built to modern standards,” said Brian Worley, the Association of Oregon Counties’ county road program director. 

Oregon counties are left with about $834 million in annual needs for roads and bridges, and the association’s report warned that anticipated revenue won’t meet even the most basic maintenance needs. 

The state highway fund, the main source of money for state and local roads, isn’t keeping up with increased costs. Revenue from the state’s 40-cents-per-gallon gas tax is faltering as more Oregonians drive fuel-efficient cars or electric vehicles: The average driver now uses almost a quarter less fuel than they did a decade ago, paying about $40 less per year in gas taxes. 

Fees paid to the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division don’t always cover the cost to administer services, let alone bring in additional revenue. And weight-mile taxes charged to commercial truckers are uncertain – truckers are now suing the state alleging they’re being overcharged. 

Under current law, the state keeps 50% of the highway fund, 30% goes to counties and 20% goes to cities.

Counties also receive road funding from the federal government. For more than a century, the U.S. Forest Service has paid local governments a share of logging proceeds from national forests in the counties to maintain roads and schools, but those payments plummeted as logging slowed in the 1990s. 

Congress responded by passing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, which was meant to compensate counties for lost timber revenue. But without congressional action, that share of road funding is expected to continue to decrease. 

Large counties have other funding sources. Multnomah and Washington counties both have countywide gas taxes – 3 cents in Multnomah and 1 cent in Washington – and Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties charge county vehicle registration fees.  

Here are the candidates for the SBLive/SI Oregon Volleyball Athlete of the Week as nominated by coaches, fans and readers. 

Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced Monday.

If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email danbrood91@gmail.com.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

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Mayen Akpan, South Medford

The junior had a double-double with 18 kills and 10 digs for the Panthers in their 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 win over rival North Medford in a Southwest Conference match played at South Medford High School.

Ada Bernard, St. Mary’s (Medford)

The junior outside hitter recorded 11 kills, eight digs and eight aces for the Crusaders in their 25-10, 25-15, 25-14 home win over Brookings-Harbor in a Southern Oregon Conference match. She also had 15 kills and eight aces in a win over Rogue River.

Brooklyn Boyd, Centennial

The senior setter had 30 assists, eight kills, five digs and three aces for the Eagles in a win over Parkrose in Northwest Oregon Conference play. She then had 36 assists, 11 digs and three aces in a victory against La Salle Prep.

Katie Brewer, Centennial

The senior middle blocker stepped up with 17 kills, 14 digs and five aces in a win over Parkrose in Northwest Oregon Conference play. She then had 20 kills and 18 digs in a conference victory against La Salle Prep.

Mia Cervantes, Willamette

The senior libero/defensive specialist had 18 digs and three aces to help the Wolverines post a 25-17, 25-11, 25-19 win over Benson in a nonleague match played at Willamette High School.

Poppy Freeman, Cascade Christian

The senior outside hitter had a team-high 13 kills and four digs to help lead the Challengers to a 25-21, 25-17, 25-11 sweep at Lakeview in a Southern Oregon Conference match.

Emma Geiger, Glide

The sophomore had 21 digs and five kills for the Wildcats in their 20-25, 25-12, 26-24, 25-22 home win against South Umpqua in a Far West League contest.

Meagan Hellenthal, Umpqua Valley Christian

The sophomore shined with 14 kills and 13 digs to help the Monarchs get a 25-10, 25-17, 25-16 home win over Elkton in Skyline League action.

Phoebe Hyland, Oregon City

The senior setter had a total of 68 assists, 22 digs and eight aces in helping the Pioneers finish in second place in the championship bracket of the State Preview Tournament, held at South Albany High School.

Grace Ispen, Roseburg

The senior setter/right side had 14 assists, seven aces and three kills to help the Indians sweep Willamette 25-12, 25-19, 25-7 in a Southwest Conference match played at Willamette High School. She then had 47 assists, five blocks and three kills in a five-set loss to Sheldon.

Khloe Livingston, Sprague

The sophomore outside hitter had 11 kills and nine digs for the Olympians in their 25-9, 25-17, 20-20 win at McNary in a Central Valley Conference contest.

Jacie Madden, Klamath Union

The senior outside hitter stepped up with 21 kills and 14 digs for the Pelicans in their 3-0 win over Phoenix in a Skyline Conference match played at Klamath Union High School.

Jordyn Marquett, Oregon City

The senior outside hitter had a total of 31 kills, 27 digs and 11 aces on 96-percent serving in helping the Pioneers take second place in the championship bracket at the State Preview Tournament, held at South Albany High School.

Briella Mathis, South Salem

The junior outside hitter had 15 kills, six aces and three blocks to help the Saxons score a 25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18 win at Sprague in a Central Valley Conference contest.

Callie Newsome, Mazama

The sophomore outside hitter, with totals of 19 kills, six digs, three aces on 87-percent serving and a block helped the Vikings battle against Henley and get a win over Phoenix in the opening week of Skyline Conference play.

Tori Noffsinger, Yoncalla

The freshman middle blocker/outside hitter had 23 digs, 20 kills and four aces for the Eagles in a 25-19, 23-25, 11-25, 25-22, 15-11 loss to Milo Adventist Academy.

Aya Pantell, Westview

The senior setter had 32 assists, 12 digs, an ace and a kill for the Wildcats in a win at Sunset in Metro League play. She then had 23 assists, 12 digs, three aces and three kills in a league victory against Beaverton.

Nina Read, St. Mary’s Academy

The senior libero/defensive specialist had four aces, passed 40 times at an average rating of 2.13 and added 14 digs for the Blues in their 11-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-20 win at Lakeridge in a Three Rivers League contest.

Mazie Reeser, Stanfield

The senior outside hitter had 20 digs, 16 kills, three blocks and three aces to help lead the Tigers to a 25-21, 25-20, 25-10 win at Heppner in a key Blue Mountain Conference contest.

Julia Slaughter, South Medford

The junior stepped up with 19 assists, four digs and three aces to help the Panthers top North Medford 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 in a Southwest Conference clash played at South Medford High School.

Kendall Stidham, Crater

The junior setter shined with 36 assists, five digs, two aces and two kills for the Comets n their 25-21, 25-10, 25-19 win over North Eugene in a Midwestern League match played at Crater High School.

Paige Thies, Oregon City

The senior outside hitter had a big performance in helping the Pioneers take second place in the championship bracket at the State Preview Tournament, held at South Albany High School. For the tourney, she had 64 kills while hitting at a .331 percentage while also having 16 digs and three blocks in addition to serving at 95 percent.

Payton Tovey, Thurston

The sophomore outside hitter stepped up with 16 digs and 13 kills to help the Colts rally to score a 17-25, 13-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-9 win over Springfield in a Midwestern League match played at Thurston High School.

Allison Waechter, Sutherlin

The junior outside hitter had another big performance for the Bulldogs, having 32 kills and 13 digs in their 27-29, 23-25, 25-19, 25-13, 15-5 win at Siuslaw in a Far West League tilt. She then had 34 kills and 17 digs in a five-set win over South Umpqua.

Bryndee Wilson, Camas Valley

The senior had 17 assists, 16 aces and four digs to help lead the Hornets to a 25-9, 25-12, 25-13 home win over Pacific in a Skyline League contest.

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The Oregon Ducks recorded a dominating 34-13 win over the UCLA Bruins on Saturday night. Was this enough to give the Ducks the top spot in the Big Ten Power Rankings heading into Week 6?

It seems boring at this point, but the Ohio State Buckeyes remain No. 1 in this week’s Big Ten power rankings. The Buckeyes waltzed into East Lansing on Saturday night and beat the Michigan State Spartans 38-7. Ohio State has won every game in the first half this season. It hasn’t been close.

Hopefully, Iowa will give them a football game next week.

Next Game: 10/5 vs. Iowa

Oregon opened up Big Ten play Saturday night with a 34-13 win over UCLA. The Ducks controlled the game from start to finish. The Oregon offensive line has produced back-to-back good performances after struggling out of the gates this season. Additionally, Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been lights out.

Oregon appears to be rounding into form right as conference play begins. Next, the Ducks host Michigan State on a short week.

Next Game: 10/4 vs. Michigan State

Penn State edged out Illinois in a hard-fought 21-7 win. It was not easy sledding for the Nittany Lions but they ended up pulling out the two-touchdown win over a tough Illini team. The Penn State defense didn’t allow a single point in the final three quarters.

They hold serve at number three this week.

Next Game: 10/5 vs. UCLA

The Wolverines avoided disaster late against Minnesota. Michigan saw their 24-3 lead trimmed down to 27-24 following a Golden Gopher touchdown. On the ensuing onside kick, it appeared Minnesota had recovered and was poised to tie or take the lead late. The refs saved the day and made a very questionable offsides call to wipe the recovery away, sealing a 27-24 Michigan win.

Next Game: 10/5 at Washington

USC bounced back from their loss the week prior. The Trojans took down the Wisconsin Badgers 38-21 for their first-ever Big Ten conference victory. The Trojans looked to be in trouble at halftime being down 21-10. They completely dominated the 2nd half, outscoring the Badgers 28-0.

For USC, they now have to hope quarterback Miller Moss’s head injury suffered doesn’t cost him time.

Next Game: 10/5 at Minnesota

Indiana continues to win football games. The Hoosiers are off to a 5-0 start and find themselves at the top of the Big Ten. They took down Maryland 42-28. Indiana could even be higher on this list. They will continue to trend upwards if they keep winning football games. The Hoosiers have been one of the best stories in college football this season.

They look to clinch bowl eligibility against Northwestern.

Next Game: 10/5 at Northwestern

Illinois suffered its first loss of the season, going down 21-7 to Penn State. The Illinois defense kept them in the game, but the offense wasn’t able to generate any points after the first quarter. It was hard to drop them so far, but everyone else picked up convincing wins.

Illinois has a great opportunity to get back on track at home against Purdue following the bye week.

Next Game: 10/12 vs. Purdue

Rutgers gave Big Ten newcomer Washington a rude welcoming gift to the conference on Friday night. The Scarlet Knights held off Washington 21-18. The Huskies missed a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.

The Scarlet Knights improved to 4-0. Next up is a big road game at Nebraska.

Next Game: 10/5 at Nebraska

Nebraska won a sloppy game against Purdue 28-10. The Husker’s offense was stagnant most of the afternoon but turned it on late in the 3rd quarter to propel them to a win.

Nebraska drops a spot on here but probably doesn’t care as they are back in the win column. Next up is undefeated Rutgers.

Next Game: 10/5 vs. Rutgers

Not much to say here. Iowa didn’t even play this week but no other Big Ten earned their way into the top ten. Congrats Hawkeyes, you hold your spot!

Next Game: 10/5 at No. 3 Ohio State

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