Sherman County awarded transportation project funds

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has awarded $432,000 to Sherman County for transportation projects under the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF).

Sherman County Transportation Director Kelsi Phillips appeared before the Sherman County Court last Wednesday to discuss the funding and the projects that her office is working on.

Sherman County Community Transit intends to use the funding for operational expenses for the dial-a-ride service, which provides county residents with on-call services.

In addition, Sherman County Community Transit will use the funds for its weekly shopping route, and for student transportation.

The STIF program was introduced by the House Bill 2017 Transportation Funding Package to fund public transportation improvements across Oregon.

Gilliam and Wheeler County have also utilized these funds to establish transportation programs.

Allocation estimates are determined by population and payroll taxes. Funding can be used for operations, capital purchases, match funding, or reserves for future projects.