• Mission Statement
• What is the Title VI Program?
• Public Involvement 
• Title VI Program Objectives
• Environmental Justice
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Limited English Proficiency
• Local Governments
• Title VI Discrimination Complaints
• Title VI Resources Within ODOT Major Programs
• Title VI Resources and Links
• Related Links
• Contact Information

The Title VI Program was established to carry out the Oregon Department of Transportation’s commitment to ensure that the most fundamental principles of equality of opportunity and human dignity are upheld in all decisions and in any activity or process as ODOT conducts its business, sets it policy, delivers its projects, and provides its services to any member of the public that we serve.
 
ODOT Title VI Nondiscrimination Statement (pdf)
ODOT Título VI Declaración de No-discriminación (pdf)

As a recipient of Federal financial assistance, ODOT instituted a Title VI Program to address nondiscrimination laws that impact transportation investment decision making. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, related statutes and policies prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, and disability in the Agency’s programs, activities and services. The purpose of the Title VI and related statutes and policies is to ensure that public funds are not spent in a way that encourages, subsidizes or results in discrimination.
 
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (pdf)
Related Title VI Statutes (pdf)
 
Planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance projects across all travel modes have well defined Title VI and Environmental Justice compliance components. ODOT and our transportation partners are committed to developing and refining our technical capability to assess the benefits and adverse effects of all of our transportation activities, among different population groups, and use that capability to develop appropriate procedures, goals, and performance measures in all aspects of our mission.
 
ODOT Title VI Plan (2002) (pdf)

ODOT cannot fully meet community needs without the active participation of well-informed, empowered individuals, community groups, and other nongovernmental organizations such as businesses and academic institutions. These individuals and groups advance the letter, spirit, and intent of Title VI and Environmental Justice in transportation when they participate in public involvement activities (meetings, hearings, advisory groups, and task forces) to help ODOT and local agencies understand community needs, perceptions, and goals.
 
Oregon Transportation Plan Public Involvement Policy (pdf)
FHWA Public Involvement Website http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/pi_p_d.htm

ODOT is committed to achieving full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and all related non-discrimination laws. Through its policies, assurances and procedures ODOT makes every effort to ensure that no person is excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of any ODOT program or activity on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, or income.
 
The Title VI Program ensures compliance by:

• Conducting internal and external compliance reviews.
• Conducting Title VI Program Implementation training to staffs, suppliers, vendors, contractors, local governments and other ODOT sub-recipients of federal funds.
• Developing Title VI compliance information for internal and external dissemination.
• Processing the disposition of Title VI complaints received by ODOT.
• Providing technical support to sub-recipients developing their Title VI Program.
• Approving sub-recipients’ Title VI Policy, Assurances and Plan.
• Providing oversight and monitoring that provisions of Executive Orders on Environmental Justice and Limited English Proficiency are carried out under Title VI Program jurisdiction.

Specific Discriminatory Practices (pdf)

Implementation of Environmental Justice principles into how we plan, design and deliver our projects means that we recognize the potential social and environmental impacts that ODOT activities may have on certain segments of the public. Environmental Justice addresses the unequal environmental burden often borne by minority and low-income populations. When associated with transportation projects, environmental justice effects may include disruptions in community cohesion, restricted commercial access, presence of hazardous materials, raised noise levels, or increased water and or air pollution among others.
 
DOT EJ Website: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ej2000.htm
 
There are three fundamental environmental justice principles summarized from Executive Order 12898 and the USDOT and FHWA orders:

1. Avoid, minimize or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations.
2. Ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process.
3. Prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and/or low-income populations.

Selected Social Characteristics in Oregon
Community Impact Assessment Website
Data Collection Standards (pdf)

Title II of the ADA requires that the services and programs of local and State governments, as well as other non-Federal government agencies, operate their programs so they are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
 
In addition, Title II seeks to ensure that people with disabilities have access to existing public transportation services. All new buses must be accessible. Transit authorities must provide supplementary para-transit services or other special transportation services for individuals with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route bus services, unless this would present an undue burden.
 
ADA Portal: http://www.ada.gov/
 
ODOT ADA Policy
DAS ADA Policy
ODOT 2001 ADA/Section 504 Plan
ODOT 2004 ADA Title II Self-Evaluation
ODOT 2011 ADA Transition Plan Update

Executive Order 13166 – Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, August 2000 is directed at implementing the protections afforded by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related regulations. Accordingly, it prohibits recipients of Federal financial assistance from discriminating based on national origin by failing to provide meaningful access to services to individuals who are LEP. This protection requires that LEP persons be provided an equal opportunity to benefit from or have access to services that are normally provided in English.
 
Linguistically Isolated Households Map (pdf)
 
Who is a limited English proficient person?
According to FHWA, a limited English proficient person is an individual who does not speak English as their primary language and who has a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English.
 
Federal LEP Website: http://www.lep.gov/index.htm
 
LEP Criteria
ODOT follows Department of Transportation guidance that outlines four factors that should be applied to the various kinds of contacts that we have with the public to assess language needs and decide what reasonable steps they should take to ensure meaningful access for LEP persons:

1. The number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by a program, activity, or service of the recipient or grantee.
2. The frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the program.
3. The nature and importance of the program, activity, or service provided by the recipient to people’s lives.
4. The resources available to the recipient and costs.

Each city, county, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), university, or sub-recipient of FHWA or FTA federal-aid transportation funding is required to comply with the provisions within Title VI and related authorities. ODOT, as a state DOT and primary recipient of federal financial assistance, has the role of monitoring and ensuring that all sub-recipients that receive federal-aid funding through ODOT programs and projects meet the requirements within the Title VI regulations.
 
ODOT Sub-Recipient Responsibilities (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Plan template (Version 1) (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Plan template (Version 2) (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Sub-Recipient Assurance template (pdf)
Standard U.S. DOT Title VI Assurances (pdf)
Data Collection Standards (pdf)
Sub-Recipient Title VI Baseline Assessment Tool (pdf)

The Title VI discriminations complaint procedures are intended to provide aggrieved persons an avenue to raise complaints of discrimination regarding the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) programs, activities and services as required by statute.
 
Any person who feels that he or she has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, or because they are low income, has the right to file a complaint with the Department’s Office of Civil Rights. Title VI Complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory event or practice. Complaints must be filed in person or in writing. They should be directed to:
 

Office of Civil Rights
Oregon Department of Transportation
Attn. Title VI Officer
955 Center St. NE, Suite 471
Salem, Oregon 97301

These procedures do not deny or limit the right of a complainant to file a formal complaint with an outside enforcement agency (BOLI, EEOC, U.S. Dept. of Transportation, FHWA, FTA, or U. S. Dept. of Justice) or to seek private counsel for complaints alleging discrimination. Every effort will be made to obtain early resolution of complaints at the lowest possible level.
 
ODOT Title VI Complaint Process (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Complaint form (doc)
Specific Discriminatory Practices (pdf)

Planning
 
Title VI Guidance for Transportation Planning (pdf)

Title VI Nondiscrimination Statement (pdf)
Título VI Declaración de No-discriminación (pdf)
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (pdf)
Title VI Related Statues (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Plan (2002) (pdf)
ODOT Title VI Update Accomplishment Report 2009-2010 (pdf)
DOT EJ Website: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ej2000.htm
ADA Portal Website: http://www.ada.gov/
Community Impact Assessment
Transportation Planning Capacity Building Report

U.S. Department of Transportation Departmental Office of Civil Rights
Federal Highway Administration Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Justice Title VI Legal Manual
Federal Transit Administration - Title VI Homepage
Federal Transit Administration - FTA Circulars/Guidance

For more information about the Title VI program, contact our Title VI Program Manager