Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage

Connect Oregon

multiple images of transportation

Latest updates 

June 2026 

  • As of June 1, we’re accepting applications for the Federal Grant Match option. 
  • Applications for the 2026 Connect Oregon grant opportunity, which closed in March, are under review. We expect the Oregon Transportation Commission to approve the final project list at their December 2026 meeting.   

March 2026 

  • The 2026 Connect Oregon grant opportunity closed March 27, 2026. 
  • In early March 2026, the Oregon Legislature redirected $42 million from the Connect Oregon program to address ODOT’s funding gap for the 2025-2027 budget cycle. Read more details about the redirection in the “March 2026 funding redirection” section of this webpage.  
  • We’re pausing the Federal Grant Match option until we have more certainty about available funding.  

About the Connect Oregon program 

The Connect Oregon program was established in 2005 by the Oregon Legislature to invest in non-highway modes of transportation. The program currently funds aviation, rail, and marine projects via competitive grants and matching funds for federal grant programs. In past years, the program also funded bicycle, pedestrian and transit projects. 
There have been nine competitive grant opportunities under the program. The most recent opportunity ran January-March 2026.  
In total, the program has awarded $512 million to 240 projects throughout the state. 

Federal Grant Match option 

The Federal Grant Match option provides Connect Oregon dollars for eligible applicants to use as matching fund requirements for federal grants. It’s separate from the established Connect Oregon Competitive Grant funding option. 
We accept applications to the Federal Grant Match option on a rolling basis. About $10 million will be available every two years, and the option will be open until funding runs out for each biennium.   
Apply online to the Federal Grant Match option. 

Application resources 

The Federal Grant Match option’s application process and our application review approach are similar to the Competitive Grant funding option. See the FAQ document for more information. 

March 2026 funding redirection  

To address ODOT’s funding gap for the 2025-2027 budget cycle, in March 2026 the Oregon Legislature redirected state funding from several ODOT programs and projects. This included a $42 million redirection from the Connect Oregon program. This was a one-time budget solution to prevent 470 layoffs and deep service reductions that would have impacted safety for all travelers in Oregon. 
The redirection did not affect any Connect Oregon projects selected in previous competitive grant opportunities — including the one that closed in 2024 — nor did it affect projects previously funded by the program’s Federal Grant Match Option.  
However, the redirection reduced the amount available for the 2026 Connect Oregon competitive grant opportunity, which closed March 27, 2026. 

Applications Under Review

If you can’t open one of the application PDFs, try downloading the file and opening it with Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat instead of viewing it in your web browser.


Funding by Cycle

To open the report above in full screen mode, or to exit full screen mode, click the diagonal arrow button on the lower right side of the dashboard. Use the left or right arrows to navigate between the pages of the report. 

Additional Program Information and Progress

Connect Oregon funds “transportation projects” which per statute means a project or undertaking for rail, marine or aviation capital infrastructure, including bridges, or a project that facilitates the transportation of materials, animals or people. This does not include maintenance, ongoing operations, or planning efforts that do not result in construction. 

Projects eligible for funding from highway fund revenues that come primarily from state fuel taxes, vehicle title and registration fees, and heavy truck fees (section 3a, Article IX of the Oregon Constitution, the Highway Trust Fund), are not eligible for Connect Oregon funding. If a highway or public road element is essential to the complete functioning of the proposed project, applicants are encouraged to work with their ODOT region, city, or county to identify the necessary funding sources.​

Guidance

Forms

Background


The state legislature identified five dedicated projects (four in House Bill 2017 and one in House Bill 4304) that were to be grantees of the Connect Oregon program.

The statuses of the projects are as follows:

  • Mid-Willamette Valley Intermodal Facility – $25 million from HB 2017 - Project Plan approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission at their July 2019 meeting. The project developed an intermodal facility on 66 acres on portions of a former mill site located in Millersburg adjacent to I-5. Improvements including new support tracks to connect to Union Pacific Railroad, working tracks to move rail cars within the yard, and supporting office and support facilities. Construction was completed in 2022. The new operator is working to develop potential commodity business lines at this facility including renewable energy, agriculture, intermodal containers, and waste management.
  • Treasure Valley Intermodal Facility - $26 million from HB 2017 - Project Plan approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission at their July 2019 meeting. The project includes a transload facility to transfer via rail agricultural commodities and potentially other commodities to locations with in the United states.  Construction of most of the rail infrastructure is complete.  The project sponsor is finalizing a plan to lease the facility to a new operator who will be responsible for completing construction and beginning operations.  The new operator will become the facility owner at the end of the lease agreement as long as they comply with the terms and conditions including operating the reload center for 10 years.
  • Rail Expansion at the Port of Morrow - $6.55 million from HB 2017 - Project Plan approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission at their September 2018 meeting. This project constructed rail improvements in the Port of Morrow's East Beach Industrial Park in Boardman, OR to improve the port's rail operations, service and capacity. Construction is complete.
  • Rail siding to support Amtrak Cascade line - $2.6 million from HB 2017 -  Project has been canceled due to previously unknown challenges with retaining walls supporting the railroad roadbed that made the improvements cost prohibitive.
  • Oregon International Port of Coos Bay Rail Bridge Rehabilitation Project - $5 million from HB 4304 – The project made rail bridge repairs and replacements on the Coos Bay Rail Line. The project replaced the Vaughn Bridge and Coal Bank Slough Bridge, and repaired five swing-span bridges.  The project was completed in late 2025 and awaits final on-site inspection.

Contact

For policy and proposed projects:
Email John Boren
Freight Program Manager
Telephone 503-951-0166

For grants awarded or projects underway:

Email Cece Gilbert
Connect Oregon Program Manager
Telephone 503-986-3528

Stay Informed

To get updates on the latest Connect Oregon information, sign up for GovDelivery notifications.