Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund

Background

Section 122 of Keep Oregon Moving (Oregon House Bill 2017) established a new dedicated source of funding for expanding public transportation service in Oregon. This new funding source is called the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund, or STIF. The Rail and Public Transit Division, or RPTD, is developing programs, and policies to implement the STIF under the oversight of the Oregon Transportation Commission. The STIF programs are being developed with significant input from the Oregon State Public Transportation Advisory Committee, public transportation providers, and other interested stakeholders. STIF Fact Sheets in both English and Spanish are located on the right navigation bar.

Under the current schedule, the first Formula Fund solicitation notice will be issued no later than August 1, 2018 with the first funding disbursements occurring as early as April 2019. The first Discretionary and Intercommunity competitive grant solicitations are anticipated to be issued in October 2018 and the first agreements effective by July 2019.

About the STIF's Components

STIF revenues will be allocated across four funds.

Formula Fund: Ninety percent (90%) to mass transit districts, transportation districts, or counties without either a mass transit or transportation district, and to federally-recognized tribes based on formula allocation.

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Discretionary Fund: Five percent (5%) to public transportation service providers based on a competitive grant process.

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Intercommunity Discretionary Fund: Four percent (4%) to public transportation service providers to improve public transportation between two or more communities based on a competitive grant process.

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Technical Resource Center: One percent (1%) to ODOT to establish a statewide public transportation technical resource center to assist public transportation providers in rural areas and for ODOT to administer STIF.

Adopted STIF Rules

The Oregon Transportation Commission adopted the Oregon Administrative Rules to implement the STIF on June 22 and the rules became effective on July 1, 2018. Potential funding applicants should review the General and relevant program rules (Formula or Discretionary) to determine funding eligibility, application processes, and other requirements. The STIF rules are organized in three divisions:

General rules that apply to all three funds (Chapter 732, Division 40),
Formula Fund rules (Chapter 732, Division 42), and the
Discretionary Fund and Intercommunity Discretionary Fund rules (Chapter 732, Division 44).

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