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Social Equity and Advisory Committees

The Aesthetic Advisory Committee, appointed by the city of Ashland, recommended an art deco theme for the North Ashland bridge.

Social Equity and Advisory Committees

Equity acknowledges that not all people, or all communities, start from the same place due to historic and current systems of oppression. Equity is the effort to provide different levels of support based on an individual’s or group’s needs to achieve fairness in outcomes. Equity actionably empowers communities most impacted by systemic oppression and requires the redistribution of resources, power, and opportunity to those communities.

We’re committed to:

  • Building a diverse workforce supported by equitable operations and policies and establishing an informed culture that delivers authentic inclusivity.
  • Promoting economic opportunity for Oregonians through transportation investments, including working with businesses owned by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), women, and others who have been historically and/ or are currently marginalized.
  • Utilizing the viewpoints of the community members ODOT serves who are most likely to be affected by the decisions ODOT makes.
  • Investing in the protection of marginalized communities from environmental hazards.

House Bill 2985, passed by the 2021 Legislative Assembly, directs ODOT to diversify its advisory committees to reflect Oregon’s population’s racial, ethnic, and ability composition, as determined by the most recent American Community Survey. 

The bill explicitly calls out ODOT’s statutory advisory committees:

  • Continuous Improvement Advisory Committee
  • Freight Advisory Committee
  • Road User Fee Task Force
  • Vehicle Dealer Task Force
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
  • Transportation Safety Committee
  • Any stakeholder forum established under ORS 366.215
In alignment with ODOT’s Strategic Action Plan value of embracing equity and fostering a culture of inclusion, the agency will include all advisory committees in this mandate.

Guidance for Advisory Committees

Guidance is available for committees. This information shows members how to take the necessary steps to update and implement their processes to ensure that equity is pioritized.

Contact

Ask your committee administrator for additional information.

Or contact the Office of Social Equity at:
socialequity@odot.state.or.us

Links

HB 2985 Guidance

HB 2985 FAQ.pdf