Cutler

If there is one element that impacts us all in Eastern Oregon it is the weather, and especially during winter months our ability to move about is predicated around the level, severity and volume of snow.

Interstate 84 is the main road artery that, one way or another, links the key towns of our region. And a network of secondary highways are also vital links to our homes, businesses and schools.

That’s why the announcement by the Oregon Department of Transportation earlier this fall that it would have to cut back on some of its plowing services because of budget cuts and employee shortfalls was troubling.

Last week, though, state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, a Democrat and the co-chair of the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee, said legislative leaders have pledged to “backfill” the ODOT budget and help pave the way for the same robust plowing service Eastern Oregon residents have come to expect.

An ODOT spokesperson noted that the legislative proposal to allocate $19 million for maintenance for the rest of the state’s two-year budget cycle, which continues through June 30, 2025, will result in safer roads.

That’s a great sign. Geography plays such a huge role in our lives in Eastern Oregon. So much so that a seemingly minor item — plowing services — has big implications.

It is no secret to anyone who has lived through a winter in Eastern Oregon that winter storms can essentially cut off any of our region’s towns. Huge winter squalls can make the interstate impassable. That, combined with a truck wreck, can close down the interstate for hours. Storms can also hamper travel on the hundreds of miles of secondary highways, which would have sustained the brunt of the maintenance cuts ODOT anticipated.

That, in turn, not only becomes a nuisance for residents but it directly impacts our economy that depends nearly exclusively on big trucks for supplies. If a truck is stuck in Pendleton loaded with supplies for a grocery store, that means an item you want — and maybe even need — might not be available.

Our geography and climate are two items often misunderstood by someone who does not live, work and play in our region. We live in a great place but our pristine and beautiful mountains also can be treacherous during the winter.

I think Steiner’s and other lawmakers’ efforts to solve this specific challenge are admirable. I hope their solution proves to be one that is viable, because the truth is, at least in our region, we just can’t afford to have fewer plows, putting in fewer hours, on any of our roadways.