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FINAL 2008-2011 STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM <br />Local bridge projects are also being funded <br />by OTIA III, legislation that qualifies bridge <br />projects for funding on a priority basis es- <br />tablished by the Bridge Options Report. The <br />Local Agency Bridge Selection Committee <br />took the lead in selecting the OTIA III local <br />bridge projects with input from the Oregon <br />Freight Advisory Committee. After review <br />by a broad range of participants, the OTC <br />approved a list of 141 city and county- <br />owned bridges in March 2004. Local gov- <br />ernments are responsible for the design and <br />construction of their approved OTIA III <br />bridge projects. The list of approved bridge <br />projects by county may be viewed online. <br />As local governments complete their OTIA <br />III bridge projects, any remaining funding is <br />used to complete additional projects. <br />For more information about the Local <br />Bridge Program, go to: <br />http://www.oregon. Gov/ODOT/HWY/LGS/f <br />undin .sg html. <br />Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality <br />Improvement <br />The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality <br />Improvement (CMAQ) Program provides <br />federal funding to qualifying transportation <br />projects that provide an air quality benefit. <br />These funds assist areas that have been des- <br />ignated as non-attainment or maintenance <br />areas according to the national ambient air <br />quality standards for ozone and carbon <br />monoxide emissions under the Clean Air <br />Act Amendments of 1990. The OTC has <br />elected to make the CMAQ program a local <br />program, distributing the funds to eligible <br />local governments by formula. Population, <br />pollutant levels, and highway vehicle emis- <br />sions in the designated areas are factors in <br />the formula. There are seven areas in Ore- <br />gon that are currently eligible for CMAQ <br />funding: Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, La <br />Grande, Lakeview, Medford, Oakridge, and <br />Portland Metro. <br />FHWA establishes general project eligibility <br />criteria and guidance for CMAQ projects, <br />and a CMAQ Committee establishes the dis- <br />tribution methodology for Oregon's CMAQ <br />Program. Committee members represent the <br />League of Oregon Cities, Association of <br />Oregon Counties, Metro (Portland Metro- <br />politan Area), Rogue Valley Council of <br />Governments (Medford and Grants Pass), <br />Oregon Department of Environmental Qual- <br />ity, FHWA (in an advisory role only), and <br />ODOT. The highest priority for CMAQ <br />funds is transportation projects and pro- <br />grams identified as transportation control <br />measures (TCMs) in approved state imple- <br />mentationplans (SIPS). <br />For more information on the CMAQ pro- <br />gram, call 503-986-3485, or go online: <br />http : //www. fhwa. dot. goy/environment/cmaQ <br />P~ <br />Public Lands Highways Program <br />The Public Lands Highways Program pro- <br />vides funding to the state that is intended to <br />better connect county and state highways to <br />national forest roads. The federal funding <br />formula depends largely on the amount of <br />National Forest lands in the state. The local <br />road jurisdiction (ODOT or an Oregon <br />county) and the US Forest Service must be <br />co-applicants for these projects. Ten percent <br />of the annual funding is dedicated to Forest <br />Highway Program projects like trailhead <br />amenities and interpretive signage. <br />In Oregon, there is a Tri-Agency Committee <br />that decides which Forest Highway Program <br />projects to fund. The committee includes <br />members of the Western Federal Lands <br />Highway Division of the Federal Highway <br />Administration, the US Forest Service Re- <br />gion Office, and ODOT. Applications for <br />Forest Highway Program projects are solic- <br />ited each year and are evaluated based on <br />Page 15 <br />