When a road, bridge, or culvert on a State Highway has a problem - how does that get addressed?
One way is through something called "Fix It" as part of the Oregon Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The City of Brookings has posted a video on its website that explains how this program works.
The video is also available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drxakQYA1c4&feature=youtu.be
“ODOT is developing its Fix It project list for the period 2021-24 and we will be reviewing this list at the July South West Area Commission on Transportation (SWACT) meeting,” Brookings City Manager Gary Milliman said. “The City will be requesting several storm drain culvert replacement projects along Chetco Avenue.”
Milliman said that the undersized and deteriorating culverts are impairing City plans for storm drain improvements on both sides of the Highway, and also result in the City calling-out its Public Works Crew to resolve blockages during heavy rain events.
“The culverts are the responsibility of ODOT, but the City deals with the initial problems to keep the road open because ODOT crews are hours away,” Milliman noted.
Milliman, who serves as SWACT Chair, said that ODOT is also doing an inventory of sidewalks along Chetco Avenue and plans to include bringing all existing sidewalks up to current American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards as a part of the Fix It program.