Transportation Planning

The State of Oregon mandates that cities and counties develop a 20-year long-range plan detailing their transportation systems and outlining projects, programs, and policies to meet current and future transportation needs. Deschutes County's Transportation System Plan (TSP) forecasts necessary improvements, policies, and goals for the 20-year planning period based on public input, population forecasts, local government feedback, and coordination with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

The County's TSP considers various modes of transportation, including vehicular travel on major roadways, air travel through regional airports, bicycle and pedestrian travel, public transit, and railroads. It aims to balance preserving the existing transportation system with implementing necessary changes identified for the period between 2020 and 2040. Projects within the TSP are prioritized as High, Medium, or Low based on project complexity, funding availability, and assessed need. Deschutes County uses the adopted TSP to inform its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and System Development Charges (SDCs). SDCs collected from land use developments are a critical component of the funding that enables the County to execute transportation infrastructure projects identified in the TSP in accordance with the County’s system development charge resolution (Resolution No. 2013-020).

For more information, please see the adopted 2020-2040 Deschutes County Transportation System Plan, including relevant goals, policies, and the project list. Further details are available on the Road Department's webpages for the County's Capital Improvement Plan, Capital Improvement Projects, and System Development Charges.