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The Oregon Department of Transportation might be spending nearly $250 million to improve Interstate 5 bridges in Douglas County during the next year.
The goal is for much of that to go into the local economy.
"We're focusing our efforts so that smaller firms, Oregon firms, have a chance to successfully bid on the projects," said Lissa Willis, public affairs representative for ODOT. "Those that are awarded the bids, are encouraged to buy local."
Doug Johnson, design-build area manager in transportation for CH2MHill Constructors Inc. of Salem, came to Roseburg earlier this month asking for help to do that.
Johnson's company is ODOT's contractor overseeing construction on bridge work from around Creswell down to just north of Myrtle Creek.
Work from Sutherlin to Roseburg on I-5 will cost $40 million. Work from near the Douglas County Fairgrounds to Clarks Branch Road about seven miles south will cost $35 million.
Johnson talked with the Douglas County Industrial Development Board at that group's meeting May 19. He said he's working on a benchmark for how much of those totals will go toward local spending.
"We're trying to figure out how we can get connected through the community," he said.
He started by contacting Norm Gershon, Industrial Development Board member and president of Roseburg's Umpqua Training & Employment.
An economic development plan draft given to board members by Johnson, states CH2MHill is committed to fill 50 percent of its construction project craft positions with residents from the project area .
"I think it's a terrific concept," Gershon said. " ... They want to hire locally, they want to buy supplies locally."
Bud Schmidt, Sutherlin city manager, said he is encouraged by what he heard at the meeting.
"We always hope they'll buy local," he said. "It's nice to see them encouraging that."
A town the size of Sutherlin, Schmidt said, might not be able to supply all the equipment and workers needed for a project this size, but it can still be useful.
Schmidt admitted concern about the project and how construction would make the city's entrance look. He's hopeful the hit on tourism can be mitigated by the contributions of construction workers.
"What we hope is they'll come eat in the restaurants and stay in the hotels," he said.
Gershon said as the projects get closer to being fully ramped up, he anticipates more jobs getting posted through Douglas County's One Stops, which are the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Employment Department, Umpqua Community College's Small Business Development Center and UT&E.
UT&E has previously listed engineering and construction positions for CH2MHill.
"We anticipate that as this particular project ... starts to go during the summer and in the fall, there will be a lot of activity," Gershon said.
As the project is developed, Johnson said, it will be determined what will be needed from the local work force. Two Sutherlin companies have already been hired as subcontractors.
Spurring local economic development is now at the base of all ODOT's projects, Willis said. The Oregon Legislature has also committed to that. Since 2001, it has passed the Oregon Transportation Investment Acts to improve highway facilities while also generating jobs and creating work.
Willis said it's understood that "every project happens in a local, community context." ODOT, she said, aims to support those communities while these projects invade them.
In Klamath Falls, for example, a local company, Klamath Pacific, provided concrete for bridge replacements and a storm sewer system on Highway 97 construction.
The company also hired seven employees and planned to keep hiring employees even during its traditionally slower times of the year.
In another city he worked for, Schmidt said, a regional bank was built. It was a fairly sizable project, but all the business the local hardware store saw from it was "a box of screws," he said.
"In the process, it'd be nice to include some local folks," he said. "We can't do much about what private industry does, but this is our state government."
* You can reach reporter Paul Craig at 957-4211 or by e-mail at pcraig@newsreview.info.
The goal is for much of that to go into the local economy.
"We're focusing our efforts so that smaller firms, Oregon firms, have a chance to successfully bid on the projects," said Lissa Willis, public affairs representative for ODOT. "Those that are awarded the bids, are encouraged to buy local."
Doug Johnson, design-build area manager in transportation for CH2MHill Constructors Inc. of Salem, came to Roseburg earlier this month asking for help to do that.
Johnson's company is ODOT's contractor overseeing construction on bridge work from around Creswell down to just north of Myrtle Creek.
Work from Sutherlin to Roseburg on I-5 will cost $40 million. Work from near the Douglas County Fairgrounds to Clarks Branch Road about seven miles south will cost $35 million.
Johnson talked with the Douglas County Industrial Development Board at that group's meeting May 19. He said he's working on a benchmark for how much of those totals will go toward local spending.
"We're trying to figure out how we can get connected through the community," he said.
He started by contacting Norm Gershon, Industrial Development Board member and president of Roseburg's Umpqua Training & Employment.
An economic development plan draft given to board members by Johnson, states CH2MHill is committed to fill 50 percent of its construction project craft positions with residents from the project area .
"I think it's a terrific concept," Gershon said. " ... They want to hire locally, they want to buy supplies locally."
Bud Schmidt, Sutherlin city manager, said he is encouraged by what he heard at the meeting.
"We always hope they'll buy local," he said. "It's nice to see them encouraging that."
A town the size of Sutherlin, Schmidt said, might not be able to supply all the equipment and workers needed for a project this size, but it can still be useful.
Schmidt admitted concern about the project and how construction would make the city's entrance look. He's hopeful the hit on tourism can be mitigated by the contributions of construction workers.
"What we hope is they'll come eat in the restaurants and stay in the hotels," he said.
Gershon said as the projects get closer to being fully ramped up, he anticipates more jobs getting posted through Douglas County's One Stops, which are the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Employment Department, Umpqua Community College's Small Business Development Center and UT&E.
UT&E has previously listed engineering and construction positions for CH2MHill.
"We anticipate that as this particular project ... starts to go during the summer and in the fall, there will be a lot of activity," Gershon said.
As the project is developed, Johnson said, it will be determined what will be needed from the local work force. Two Sutherlin companies have already been hired as subcontractors.
Spurring local economic development is now at the base of all ODOT's projects, Willis said. The Oregon Legislature has also committed to that. Since 2001, it has passed the Oregon Transportation Investment Acts to improve highway facilities while also generating jobs and creating work.
Willis said it's understood that "every project happens in a local, community context." ODOT, she said, aims to support those communities while these projects invade them.
In Klamath Falls, for example, a local company, Klamath Pacific, provided concrete for bridge replacements and a storm sewer system on Highway 97 construction.
The company also hired seven employees and planned to keep hiring employees even during its traditionally slower times of the year.
In another city he worked for, Schmidt said, a regional bank was built. It was a fairly sizable project, but all the business the local hardware store saw from it was "a box of screws," he said.
"In the process, it'd be nice to include some local folks," he said. "We can't do much about what private industry does, but this is our state government."
* You can reach reporter Paul Craig at 957-4211 or by e-mail at pcraig@newsreview.info.
