Check out this year’s Deep Roots newsletter to find out what our heritage programs have been up to! Some articles include:
Philomath Commemorates Untold History: With an inspirational line-up of speakers and record public attendance, we were moved the dedication of the Shipley Family Homestead historical marker. Reuben and Mary Jane Shipley, former slaves, donated two acres of their land to create the Mt. Union Cemetery on the condition Blacks could …
Willamette Cable Tree Plaque
Aspen Arborglyph
Willamette Cable Tree
Culturally modified trees (CMTs) are cultural resources and are recorded as archaeological sites. In western North America CMTs are created for a variety of purposes including but not limited to:
peeled for bark for basketry, textiles, and construction materials such as house planks;peeled or tapped for sap, pitch, edible inner cambium, and medicinal purposes;trees carved with symbols, letters, or other markings known as arborglyphs;trained branches …
The Travel Information Council is hiring for multiple positions, in multiple locations around the state of Oregon. Are you seeking an opportunity to shape the quality and features of Oregon’s Highway Rest Areas to tangibly improve the experience for the millions of travelers who use them each year?
Careers
Everything is coming up roses at French Prairie Rest Area.
Heritage Tree Committee member David Hedberg has completed another great video about the newly inducted Williamson-Abbot Tree located in Whispering Horse Camp in the Deschutes National Forest. He worked in collaboration with the forest service and Dr. David Lewis to tell the complex story that made this tree notable.
TIC and the Heritage Tree Committee are very excited to be able to share this story and the excellent work done …
The Travel Information Council is proposing its 2023-25 biennial budget. The public is invited to comment on the 2023-25 proposed budget. Please submit written comments to the Travel Information Council, 1500 Liberty St. SE, Suite #150, Salem, OR 97302, Attn: Jessica Carbone or they can be emailed to Jessica Carbone. Written comments must be received by Monday, May 1, 2023. A public hearing to receive oral comments is scheduled for May 1, 2023, at 10:00am at the Travel Information Council, 1500 Liberty St. SE, Suite #150, Salem, OR 97302.
All responses will be presented to the Council for consideration at a public meeting at 9:30am, Monday, June 12, 2023 at the Salem, OR office.
Copies of the proposed budget are available for viewing or download. If printed copies of the budget are desired, please email Jessica Carbone or call (503) 373-0155.
Questions regarding the budget may be directed to the agency’s Finance Administrator, Michelle Roth, or the Executive Director, Elizabeth Boxall by emailing or calling (503) 378-4508.
The Travel Information Council (TIC) is responsible for governing our agency. The Council is composed of eight volunteers appointed by the Governor and one member of the Oregon Transportation Commission. At least one appointee must reside in each of Oregon’s five (soon to be six) congressional districts. The Council meets quarterly to fulfill its mission of creating a great visitor experience by providing directions to destinations, connecting travelers with Oregon’s resources, and ensuring safe and convenient travel. Meet the Council members.
Currently, the Travel Information Council is looking to fill one vacancy on our Council. For more information on the benefits of Council Membership please visit Council & Committee Membership Infomation page.
TIC is happy to announce that Oak Grove Safety Rest Area, on I-5 north of Eugene, has reponed to visitors with brand new restroom facilities. The new construction, on both the north and southbound sides of the rest area, triples the capacity of the buildings they replaced. Funding for this building project was approved by the Oregon Legislature in 2017 as part of statewide transportation system upgrades included in ”Keep Oregon Moving” HB 2017. Oregon Legislators set aside funding for rest area improvement with the goal of improving and repairing inadequate infrastructure. Safety rest areas are a vital component to improving driver safety and reducing accidents by giving drivers a convenient place to stop, rest and refresh. If you have questions feel free to please contact us.
Find out when our governing council will meet next or review minutes from the last meeting.
If you would like to be one of the first businesses included on new signs that will honor the Grove of the States, now is your chance. Oregon Travel Information Council is offering several sponsorship levels to help fund the French Prairie Rest Area’s “Grove of the States Restoration Project.” Your business name will be seen by over two million travelers who stop at the rest area. Learn more about how you can help sustain this unique public space.
Our online heritage tree directory provides information about the various city and county notable tree programs across the state. The directory is a great resource if you’re planning a weekend sightseeing trip or local walking tour, or if you wish to nominate a tree that has not met the statewide program criteria.
The Oregon Heritage Tree and Historical Programs have updated their most popular and widely distributed biennial publication: the “Guide to Oregon Historical Markers & Heritage Trees” map brochure. This full-color 20-page, glovebox size brochure lists all Heritage Tree and Historical and Regional Marker sites (current as of March 2023) across Oregon. If you would like copies of this free publication, please contact Jessica Carbone at 503-373-0155, or request by email.
All of us at TIC are committed to making your Oregon highway experience a great one. From the men and women ensuring your safety at our rest areas to the people helping you navigate a highway logo sign application, TIC employees agree that customers come first. It’s a big road out there and we’re here to help.
TIC has partnered with US Bank to offer an easy and secure online payment option for your sign permit fees. To offer you this convenience US Bank charges a 3% fee. Simply connect to the US Bancorp payment site. You'll see the TIC logo on the banner at the top. The convenience fee charged for this transaction is non-refundable. To provide this service to you as a State agency we use a specialized service fee model where this convenience fee is collected directly by the credit card processing company to process the payment. If this payment is for a charitable contribution, the convenience fee is not tax-deductible. Contact us if you need help with this option by email, or by telephone at 503-373-0086.
Highway Business Signs: A cost-effective tool for local businesses to gain exposure along busy highways. Blue logo signs direct motorists to essential services and nearby attractions.
Rest Areas: The Travel Information Council supervises 39 rest areas at 25 locations around the state. Stop and rest, walk the dog and let the kids jump and run. See where Travel Information Council’s rest areas are located and why we take your safety seriously.
Free Coffee Program: The Highway Safety Rest Area Free Coffee Program helps save lives by decreasing driver fatigue. This program is permitted by TIC and run by volunteer non-profit groups. For immediate information about this program, telephone 503-373-0155.
Permit Programs: Travel Information Council connects you with the latest traveler information. Both businesses and motorists benefit from exposure in our travel information centers. If you want fast information about panels or brochure placement, telephone 503-373-0090.
Heritage Trees: Want to learn more about these spectacular beauties? Come visit our map and detail pages and listen to an audio tour.
Historical Markers: A venerable program handed down through the generations, Oregon’s historical markers can be the focus of a weekend family outing.
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