By Joe Cortright — City Observatory 16.5.2023 The Oregon Department of Transportation maintains that it will use tolls to pay for the I-5 Rose Quarter Freeway widening project, but that it doesn’t need to evaluate tolling as part of the project’s environmental assessment because tolling isn’t “reasonably foreseeable.” Tolls can’t be both “available” and...
Governor follows lead of legislators seeking 2-year pause By Corey Buchanan May 2, 2023 (Portland Tribune) Following the bill proposed last week by local legislators calling for a tolling moratorium, Gov. Tina Kotek has apparently initiated the delay herself. A joint release from Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and Oregon House Speaker Dan Rayfield,...
Letter: How fair are fares? By Mike Terry, Brush Prairie Published: April 27, 2023 The Columbian believes tolling on the Interstate 5 Bridge is “fiscally responsible, sensible and equitable” because users should pay their fair share. “Just as those who purchase gas pay more for road maintenance through gas taxes, residents who use the bridge should pay a...
Reducing Congestion and Funding Construction Can’t Be Achieved With Tolling From The Political Center at PacWest Lobby Full disclosure: The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is not to blame for all its fiscal problems. The legislature is primarily responsible as the dealer that got the agency addicted to bonded indebtedness. As chairman of the Senate...
NEW GAS TAX, TOLLING, AUTO FEE FOR $7B BRIDGE Monday March 27, 2023 By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com The Oregonian reports on the Legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee draft budget to replace Oregon’s Interstate 5 Bridge over the Columbia River, “The plan proposes bonding against $700 million of state highway user tax revenue from the Oregon Department...
Readers reject TOLLS The Tribune conducted an unscientific survey to find out what readers think of proposed tolls on Oregon highways. These are the results. By Karla Salinas, March 24, 2023 (Portland Tribune)
ODOT estimates the average household will pay $575 a year just for its first phase of tolls By Eric Fruits — March 15, 2023 (Portland Tribune) In about 18 months, Portland-area drivers will be paying the first of many tolls if the Oregon Department of Transportation has its way. By the end of 2024, ODOT...
Opinion: Is ODOT about to swerve out of its lane with its I-205 Toll Project? By Cam Gilmour March 12, 2023 (Canby Herald) The Oregon Department of Transportation is moving fast in advancing what it’s calling the I-205 Toll Project. Its project name suggests the purpose of the project is to toll. ODOT’s project website...
Opinion: Initiative petition is the only way to stop I-205 tolling By Elvis Clark Mar 6, 2023 (Canby Herald) State Sen. Mark Meek’s bill to stop tolling is a false hope for those Oregonians opposed to the tolling of I-205 and I-5. Meek’s bill if passed by the legislature will most likely be vetoed by...
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Feb 22, 2023 (Cascade Policy Institute) This next week is going to be a big week for Oregon’s off-the-rails tolling projects. On Tuesday, the feds released their “Environmental Assessment” for the I-205 tolls. On Friday, a statewide toll advisory committee is meeting. Next Monday, a regional toll advisory committee is meeting. In the Environment...
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