Susan McLain and Lee Beyer
McLain represents Hillsboro, Forest Grove and Cornelius in the Oregon House. Beyer represents Springfield in the Oregon Senate. Both are Democrats and serve as co-chairs of the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation.
It’s no secret – Portland is in a jam. The region is ranked 11th worst in the United States for traffic, according to the 2021 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, and our population is expected to grow 23% by 2040. With population growth and our current outdated system, our traffic challenges will only get worse.
And what happens in Portland affects the entire state. From the filbert farmers in Springfield to the semiconductor producers in Hillsboro, businesses around Oregon rely on getting products to – and through – the region. Our outdated system and traffic delays cost our economy $1.2 million per day, based on the state transportation department’s 2020 Traffic Performance Report.
Inaction simply isn’t an option. We have big issues ahead of us, and we need bold solutions. Tolling must be part of the strategy.
The Oregon Legislature approached these challenges head on with House Bill 2017, passed five years ago.
As leaders of the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation, we along with forward-thinking individuals and communities from across the state, authored and championed the bill. This historic transportation package passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and recognized the need to modernize the regional transportation system, reduce congestion and improve safety. Because of HB 2017, we now have dedicated state funding sources for statewide transit programs, bike paths and safety improvements for children walking and biking to school. This legislation has already shaped how we get around, helping us each make safer, healthier and more environmentally friendly travel choices.
HB 2017 also directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to develop a toll program to fund system improvements and manage congestion.
Tolling is critical in ensuring our transportation system will survive a major earthquake and meet the everyday needs of Oregonians for generations to come.
We made the right decision then and we stand by it today.
Analysis using traffic models developed by Metro in collaboration with ODOT shows that tolling and other improvements will benefit our region in a number of ways:
- Reduce traffic jams and provide more predictable trips to help us get to jobs, medical appointments, and where we need to go.
- Increase safety for daily commuters, with 21% fewer crashes expected on I-205 alone, and provide the funding to seismically upgrade our bridges to withstand a Cascadia level earthquake.
- Improve the flow of goods to and from market.
- Allow ODOT to invest more in transit, bike and pedestrian paths to create more equitable access to transportation options in communities.
Tolling has been effective in reducing congestion and improving safety around the country. ODOT is pursuing an innovative form of tolling that is all electronic, with no toll booths and no stopping. This won’t be the tolling some of us have seen on the East Coast or experienced locally at the Bridge of the Gods.
ODOT’s latest research shows that with modern tolling, drivers on Interstate 205 between Stafford Road and OR 213 will see a 50% decrease in afternoon travel time and a 25% decrease in the morning. Traffic in this same 7-mile stretch will drop from the forecasted 14 hours a day to two hours.
We know that tolling will be new for many Oregonians and that people have questions. We also recognize that with inflation and increasing costs of living, nobody wants to pay more. ODOT is working to create equitable solutions. That includes exploring reduced and potentially no-cost options for low-income individuals.
ODOT is providing multiple opportunities to learn more and give feedback this fall and winter. They need your input to develop a tolling program that works for Oregonians. ODOT’s public comment period begins Friday, Nov. 18 and remains open through Jan. 6. This is your opportunity to tell ODOT how to make tolling better for you. Check ODOT’s Oregon Tolling webpage for more information.
Tolling is necessary to address our worsening traffic, fund safety improvements across the system, keep Oregonians safe in an earthquake and ensure the region’s transportation system can serve everyone for decades to come. This is a pivotal moment when we must embrace change to strengthen Oregon’s economy and improve our livability.