Traffic woes will take their toll

By

The Portland Tribune, Dec 30, 2005, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Recent talk of tolls on Portland-area freeways should not obfuscate the obvious: The Portland region is becoming increasingly congested.

What is less obvious, and what is prompting heightened discussion of tolls on new freeway lanes, is that the state and metropolitan area are unprepared financially to deal with the expected congestion that a recent report says will cost the regional economy and local residents $844 million and 6,500 jobs by the year 2025.

Recently, a citizens committee made up of regional and local community representatives advanced two proposals to relieve unyielding congestion on Oregon Highway 217 in Washington County. Among other things, both strategies called for adding a new lane of traffic in both directions. One proposal would use existing and planned road funding to build a $523 million project that would take until 2089 to finance and build in phases. The second concept called for setting tolls for each of the new lanes. That version would cost $581 million, with the estimated funds from tolls allowing the project to be completed in 2028.

Highway 217 is not the only tolling conversation piece. For years, discussion of a Oregon Highway 99W bypass around Newberg and Dundee has included the idea of tolls. The state and federal governments now require analysis of tolling options.

Yet for some folks, even talking about tolls is unacceptable. Without more community discussion, we are not yet ready to say that tolls are a reasonable part of funding the region’s transportation needs. But we strongly believe the Portland region must accept the responsibility to mobilize itself now to begin to reduce congestion and its negative consequences.

The Portland region is made up of many communities and an economy dependent upon moving people and freight locally, nationally and internationally. We should not accept continued delay in achieving better transportation systems, including additional lanes on freeways. Nor should we allow ourselves to become mired in the “toll” word. All funding alternatives must be examined if we are to have any hope of preserving this region’s quality of life.

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