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May 2021

Planning begins for the Regional Mobility Pricing Project 

This first-of-its-kind pricing project will address congestion, equity, and climate change while providing needed funding for critical infrastructure and safety improvements.

Travelers across the Portland metro area and throughout Oregon will benefit from more reliable transportation and better mobility in the region under a new project.

In the spirit of continuing Oregon's history as a transportation innovator, we are proposing to implement tolls on all lanes of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 to help manage congestion and fund improvements that can further reduce congestion. This type of “congestion pricing" on existing roadways would be the first-of-its-kind in the nation.

The exact boundaries of I-5 and I-205 that would be tolled will be determined as part of project planning in late 2021.

The study area for the Regional Mobility Pricing Project includes:

• I-5 from the North Columbia Boulevard interchange south to, and including, the Boone Bridge over the Willamette River in Wilsonville (coordinated with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project).

• I-205 from just south of the Glenn Jackson Bridge over the Columbia River to the I-5/I-205 split (coordinated with I-205 Toll Project and the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project). 
  

We cannot build our way out of congestion. 

“We are at a critical time as we begin the slow process of emerging from the pandemic. Rush hour traffic is returning. At the same time, we have to address the climate crisis and recognize the past harm that highways have done to communities," said Lucinda Broussard, of the Oregon Department of Transportation. “Oregonians are asking us to manage our system differently. It requires all of us to be open to new ideas because we know we can't build our way out of congestion." 

The driver pays for what they use. 

Drivers would pay for the segments they use of I-5 and I-205. For example, if a driver is traveling on I-5 through central Portland, they would pay a toll proportional to the segments of I-5 they use. They wouldn't pay a toll for use of segments of I-5 north or south of their entrance and exit points.  If the driver instead decided to take transit, they wouldn't pay the toll. Small differences in the number of vehicles on the road can make a huge difference in traffic congestion.

Congestion Pricing improves reliability. 

We get it – no one likes paying tolls or fees. But like the cost of any service – it's all about what you get for the amount you pay. In Oregon, the benefit of paying a toll will be a more reliable trip with less traffic. Congestion pricing will give people the choice for a more reliable highway trip when they really need it – like when they're late for work or need to pick up their child from school or daycare. Congestion pricing is a type of tolling that charges a higher price during times of higher traffic, known as variable rate tolls. These tolls encourage some drivers to choose other travel options such as carpools or transit, or change their travel time to other, less congested times of the day. This improves traffic flow for the entire system. 

Your toll rate will not be a surprise.

We are considering a predictable way of tolling where toll rates vary according to a set schedule so you would know the cost in advance. The proposed project would toll all lanes of I-5 and I-205 on the Oregon side of the Portland metro area. Our goal is to give travelers better options. If they choose to pay a toll on I-5 or I-205, our intent is they could travel 45 miles an hour on average, even during rush hour.

Revenue generated from the tolls is part of an essential funding strategy for approved priority transportation projects in the region. 

The regional pricing project aims to address five problems.

• Daily traffic congestion in a growing metropolitan region that affects quality of life. Traffic congestion has more than tripled on I-5 and on I-205 over the last five years and is getting worse as the Portland metro population grows. The Portland metro population is expected to add a half million new residents by 2040.
• Gas tax revenue isn't keeping up with needs to modernize and maintain the system. Current levels of funding cannot pay for the costs of maintaining Oregon's transportation system or constructing new projects. ODOT revenue comes from a mix of federal and state sources, but the federal gas tax has not been adjusted since October 1993. As a result, federal contributions to state transportation projects have greatly decreased. As drivers and companies purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles, funding has actually dropped, even as the number of vehicles using the system has increased.
• Congestion is holding back economic growth and recovery from COVID-19. In 2017, the economic cost of traffic congestion in the Portland metro area was $2.0 million per day. In 2020, the traffic counts declined with the COVID-19 pandemic but are now back to about 90% of pre-pandemic levels and expected to return to 2019 levels as the economy improves. This affects the region's ability to grow its economy and to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic. 
• Inefficient travel contributes to climate change. Personal cars and light trucks create approximately 36% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. When motor vehicles are stuck in slow-moving traffic, greenhouse gas emissions increase. ODOT is required under Executive Order 20-04 to take actions to reduce and regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
• Travel options are inequitable for historically and currently excluded and underserved communities. Past land use and transportation projects have disproportionately affected communities of color, immigrant communities, and people experiencing low incomes. Members of these communities frequently have fewer transportation options and travel farther between destinations. This project will apply an equity framework to maximize potential positive benefits and minimize negative effects to these communities.

Stakeholder comments led to advancing a region-wide approach. 

During a public comment period for the I-205 Toll Project, many commenters and local agencies expressed concerns about fairness, diversion, equity, climate, and congestion management associated with planning for one project. This region-wide approach will evaluate congestion pricing for a larger area than previously planned, but is consistent with a longer term vision advocated by stakeholders and adopted in 2018 by the Oregon Transportation Commission.

We want to hear from you. 

During the next year, there will be many opportunities for project partners and stakeholders to be part of the planning process. This summer, we will engage the community on project vision, desired outcomes and conceptual alternatives. Later in 2021, the project team will narrow down conceptual alternatives to those that best meet the needs of the project. Toward the end of 2021, the project team will identify the alternatives to carry forward into the formal environmental review.

Keep reading this e-newsletter every month to stay up to date and provide your input. 

Visit our website to track the toll projects. 

Check out our website for more information about the Regional Mobility Pricing Project. 

Providing you with up to date information is important to us. Track the toll projects and opportunities for providing your input on the following pages: the I-5 and I-205 Regional Mobility Pricing Project, the I-205 Toll Project, Frequently Asked Questions,  Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee. ​