Pawning the Wedding Rings to Pay the Debt...
When you need to look for more money after convincing the public to accept tolling and you still can't complete your projects...
It has been a quiet week and yet, a week of reflection. Tolling, that mechanism Legislators, the OTC and ODOT wish to use for funding, looks so different than it did even 9 months ago. One has to wonder if the risks and rewards have been worth their effort. Of the businesses and people we have talked with there is a conservative 85% disapproval of such a plan… and all are shocked at the potential personal financial impact.
The Constituents, that is, the voters of those Legislators that are holding our feet to the fire, have gotten a reprieve till January 2026. But will those Legislators get one once the toll bills start to come in… will voters be heard… will they care?
This weeks articles are a bit eclectic, but have a vein of reason. The Feds want States to know how to woo you into tolling, States are looking at options to tolling and making the EV crowd pay their fair share and finally, we get a real look at how communities dreams can be shattered because ODOT made a promise they can’t keep.
In our podcast, we interview Thomas Buckley, formerly with Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and what SoCal is doing to raise money and control congestion… in a region of 13 million people. And really a funny guy too!
In Short
Article 1 - This article, from the Federal Highway Administration, is a bit of a tutorial on how States and DOT’s might approach businesses and communities so they will accept the concept of tolling. A bit lengthy but reading a few sections will definitely warm you up. ODOT should have read this a few years ago.
Article 2 - Tolling, ODOT is one DOT that has said this, is not enough to cover the bills. Funding from other sources, such as Cordon pricing and a Vehicle Mile Tax (VMT), are needed to pay the bills.
This CNET article points out that 33 States are now charging EV owners for not pumping gas. In Texas it can be as high as $200 per year… after $400 for the first year.
Article 3 - The Historic Albina Advisory Board has been meeting with ODOT since 2020 regarding the plans and building out of the Rose Quarter Project. In one emotional meeting, ODOT told the Advisory Board that the plans would not be going forward at this time.
The Bike Portland article shows the raw emotions, of both sides, when promises can not be kept.
Weekly Articles
FHWA tactics for Constituent approval...
Oregon already has EV road tax, even on hybrid cars. As I recall I paid about $400 back in Dec on top of the tax when I bought gasoline! Bought an EV on January and paid a huge road tax then, before driving even a mile.