Committee to study tolling on I-5, I-205; asking for public input

PORTLAND, Ore. — Washingtonians could soon be paying a lot more to commute into the Portland area. But, before officials make any final decision, they're asking for the public's input.

House Bill 2017 has been approved by the Oregon Legislature and directs ODOT's commission to create an advisory committee to study tolling.

Tolling could happen on both I-5 and I-205, from the Washington border down to where the highways meet in Tualatin. The committee is exploring congestion tolling, which is designed to reduce traffic on our roads.

It encourages drivers to travel at less congested times or use alternate modes of transportation because the road would cost more to travel on during rush hour, and less during non-peak times.

"Everybody recognizes that congestion in the Portland-metro region is getting very, very bad," said Travis Brouwer, ODOT's assistant director.

The consensus among economists who study congestion tolling, also known as "value pricing," is that it works to reduce traffic congestion. We could also see a carpool lane, which would mean a lower rate for those carpooling, and a higher rate for those choosing to travel by themselves. Since the impact is so great north of the Columbia river, there is great concern that only a few Washingtonians are on the committee, including concern coming from Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler who wrote a letter to ODOT's director.

"The point of the policy advisory committee is not to make sure there is proportionality across every demographic of people you can imagine, but just to make sure all voices are heard. So I think those representatives from Southwest Washington will be very effective," Brouwer explained.

The advisory committee is made up of people from the business community, public transit, environmental advocates, local governments and those with interests in equity and environmental justice. The committee will form its proposal to present to ODOT based on input from the public, and by studying the impact on all road users, the community, the transportation system, the economy, and environment.

All advisory committee meetings are open to the public, and each contains a period for public comment. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 7, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at ODOT's Portland office located at 123 NW Flanders Street.