Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told lawmakers on Tuesday that she is actively considering travel restrictions to slow the spread of the COVID-19, especially southern interstate travel. The details are unclear how it will affect Oregonians doing business in other states, or traveling for vacation and could include quarantine following travel. This action is being considered after Oregon’s infection rate has plateaued and California’s rate is declining. So, what is the point?

In 2017, lawmakers approved a $5.3 billion statewide transportation packaged that includes a road fee (toll) plan. To set the road fee plan in motion the Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee has met six time since November with five more meetings scheduled this year. The committee consists of government, industry and transit-related stakeholders tasked to ensure equitable I-205 and I-5 toll processes, and to help develop a framework for the toll project.

The Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee reviewed the mobility and equity strategies for I-205 and I-5 toll projects offering recommendations for how to toll the metro area's busiest highways. The June 29, 2020 meeting summarized that most agreed that improved transit needs to be one of the benefits that comes out of toll revenue; that toll revenue will provide improvements to roads and infrastructure; that there must be the potential for tolls to decrease emissions, though only if paired with incentives to use public transit; and that using carpools and apps connecting people to get to work and other events or activities can provide a sense of community and decrease the number of cars on the freeway.

Retired State Representative Jeff Kropf reports that polls show that next to violent protesters moving voters towards law and order candidates, that tolling freeways that are already paid for upset voters.

In response, Initiative Petitions 10 was collecting signatures to put the toll issue on the ballot in November that will restrict tolls or user fees to approval by voters, except on new freeways. It failed to draw funding, so it did not make the ballot, but backers are committed to trying again.

From the Vote On Tolls Act of 2020:

"No personal or recreational vehicle, or commercial truck usage, of transportation infrastructure in Oregon may be subject to any transportation fee or toll, unless ... approved by both a majority of voters in the state and a majority of voters in each county in which the fee or toll applies."

When the Governor talks of restricting travel to stop the spread of the COVID-19 from other states, is it another conditioning act to usher in tolling?




--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-08 16:16:58

Last Update: 2020-08-08 16:43:31