Legislature Takes Transportation Package on the Road.
Public transportation funding packages used to be predictable drift along building bridges, rail lines construction, and road network development or maintenance. Not anymore. Sadly, a new cast of transportation options and innovation foist upon our system come with a dose of complexities along with competing community interests. With looming budget constraints, political gridlock, and dwindling gas tax revenues, the debate on whether to invest in mobility, more road constructions, or expanded bicycle Lanes has become fiercer and futile.
It is within this consternation that the state’s Joint Committee on Transportation (JCT) announced that it would take the “show” on the road to collect public input for next year’s transportation package.
Transportation access and safety is becoming a life and death issue. According to NHTSA data, Oregon had the 10th highest traffic fatality rate in the country in the last half of 2022. Pedestrian fatalities in Oregon were up 61% over the previous year in that time period. There is an immediate need to stem the number of accidents and pendentrial injuries on our roads.
About 27% of Oregonians do not have a driver’s license. So any reasonable proposal must enhance programs that help reduce transportation costs for low-income households and pedestrian deaths.
I have always believed that regional transportation strategy across the state, tied to rural economic development, should be the basis of a smart comprehensive transportation plan for the state. TriMet, a regional transportation hub, will glide into the budget cycle with $1.75 billion. This provides the agency with the financial framework to grow ridership, improve customer experience, and expand services. The budget includes nearly $849 million for daily operations, $201 million for capital investments, and about $58 million in pass-through and contingency funds.
The agency’s new crop of leaders continues to breed new ideas that maximize its resources. About 91% of funding for FY25 operating resources comes from three sources: payroll tax revenues, passenger revenues, and federal funds. For FY25, TriMet expects to receive about $540 million in payroll taxes, $62 million in passenger fares, and about $139 million from federal operating grants. It also receives a small portion of its funding from accessible transportation, service contracts, and advertising.
The agency will mark the first full fiscal year of TriMet’s first-ever Inclusion office. The budget for this new office stands at $2,839,974, with an additional $50,000 for Community Outreach.
As the legislature seeks your input on where to direct its investments, understand that several alternative funding sources are being considered in Oregon to address declining gas tax revenues. Oregon has implemented a voluntary program called OReGO, which charges drivers based on miles driven rather than fuel consumed. This is seen as a potential long-term replacement for the gas tax as vehicle efficiency increases and more electric vehicles are adopted. ODOT is planning to introduce congestion pricing in the Portland area over the next several years.
As you present your transportation needs to the legislature for funding, remember that traditional gas tax revenues are declining due to increased vehicle efficiency and the adoption of electric vehicles. Instead, help remind our leaders to peel off the shenanigans and the partisan politics from our transportation conversation.