Fewer Than 20 People Show Up as Portland Weighs New Monthly Fees to Fund Road Repairs

PORTLAND, Ore. — Fewer than 20 people attended a council committee meeting yesterday to discuss the implications of the City of Portland’s proposal introduction of new fees to help fund critical road maintenance projects.

Proposed Fees Will Raise $47 Million

The proposed fees will raise $47 million annually to fund the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) budget to preserve existing infrastructure and to undertake critical street maintenance requirements.

If approved, the Transportation Utility Fee will add $12 monthly to homeowners’ utility bills. Apartment dwellers will pay an additional $8.40 a month.

Owners of commercial buildings will be charged an additional 4.3% of their utility bill costs.

The Street Damage Restoration Fee will raise between $7 million and $22 million annually. This fee will be payable by utilities and other companies involved in the excavation, repair, or construction of roadways and related projects.

Portland Faces a $6.6 Billion Project Shortfall

Not unlike the Oregon Department of Transportation, PBOT is facing a major $6.6 billion project shortfall, while its roads, bridges, traffic signals, and other infrastructure continue to fall into disrepair.

Adding to the dismal outlook for the future is that the state’s transportation funding bill will further reduce PBOT’s income by $10.6 million in 2026, and by $24 million in 2027.

PBOT’s financial crisis is illustrated by actions taken since 2019. These included a funding cutback of $42 million and the loss of 66 posts.

Combined with federal funding cutbacks, Portland is battling to maintain its transportation infrastructure network.

There Has Been a Major Deterioration of the City’s Main and Suburban Roads and Bridges Over the Last Five Years

Over the last five years, the number of main thoroughfares in poor condition has risen from 43% to 64%, while local streets needing urgent attention increased from 55% to 72% during the same period.

Meanwhile, the lifespan of nearly half of the city’s bridges has expired.

What the Proposed New Fees Will Finance

If approved, the additional cash inflow will fund:

• Bridge and culvert maintenancePavement preservation, crack sealing and resurfacing
• Pothole and base repair
• Traffic signal and streetlight maintenance
• Pavement markings and signage replacement
• Sidewalk and curb repair
• Bicycle and pedestrian facility maintenance
• ADA accessibility improvements
• Street sweeping and drainage maintenance within rights-of-way
• Transportation asset management and condition monitoring.