Oregon Tolling Program: April 2020 Newsletter

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 04/14/2020 09:03 AM PDT

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

In this issue

Apply to serve on Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee: Application period extended to May 1

Apply for at-large positions to develop equitable mobility strategies

Community members participating in an open house for the Value Pricing Feasibility Analysis in 2018.

We are forming an Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee (EMAC) to advise on how tolling on I-5 and I-205 freeways, in combination with other strategies, can include benefits for populations that have historically been underserved and underrepresented by transportation projects.

Advice will be provided to the Oregon Transportation Commission and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). In providing input to the OTC, the Committee shall consider needs and opportunities for achieving community mobility and equity priorities as part of the NEPA process for tolling implementation.

Education and engagement activities

Learn more and share feedback on tolling projects

Community member participating in Open House for the Value Pricing Feasibility Study in 2018.

Throughout the year, we’ve been meeting with elected officials and policy committees to share information, hear feedback and answer questions about the I-5 and I-205 Tolling Projects. Digital tools will allow us to continue these presentations until the risks associated with COVID-19 have subsided. Visit the calendar to see our schedule.

Would your organization, committee or council like to receive a project briefing too? Let us know by sending an email to the project team.

Later this year, we will host events and launch interactive digital platforms to allow visitors to learn more about the I-5 and I-205 Tolling Projects and provide input. These events and online platforms will present information and provide opportunities for community members to ask questions and offer feedback. Through these platforms, you can learn more about:

Current plans and next steps
How modern tolling systems work
The program's approach to equity

Watch for announcements!

ODOT is committed to slowing the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Public events and meetings will follow guidance of Governor Kate Brown and public health officials. ODOT encourages all public meeting participants to follow proper safety precautions and social distancing recommendations. Options for alternative meeting schedules and formats will be considered.

ODOT to pause I-205 travel preference survey until fall

Provide input through April 24

Congestion traffic on I-205 in Clackamas County.

In early March, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) launched an online survey to learn about when, why and how often drivers use I-205 near the Abernethy Bridge and to evaluate drivers’ willingness to pay a toll to save travel time.

Since then, social distancing guidelines implemented as a result of Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 20-12 have affected travel patterns on I-205 and throughout the region. ODOT will pause the “I-205 Travel Preference Survey” and resume it later in 2020. If the survey were to be conducted as planned, recent changes in travel patterns could affect the data that is collected, making it less robust for planning and financial analyses.