Oregon Transportation Commission heard from Rose Quarter partners and discussed Low-Income Toll Program
Nov. 16, 2023
For more information, contact Anna Howe, 503-877-7101.
PORTLAND – The Oregon Transportation Commission met Thursday, Nov. 9 in Portland for its regular meeting. This marked the first commission meeting in Portland since 2018.
Rose Quarter Partners Share Vision for Portland's Albina Community
At the Nov. 9 meeting, a joint panel of partners and community supporters of the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project presented their vision for the area and commitment to the project (panel presentation starts after 4:38:00). The panelists focused on the importance of this project as part of a larger vision to reconnect and revitalize the Albina community. Another key theme was the partnership needed to achieve this ambitious, innovative project.
“This is something that is a moonshot, but it can be done,” said Historic Albina Advisory Board member Kevin Modica. “It is a generational project … that can restructure and strengthen viability not only in northeast Portland but the state of Oregon.”
This view was shared by panelists and commissioners. Improvements planned for this 1.8-mile stretch of I-5 will improve the flow of goods and increase safety through Oregon’s top bottleneck.
The project would also have far-reaching impacts by creating jobs in Black and minority communities. And the planned highway cover will help reconnect the Albina community that was severed with the construction of I-5 in the 1960s.
The panel included testimony from:
- Kevin Modica, Historic Albina Advisory Board Member.
- Winta Yohannes, Albina Vision Trust Executive Director.
- JT Flowers, Albina Vision Trust Communications & Development.
- Dewayne Hankins, Portland Trail Blazers/Rip City Management President of Business Operations.
- Carmen Rubio, City of Portland Commissioner.
- Mingus Mapps, City of Portland Commissioner.
Albina Vision Trust and City of Portland commissioners echoed the sentiments shared by Modica, with optimism for the partnerships moving forward.
“To mend means to grow. Let us walk toward tomorrow as shared stewards of a precious dream couched in an interstate highway redevelopment project,” said JT Flowers from the Albina Vision Trust. He went on to describe this work as “a radical idea that connection can be capital, community can heal, and healing can transform what is possible for generations of Oregon children.”
Rip City Management stressed the importance of the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project to support a growing entertainment and sports district, as well as the broader vision to restore and reimagine the community of Albina.
“When we think about this project, and the area of Portland it impacts, we see it through the lens of what our future could look like. And that’s a future that has a reconnected Albina neighborhood and supports a vibrant Rose Quarter that is a thriving bustling place 365 days a year,” Rip City Management President of Business Operations Dewayne Hankins said.
Oregon Transportation Commissioners responded to the panelists with resounding appreciation for their work, their support for this project, and the partnerships they are bringing to the table. We’re excited that the changes we’ve made to this project have generated renewed support for the project.
ODOT and the commission are continuing to seek funding opportunities to prepare the project for construction. We have applied for $850 million in federal grant funding from a program dedicated to fostering equitable development and restoration by reconnecting communities cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure.
This grant application is one of the largest applications the agency has ever made. Receiving the grant would be an important step in realizing the vision of reconnecting neighborhoods, improving the transportation network, and taking part in a collective movement toward restoring the historic Albina community.
Discussion Moves Low-Income Toll Program Study Forward
Members of the Equity and Mobility Advisory Committee also joined the commission meeting Nov. 9 to discuss ODOT's low-income toll program (presentation at the 6:00:00 mark).
Offering a low-income toll program of the size and scope supported by the Commission would create the most significant low-income toll program in the country.
Each policy decision requires a balance of tradeoffs and benefits. "If we price the system too high, then we negatively impact low-income communities," said Phil Wu, Equity Mobility Advisory Committee member. "Price it too low, and we diminish our ability to achieve climate and other goals."
“Based on the analysis we’ve done, we believe we can offer a low-income toll program that provides significant relief to customers who need it most without putting more traffic on the road or requiring other customers to pay higher tolls,” ODOT Director Kris Strickler responded.
The goal for this presentation was to receive direction from the commission about the program's geographic scope, benefit type, and income eligibility.
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Geographic Scope - Presenters and the commission agreed that the low-income toll program should be open to residents of Oregon and Washington State, with so many commuters on I-5 and I-205 living in Washington. However, these decisions will be limited to the toll systems operated solely within Oregon (the I-205 Toll Project on the Abernethy Bridge and the Regional Mobility Pricing Project). The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program will be deciding how to proceed with the low-income toll program through a bi-state process.
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Benefit Type, Size and Eligibility - After reviewing both a monthly dollar credit and a percentage discount, ODOT recommended providing a percentage discount that would be applied to each toll incurred by enrolled low-income customers. The commission agreed and made a commitment to implement a 50% discount for customers whose income is up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. For a family of four, that would mean an annual income of up to $60,000.
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Potential Additional Benefit Tier - We know that people experiencing low incomes face challenges to pay for basic needs, and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level doesn't catch workers who frequently commute, make minimum wage, and would fall into the 200-400% bracket. The Equity Mobility Advisory Committee and regional partners have recommended ODOT further evaluate an additional benefit tier, up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. At Thursday's meeting, the commission directed ODOT to conduct further traffic and revenue studies for 10% and 25% discounts for people who make 300% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. This further study and administration analysis would inform the OTC’s decision on whether to offer this option as a level in the program. This decision would be made in early 2025, with the possible implementation two to three years afterwards.
The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 11. The meeting will be held virtually. Sign up to receive automatic emails about the commission and its work on the website.
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