Rep. Chavez-DeRemer introduces legislation to 'kill Oregon tolling permanently'
PORTLAND, Ore. — U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, introduced legislation on Tuesday that would ban the use of federal funding and prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation from approving tolling projects on Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 in Oregon.
The bill has been dubbed the “No Tolls on Oregon Roads Act.”
“Oregonians are understandably fed up with the state’s attempt to hastily implement tolling, and I want to give drivers peace of mind by making the current ‘pause’ permanent," Chavez-DeRemer said.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) had plans to put tolls on the Abernethy and Tualatin River bridges to pay for improvements ODOT says will reduce congestion and improve safety.
Gov. Tina Kotek halted the toll program from starting until 2026.
The Regional Mobility Pricing Project proposes to reduce congestion on I-5 and I-205 in the Portland-metro region through congestion pricing to reduce traffic jams and improve safety.
Chavez-DeRemer said that blocking tolling from I-5 and I-205 would protect communities from traffic congestion, save families from paying a regressive tax, and support businesses by keeping transportation costs lower.
“I wanted to drop that bill specifically because over the last few months we have been listening to Oregonians and constituents who would be affected by this on a daily basis," she said. "It's going to affect the most vulnerable. That is going to be a high rate of pay to get to work, get their kids to school, and it’s a real concern that they feel they’ve been left out of that equation.”
Chavez-DeRemer told KATU the tolling projects would have diverted traffic into communities in the area.
KATU spoke with Rory Bialostosky, the mayor of West Linn, back in May. He said for his community the biggest issue is the potential for traffic to divert off the freeway and onto residential streets.
"People are concerned that the business district will just be overrun by traffic, because it already is. It’s going to get worse. So, by pausing, hopefully, we can take a serious look at the impacts," Bialostosky said.
"As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Highways and Transit Subcommittee, I’ll continue working closely with my colleagues to put a stop to this unfair interstate tax,” Chavez-DeRemer said.
In response to Chavez-DeRemer's proposed legislation, ODOT provided KATU with a statement from Urban Mobility Office Director Brendan Finn.
"We have worked with our partners in the Portland metro area over the last six years to develop a toll program that works for the community and centers equity in every aspect, including the development of a discount for lower-income travelers when tolls begin in 2026," said Finn. "A modern tolling program will raise the funds necessary to upgrade Portland’s transportation system while also improving traffic flow for more predictable trips."
“Oregonians right now are having a hard time paying their rent, their mortgage, the gas, their food, and now they’re going to have to pay another tax just to get to work. It’s too much, and I’m going to permanently kill this tolling project," Chavez-DeRemer told KATU.