If you drive in Oregon, you’ve probably had at least one existential crisis at the pump—standing there, nozzle in hand, staring at the rapidly spinning price display and wondering if you missed your calling as a bicycle messenger.
Very well-argued and very timely. The Statesman Journal investigation was painful to read. Oregon govt is simply not good at accountability. And it's also not good at managing significant projects (recall the ACA Health Exchange debacle and the pandemic unemployment payment mess). It disheartening.
Oregon needs its version of DOGE. We need to uncover the waste,fraud and abuse these elected and unelected bureaucrats have bestowed on our fine state,
This all makes sense, but one overlooked factor is the publicly admitted effort by some of our elected leaders to force us out of our vehicles with their “we definitely know better than you” restrictions on many of our busiest feeder streets. Another well advertised, but completely counterproductive program Project Zero has reduced speeds on our most frequently traveled roads in the attempt to prevent vehicle/pedestrian-cyclist traffic fatalities. It now takes about 8 minutes longer on most trips across the city and guess what, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed by automobiles, trucks, and buses has dramatically INCREASED, from 11 in 2015 to 29 in 2024.
The very costly Vision Zero was forced upon Portland’s drivers along with a Pollyanna dream that by 2025 we would have ZERO pedestrians and cyclists killed by automobile accidents. The actual cost of Vision Zero is underreported by every report and study published by our government agencies. The publicized cost of $193 million, (pbot), does not reflect the hidden costs of slower deliveries necessitating additional vehicles and manpower (paid for by the consumers, or the loss of income to people like me who are taxi and rideshare drivers and are unable to complete the same number of rides in a given period of time, losing as much as $60 dollars in a 6 hour shift.
The expenditures of hundreds of millions of tax dollars, the inconvenience caused by restricting lanes and the lowering of nearly 200 speed limits, and the loss of income to hardworking people giving rides to their neighbors would all be a bargain if they in fact saved any of those people who lost their lives while walking and biking. We would all be happy to do our part in improving traffic safety, but it is unconscionable that we are losing freedoms and money and the only result is nearly three times as many dead fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, with each passing 12 months.
First meeting I went to about implementing the 10¢ per gallon gas tax for Multnomah County was a joke. They had raised so much money they weren't sure where they were going to spend it first. Appears that they spent it on bike lanes...not potholes. 🙄
A forensic audit for ODOT is in order. Btw ask for the bridge report that was under Matt Garret. It was an internal inspection that never was made public.
I didn't see anything about the 1 time tax when buying a new electric vehicle? They weight more than normal vehicles so they cause more damage to the road way. Now they will want to tax your mileage on every vehicle you own. Greedy from the democratic run states.
I'm in Vancouver WA and due to Washington's quixotic bid the FiGhT gLoBaL cLiMaTe ChAnGe with cap and trade policies, our gas prices have been competing with California and I would always make a point of filling up in Oregon (outside of Portland) when I had that opportunity.
I guess Gov. Kotek and the rest of Salem don't want my gas money. 🤷♂️
How are EV drivers contributing to road funding? They obviously aren't paying at the pump, but are definitely using the roads. It would be super unfair for the rest of us to be paying for their road use.
Once again thanks for yet another detailed analysis of one of Oregon's troubled agencies.
ODOT is effectively a monopoly. One of the problems with monopolies is that there is intrinsically little incentive to change in which case they can become sclerotic. For that reason such an organization needs to be regularly audited, scrutinized and recommendations made on how to achieve efficiencies on how money is spent and resources used. I totally agree with your proposal to set priorities and deal with basic needs first. In addition to that, the culture of the agency must become more proactive with a greater sense of urgency in fulfilling its mission to maintain Oregon's roads and bridges and controlling costs. Losing track of 15% of one's budget is not acceptable.
Very well-argued and very timely. The Statesman Journal investigation was painful to read. Oregon govt is simply not good at accountability. And it's also not good at managing significant projects (recall the ACA Health Exchange debacle and the pandemic unemployment payment mess). It disheartening.
Oregon needs its version of DOGE. We need to uncover the waste,fraud and abuse these elected and unelected bureaucrats have bestowed on our fine state,
This all makes sense, but one overlooked factor is the publicly admitted effort by some of our elected leaders to force us out of our vehicles with their “we definitely know better than you” restrictions on many of our busiest feeder streets. Another well advertised, but completely counterproductive program Project Zero has reduced speeds on our most frequently traveled roads in the attempt to prevent vehicle/pedestrian-cyclist traffic fatalities. It now takes about 8 minutes longer on most trips across the city and guess what, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed by automobiles, trucks, and buses has dramatically INCREASED, from 11 in 2015 to 29 in 2024.
The very costly Vision Zero was forced upon Portland’s drivers along with a Pollyanna dream that by 2025 we would have ZERO pedestrians and cyclists killed by automobile accidents. The actual cost of Vision Zero is underreported by every report and study published by our government agencies. The publicized cost of $193 million, (pbot), does not reflect the hidden costs of slower deliveries necessitating additional vehicles and manpower (paid for by the consumers, or the loss of income to people like me who are taxi and rideshare drivers and are unable to complete the same number of rides in a given period of time, losing as much as $60 dollars in a 6 hour shift.
The expenditures of hundreds of millions of tax dollars, the inconvenience caused by restricting lanes and the lowering of nearly 200 speed limits, and the loss of income to hardworking people giving rides to their neighbors would all be a bargain if they in fact saved any of those people who lost their lives while walking and biking. We would all be happy to do our part in improving traffic safety, but it is unconscionable that we are losing freedoms and money and the only result is nearly three times as many dead fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, with each passing 12 months.
Seems like one party politics is not good for Oregonians.
Right!
First meeting I went to about implementing the 10¢ per gallon gas tax for Multnomah County was a joke. They had raised so much money they weren't sure where they were going to spend it first. Appears that they spent it on bike lanes...not potholes. 🙄
A forensic audit for ODOT is in order. Btw ask for the bridge report that was under Matt Garret. It was an internal inspection that never was made public.
I didn't see anything about the 1 time tax when buying a new electric vehicle? They weight more than normal vehicles so they cause more damage to the road way. Now they will want to tax your mileage on every vehicle you own. Greedy from the democratic run states.
I'm in Vancouver WA and due to Washington's quixotic bid the FiGhT gLoBaL cLiMaTe ChAnGe with cap and trade policies, our gas prices have been competing with California and I would always make a point of filling up in Oregon (outside of Portland) when I had that opportunity.
I guess Gov. Kotek and the rest of Salem don't want my gas money. 🤷♂️
How are EV drivers contributing to road funding? They obviously aren't paying at the pump, but are definitely using the roads. It would be super unfair for the rest of us to be paying for their road use.
There is a $115 annual EV registration fee surcharge
New and incomplete capital projects are sucking the routine maintenance budget dry! Capital projects should be funded from the general fund.
Right on, in my view, every agency needs an audit. Taxpayers cannot keep paying for their mistakes.
Thank you Representative and please vote Aye on SB 723. It truly a safety issue.
Ginny Van Loo
Once again thanks for yet another detailed analysis of one of Oregon's troubled agencies.
ODOT is effectively a monopoly. One of the problems with monopolies is that there is intrinsically little incentive to change in which case they can become sclerotic. For that reason such an organization needs to be regularly audited, scrutinized and recommendations made on how to achieve efficiencies on how money is spent and resources used. I totally agree with your proposal to set priorities and deal with basic needs first. In addition to that, the culture of the agency must become more proactive with a greater sense of urgency in fulfilling its mission to maintain Oregon's roads and bridges and controlling costs. Losing track of 15% of one's budget is not acceptable.
Well said!