On Thursday I attended a policy discussion that outlined funding scenarios for regional transportation projects. Our region has a number of huge transportation problems:
• Freeways are congested
• Roads are deteriorating to point of destruction
• Bridges are weigh restricted and can’t accommodate trucks
This of course is in addition to incomplete bikeways, sidewalks, and transit systems.
Unfortunately for the tax-paying bicycling public, our leaders are discussing outdated soultions to fix current problems.
The discussion held this week outlined strategies to build five mega freeway projects. The analysis does not prove that these projects will greatly improve travel times, in fact congestion would still increase while our existing roads and infrastructure investments continue to crumble.
All of this for a $0.50 / gallon gas tax! Let’s start talking about $4.00 or $5.00 per gallon.
Perhaps bicyclists should rejoice. Oregonians have not increased the gas tax since 1991. Oregonians resist the sales taxes and the majority of our elected and appointed officials are not working to develop innovative new solutions to handle these problems.
Stay tuned to the BTA website. Over the next year we will publicize opportunities to get involved with this discussion.
