By John Lively
Since I joined the Legislature in 2013 I have been proud to serve as a member of the Road User Task Force, which is charged with finding alternatives to the gas tax as a means to fund Oregon’s future transportation needs. The gas tax is a declining revenue source, due to inflation, more efficient internal combustion engine cars and the increasing number of electric vehicles utilizing our roadways.
This issue was identified almost a quarter of a century ago when the task force was first founded in 2001. While we have learned much during that time, neither the Legislature nor the Oregon Department of Transportation has moved at the speed necessary to maximize the value of the work that has been accomplished.
OReGO, a pilot program to test and refine the lessons learned, was initiated 10 years ago in 2015 with a small cadre of volunteers who agreed to pay for their use of the roadway on a per-mile basis rather than through the gas tax. The aforementioned changes in EV adoption and fuel efficiency for other vehicles have widened the disparity on how much each driver pays for the same miles driven on Oregon’s roads.
ODOT has repeatedly noted that we are falling further and further behind in the revenue needed to maintain our critical transportation infrastructure. Currently, ODOT says it would take an additional $1.8 billion a year to meet the backlog of maintenance, repair and completion of identified projects. We can no longer afford to wait as that deficit continues to grow and our roads and bridges continue to deteriorate.
Through the OReGO program we have found the answers to multiple issues and concerns, including addressing early concerns about privacy by identifying multiple ways drivers can use to report their miles. Technology has also advanced significantly, easing the way to make the process as cost-effective as possible.
There has been bipartisan support for taking the next crucial steps to advance innovative approaches to transportation funding. Sen. Bruce Starr, a Republican, was a founding member of the Road User Task Force back in 2001 and has returned to the Senate this year. Working across the aisle we can find real solutions as transportation infrastructure has always been an issue both Democrats and Republicans agree is critical to our economy.
We can take that next step by requiring all EV registrations pay for their fair share of transportation through a road user charge. This would jumpstart adoption by adding between 70,000 and 100,000 vehicles to the program and incenting more private investment in the technologies and processes to make the program increasingly cost-effective.
We have had the vision for a long time. Now it is time to transform that vision into action. It is time to begin restoring fairness for all users. The Joint Committee on Transportation will soon present a transportation package to the public and the Legislature for consideration. Moving a Road User Charge to the next level must be a part of that package if we are to maintain our leadership in advancing innovative ways to address our growing transportation infrastructure needs.