BALLOT TITLE:
Caption: Renew Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax for Street Repair, Maintenance, Safety
Question: Shall Portland renew four-year, 10 cents per gallon fuel tax for maintenance (paving, potholes) and safety (crossings, lighting, sidewalks)?
Summary: Portland’s 10 cents per gallon fuel tax was approved by voters in 2016 and 2020. If renewed at the same tax rate, this measure is estimated to raise $70.5 million over four years, beginning January 2025.
The funding would continue to be dedicated to street repair, maintenance and safety projects, including paving, pothole repair, sidewalk, crossings and other safety improvements.
Specific proposed investments include:
Street Repair and Maintenance
-
$23.5 million for paving, with programs focused on busy and neighborhood streets
Safety
-
$9 million for safety on busy streets
-
$6 million for safety on neighborhood streets
-
$6 million for Safe Routes to School projects
-
$2.5 million for additional safety improvements
Community Street Services
-
$17 million for potholes, gravel streets, pavement base repair, signal and street light maintenance
-
$6.5 million for basic safety improvements, including intersection safety improvements and traffic calming
Expenditures are reviewed by a public oversight committee and go through independent financial audits. Establishes license requirements.
Explanatory Statement:
In 2016 and 2020, Portland voters approved a 10 cents per gallon fuel tax to fund street repair, maintenance, and safety improvements. Portland City Council also approved a companion heavy vehicle use tax.
Over the past eight years, the fuel tax has raised approximately $150 million dedicated to the Fixing Our Streets program, which repaved 80 lane miles of city streets, repaired over 40,000 potholes, and over 200 additional safety improvements across Portland.
If renewed by voters at the same tax rate, the 10-cent fuel tax is estimated to raise $70.5 million over four years beginning January 2025.
Renewing the fuel tax will allow the Fixing Our Streets program to invest in Portland’s streets and benefit both current and future users. Program investment areas are outlined below and project selection is guided by existing plans and public input from neighborhood stakeholders, transportation justice advocates, and business groups.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) currently anticipates budget cuts to core transportation services. If the fuel tax is not renewed, PBOT will be forced to further reduce funding for maintenance and safety services.
STREET REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE
If renewed, Fixing Our Streets would continue to fund paving projects that prevent expensive full replacement of worn-out streets. Proposed investments include $23.5 million dedicated to paving with programs focused on busy and neighborhood streets.
SAFETY
If renewed, Fixing Our Streets funds would continue to be invested in safety projects for people driving, biking, and walking in neighborhoods across Portland, including creating safer intersections, reducing vehicle speeds on cut-through routes, retrofitting existing Neighborhood Greenways, and Safe Routes to School improvements.
Proposed program areas include $9 million for safety improvements on busy streets, $6 million for safety improvements on neighborhood streets, $6 million for Safe Routes to School Projects and $2.5 million for safety enhancements to existing projects.
COMMUNITY STREET SERVICES
If renewed, Fixing Our Streets will fund programs that allow PBOT to respond to routine maintenance and safety requests and help to keep assets in good condition, keep streets safer, and make the city more livable.
The proposal allocates $17 million for potholes, gravel streets, pavement base repair, signal and street light maintenance. $6.5 million is proposed for safer intersections; pedestrian, bicycle, and public space retrofits; and residential street safety and traffic calming.
SAME TAX RATE
This is a proposed renewal so the 10 cent per gallon tax rate would remain the same as it is today. The average Portland driver would continue to pay approximately $5.00 per month.
AUDITS AND INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT
The Fixing Our Streets program will continue to go through annual independent financial audits. Spending from the program will be overseen by the Fixing Our Streets Oversight Committee representing the many communities with a stake in Portland's streets and roads.