(June 30, 2025) The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is disappointed that the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package did not pass in the legislative session this year, putting critical maintenance and safety services at risk.
State funding is an essential component of the revenue that PBOT and communities across Oregon, both rural and urban, rely on to maintain and operate our streets. State transportation funding has not kept up with the costs of services and we continue to depend largely on local parking fees and gas taxes for the maintenance and upkeep of roadways and safety infrastructure. These sources are not sustainable for the future.
We need to invest in the repair and replacement of transportation infrastructure, like our streets and bridges, so they can serve us for generations to come. Every dollar invested in preventative maintenance can save up to $10 in future reconstruction. Failures cost more to fix and create risks to safety, livability, public health and the environment.
Transportation investment creates family-wage construction and maintenance jobs and supports the economy and quality of life Oregonians expect.
"I am deeply disappointed the state legislature failed to make the critical investment our transportation system needs," Mayor Keith Wilson said. "Vital infrastructure jobs are on the line, and our ability to deliver basic safety services like filling potholes and improving traffic conditions is at risk. I urge the legislature to act quickly and deliver a solution that supports all Oregon communities, including Portland."
City, state systems interdependent
Early drafts of HB 2025 would have helped us begin to turn the tide on the massive backlogs of deferred maintenance at the state and local level.
We were deeply disappointed to see the rushed attempt to pass HB 3402-3 that ignored the needs of cities and counties and disregarded the interdependence of our state and local road networks.
As the state considers a path forward, we believe it is essential to consider the needs of the entire system and work together with cities, counties, public transit and other partners.
Portland’s transportation budget included $11 million for basic maintenance and operations of the transportation system that the city was anticipating from the state package.
Thanks to City Council, Portland increased the ride-sharing fee to $2.00, an increase above the initial amount proposed by Mayor Wilson. We were hoping to use this funding for expanded services but now will rely on it to mitigate some of the devastating loss of the state package. Still, the net result will be some cuts to services that the public depends on every day and jobs that support our economy.
Cuts coming in Portland
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has the people and skills to keep Portland moving, but funding remains a serious obstacle. Just this weekend, 26,000 Portlanders biked through the Northeast Cully neighborhood with PBOT’s Portland Sunday Parkways team. Maintenance Operations is about to begin a grind-and-pave project on NE Broadway. Our teams continue to respond to emergencies like sinkholes, landslides, and roadway debris. Portlanders also gather and celebrate in public street plazas citywide thanks to PBOT.
But without state funding our ability to expand and build on these accomplishments is at risk – cuts could include the following:
- Up to 300 streetlights that we won’t be able to repair this year.
- 50% less capacity to respond to requests from the public for basic safety improvements
- Delays in traffic signal upgrades on busy corridors impacting safety for pedestrians, freight, and people biking, taking public transit or driving.
- Delays to currently funded projects of all types (maintenance and capital improvement safety projects) because of reductions in force.
In the coming weeks, the bureau will be determining the exact path forward.
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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city’s transportation system and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage, and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility.