The legislation will help fund a new Sellwood Bridge in these ways:
• $30 million is designated to build a new interchange where the bridge connects with Highway 43.
• Multnomah and Clackamas counties are permitted to enact local vehicle registration fees to fund a new Sellwood Bridge.
• All Oregon counties and cities will receive new transportation funds from state vehicle fees and the state gas tax. The City of Portland and Multnomah County are negotiating an agreement whereby the City would commit $8 million a year of its new funds to raise $100 million for the new Sellwood Bridge.
The legislation creates the local and state funding sources the county needs to secure federal funds to complete the project.
Governor Kulongoski and the members of the Oregon House and Senate recognized the regional importance of the Sellwood Bridge and the need to replace it.
Now the focus will shift to important funding decisions at the local and federal levels. The elected boards of Multnomah and Clackamas counties are expected to consider enacting local vehicle fees later this year. The Portland City Council will take up the funding agreement with Multnomah County before the end of this year as well. It is important that these local sources be in place before Congress acts on the county’s request for $40 million as part of the next federal transportation bill, likely in 2010.
For now, we can remember July 29, 2009 as a day when the effort to replace the Sellwood Bridge took a giant leap forward. If the funding continues to fall in place, construction of a new bridge could begin in 2012.
