County vehicle fee will fund new Sellwood Bridge

One of the most difficult parts of any large transportation project is finding funds. A new Multnomah County vehicle registration fee that goes into effect in September will help fund the Sellwood Bridge replacement. It was adopted in 2009 by the Board of County Commissioners. The fee is $19 per year per vehicle, or $38 for a two-year renewal.

Multnomah County residents will pay the new fee to the state DMV when they renew their state vehicle registration. If you do not have an address change at the time of renewal, you can pay the new fee at a DEQ vehicle inspection station after passing the required emissions test.

The fee goes into effect for vehicles in Multnomah County with registration expiring during September 2010 or after. Please note that it’s not possible to avoid the fee by renewing early. The fee is based on when a vehicle’s registration expires, which can’t be changed. Revenue from the fee will be used to replace the Sellwood Bridge, as required by state law.

The fee will be in effect for approximately 20 years, to pay off construction bonds for the new bridge. The fee is projected to raise $127 million to help pay for the new bridge. Clackamas County is expected to adopt a vehicle fee dedicated to the Sellwood Bridge project later this year.

For information on Multnomah County’s vehicle fee, visit www.multco.us/vrf, email multcovrf@co.multnomah.or.us, or call 503-988-4296.