The $14B Oregon Transportation “Reinvestment” Package (TRIP) did not make it out of committee in Salem, so the bill and all of the pork in it died.

Regional I-205 and Portland metro tolling remains alive. Tolling, which is essentially already approved, appears to be an easy lever for ODOT and PBOT to utilize sooner rather than later so they don’t have to wait for our legislators determine how to establish strategic, cost-effective transportation funding and direct it to a more efficient, transparent and audited ODOT, and local counties and cities.

Remember that the toll collection overhead is 86% on I-205, meaning only $1 of every $8 you pay goes to the roads, and no provisions were made for diversion — think Stafford Road closure traffic impacts everywhere forever!

We can’t trust our legislators to act in our best interest. Committee members were removed, others were appointed and more resigned. Even with a supermajority, the majority party failed to ramrod the bill through. It was truly a circus with no band leader.

IP-31, the grassroots citizen-driven and retroactive VOTE BEFORE TOLLS initiative, is in play and gives the citizens the right to vote, forcing ODOT and Salem to transparency and accountability. We need 180,000 signatures to get on the 2026 ballot — please help! Go to VoteBeforeTolls.org to protect your rights and your wallet — sign the petition now!

Dean Suhr, author and chief petitioner, IP-31

West Linn