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Monday, August 23, 2010

Transportation There's No Escaping the Sellwood Bridge Surcharge

Posted by Denis C. Theriault on Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 4:50 PM

Like many of us, the Sellwood Bridge has gone soft in the middle.
  • Matt Davis
  • Like many of us, the Sellwood Bridge has gone soft in the middle.

If you thought you could register your car before Sept. 1—in hopes of dodging Multnomah County's upcoming $38 Sellwood Bridge surcharge—the Oregonian's Janie Har has some bad news: You can't.

As in Oregon drivers aren't allowed to re-register their cars before our plates expire. And that means there's no cheating to avoid the new fee. But, hey, on the bright side, it only amounts to $19 a year!

If that still sounds like a huge pain in the ass for the fine folks residing in Multnomah County, then maybe that's because you've never driven over the thing. Also, it's 85 years old, it's sagging, it suffered through a landslide 50 years ago and it's weight limit ain't what it used to be.

The whole operation, at last estimate, is expected to cost $330 million, with $127 million coming via the new registration surcharge and an additional $100 million from the city. And here's something: the new, improved Sellwood Bridge will have bike lanes.

 

Comments (17) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
then why do bikers not have to pay??a little unfair considering...
Posted by vancenopants on August 23, 2010 at 5:07 PM · Report
2
I hope you're trolling, vance.
Posted by Broseph Goebbels on August 23, 2010 at 6:24 PM · Report
3
Oh, bikers will pay.

Ohhhh, they'll pay...
Posted by Blanders on August 23, 2010 at 6:55 PM · Report
4
*cough*
toll folks that use it
*cough*
Posted by McAngryPants on August 23, 2010 at 7:12 PM · Report
5
Maybe if they used some of that $250M in lottery $$ that is being used for the MAX line to Milwaukie they wouldn't need to gouge multco drivers.
Posted by Mike H. on August 23, 2010 at 7:20 PM · Report
6
Portland is building a new bike bridge less than two miles down river. Why don't they just tear the Sellwood down and use the new one.
Posted by Rosy on August 23, 2010 at 8:34 PM · Report
7
Amen, Rosy. Cyclists are getting a free ride. And those bike lanes? They probably won't even use 'em, they'll just ride in the middle of the street - at well under the posted speed limit - like they do up here in NE...
Posted by Tommy on August 23, 2010 at 9:32 PM · Report
8 Comment Pulled
9
I can't speak to the bias or scientific accuracy of it, but according to a BTA survey from last September, 89% of bicyclists in Oregon and SW Washington also own and drive cars. (http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/…)

Anecdotally, all of my friends and co-workers who bike also own cars. The people I know who don't own cars don't own a bike either.
Posted by tk. on August 24, 2010 at 8:09 AM · Report
10
I like the tolling idea.
Posted by ujfoyt on August 24, 2010 at 9:01 AM · Report
11
Tolling in one of the tightest space areas for bridges in the region? The traffic would be a nightmare.

Why are people complaining about fees/taxes, when you already pay fees/taxes for likely thousands of services you never use or think about?

The argument originally was why isn't Clackamas county paying for some of this, since a large portion of that traffic is Clackamas county-originating.
Posted by NIG GER on August 24, 2010 at 9:26 AM · Report
12
@tk 11% freeloaders! I rest my case. ;)
Posted by Reymont on August 24, 2010 at 9:54 AM · Report
13
tk for Comment of the Week.
Posted by ($8239f8h248cerfehjf23@&*@ebdjhb23f237OCDBO#BD*(# on August 24, 2010 at 10:12 AM · Report
14
Oh, and, almost half the cost of the Sellwood replacement is the result of ODOT's most-cost-option policy on ONE interchange on an arterial. If we could take over orphan state highways at the regional level and have a governance structure to consolidate and utilize federal/state dollars for transportation while also moving to a utility model where you pay for what you use, we could have replaced the Sellwood Bridge a few years ago at a much lower price tag.

http://www.pdxcityclub.org/content/moving-…
Posted by ($8239f8h248cerfehjf23@&*@ebdjhb23f237OCDBO#BD*(# on August 24, 2010 at 10:14 AM · Report
15
"Maybe if they used some of that $250M in lottery $$ that is being used for the MAX line to Milwaukie they wouldn't need to gouge multco drivers."

$19! What a gouge! As in less than the tank of gas that you have to pay for a few times a month instead of taking said MAX.
Posted by el cubano on August 24, 2010 at 1:15 PM · Report
16
You assume I would be taking MAX once it's built.

A faulty assumption.
Posted by Mike H. on August 24, 2010 at 5:06 PM · Report
17
@el cubano -- The tax is also on things that don't even have tanks like trailers. Just tear the bridge down and don't bother to replace it. If someone wants a bridge they can replace it at least 2000 feet up river a little south of Weber St.
Posted by Rosy on August 25, 2010 at 4:52 AM · Report

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