Lars Larson: Tolling fix is in

By Lars Larson
NW and national radio host,

Brace yourself for tolling here in the northwest much worse than even the fees paid by New York City commuters.

Hard to believe, I know, but the tolling fix appears to be in.

8 months ago, Governor Tina Kotek ordered ODOT to halt its tolling plan for freeways after they had already spent 60 million on it.

Now that the election’s over, brace yourself for Kotek to bring ‘em back.

The Governor is moving forward with plans for a new, but no bigger, Interstate Bridge over the Columbia river.

Light rail, at 1 billion a mile, is the most expensive on Earth.

Construction begins in less than 18 months, or so they tell us.

Estimates of its cost top 9 billion with no guarantee THAT won’t increase.

The region has less than HALF that much cash lined up.

The rocket scientists engineering this new bridge put the top-end estimate of tolls at MORE than 9 dollars a day or more than 2-thousand a year for a daily commuter.

ODOT also has plans to toll other highways for “congestion relief”.

Translation: price the poor people off the roads.

Even in New York city, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced plans to cut congestion tolling to no more than 9 bucks a day…because current tolls at 15 bucks are killing commuters, businesses and visitors.

I wonder if Tina Kotek gives a damn about that, or is she just interested in stripping as much moolah as she can out of your pockets.

That’s the Rose City Rap.  Join me at noon on KXL for 4 hours of Honestly provocative talk.  I’m Lars Larson