Despite receiving $1.2 billion from the US infrastructure bill, the Oregon Department of Transportation said it will continue to move forward with its plan to add tolls on the Abernethy and Tualatin River bridges on the I-5 and I-205 highways.
Even with the influx of monies, the Department of Transportation said that without tolling in place, it still will not have enough money to pay for some of the already-planned projects—which does beggar the question about what it was going to do if this infrastructure money was not passed.
One of the Oregon Department of Transportation projects is to update the Abernethy Bridge to make it safer in case of earthquakes, and to expand the number of lanes.
It noted that even after completion of the projects, the tolls might continue, perhaps to generate revenue for its continued upkeep or for future Department projects.
The Department said the tolls will be in place at the end of 2024.