Senate approves legislation to enable toll-backed financing for Interstate Bridge replacement
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Summary
The Oregon Senate on May 20 passed House Bill 2931 to update state law so Oregon can participate in financing and administering the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project with toll-backed bonds; the measure drew debate over tolling, cost and regional responsibility but was approved on final passage.
The Oregon Senate approved House Bill 2931 on May 20, clearing statutory changes to allow Oregon to participate in financing and administering the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project between Portland and Vancouver.
Senator Tim Gorsuch, speaking in favor of the bill, said the measure updates outdated statutory language and “if HB 2,931 does not pass, we risk, delay, disorder, and distrust,” arguing the changes are needed to protect Oregon’s public investment and keep the project on schedule.
The bill’s supporters said it authorizes the State Treasury to issue toll-backed bonds as part of a multibillion-dollar funding package and creates enforcement tools for toll compliance, including civil penalties and data sharing with Washington. Opponents raised concerns about tolling as a long-term revenue source, project cost escalation and who bears the burden.
“So who pays? We're gonna have to toll and we're gonna have to borrow a billion bucks,” Senator Kim Gerard said during debate, urging colleagues to consider who will shoulder the cost.
Senator Floyd Robinson called tolling “the worst way to tax for roads” and said he preferred the gas tax, arguing toll administration costs and the scale of the project made tolling undesirable.
Senator Brian Starr and other supporters placed the debate in historical context, saying the region has delayed replacement in the past and that failing to act now would only increase future costs. Starr said the bridge must be replaced for seismic safety and to avoid long-term disruptions to regional commerce.
Discussion: Senators questioned project cost, regional fairness and alternatives to tolling. Several senators urged cost containment and clear safeguards for reinvesting toll revenue in the bridge.
Decision: After debate, the Senate voted to pass House Bill 2931 on third reading. The clerk recorded the final action as a constitutional majority and declared the bill passed.
What’s next: With passage in the Senate, the bill moves toward final enrollment and transmission consistent with legislative procedures for house-originated measures.