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Committee opens a wide-ranging discussion of PBOT funding options and priorities for 2026

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · January 13, 2026

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Summary

Committee members discussed PBOT27s transportation funding report, requested more detailed budget and staffing information, and previewed deeper financial conversations for Jan. 26; members raised the transportation utility fee, TriMet support, Vision Zero and sidewalk/paving priorities.

After the renaming items, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recessed briefly and then resumed to discuss PBOT27s transportation funding report and committee priorities for 2026.

Chair Clark said the Jan. 26 meeting will include a deeper dive into funding options. Council members asked for more detailed information about PBOT27s budget and position reductions over the last seven years (which positions were frontline versus management) and sought clearer estimates of revenue potential and stakeholder impacts for each of the four top funding options under consideration.

Councilor Green said she supports advancing a transportation utility fee for council consideration while acknowledging concerns about regressive impacts and the need to pair revenue with immediate, high-impact projects so residents see results. Councilors discussed whether revenue could be bonded, how to blend new revenue into capital planning and whether some climate investment funds could be used to support TriMet through an intergovernmental agreement.

Councilor Koyama Lane and others emphasized safety priorities (Vision Zero), tactical urbanism pilots and investments in sidewalks and paving. Councilor Smith reiterated interest in the Sidewalk Improvement and Paving (SIP) program and described exploring resources to cover debt service on $50 million in limited revenue bonds for SIP. PBOT Director Millicent Williams and staff said they are preparing options and will coordinate with the CFO's office; staff noted constraints depending on funding source but said the team is ready to deliver if new revenue is approved.

The committee agreed to continue the conversation at the Jan. 26 meeting and requested more detailed financial and stakeholder analyses.