Seen all the “No Tolls” signs around town? Nobody really wants tolls, but it looks like we’re doomed. I looked at their site and they have at least one good point. There must be a better way to fund the bridge than tolls.
Check out the MyGoodToGo site to see what a delight that will be. Don’t want to sign but just want to pop over for a concert or Blazers game? Get billed with charges. Same for Oregon folks that may wish to visit our waterfront. Will that discourage casual visitors from Oregon?
Then there is the resentment factor. Drivers can realize they’re paying for the other lanes, including light rail and the occasional biker. Much of the toll will go to the cost of collecting it.
But won’t the tolls pay off the bridge debt? Not so fast. What we learned from a Columbian article is that there is money for double-decker buses. What other pork is buried in the bridge budget? If you think a multibillion-dollar project stretching over years will come in on time within budget and tolling will eventually end, you must believe in the tooth fairy.
