“Vote Before Tolls” Initiative Gains Momentum Across Oregon - IP-31 Would Give Oregonians The Final Say On All Tolling Proposals — Including I-5 And I-205 Projects (Photo) -07/24/25

 

“Vote Before Tolls” Initiative Gains Momentum Across Oregon

 

IP-31 would give Oregonians the final say on all tolling proposals — including I-5 and I-205 projects

 

[PORTLAND, OR] With proposed tolls looming over several major Oregon transportation corridors, the Vote Before Tolls campaign is gaining traction statewide. Spearheaded by Dean Suhr and supported by grassroots coalitions such as Neighbors for a Better Crossing, the initiative (IP-31) would give Oregon voters the right to approve or reject tolling projects before they can be implemented — retroactively covering all proposals since 2018.

 

“This is about accountability, transparency, and letting Oregonians vote before they’re taxed at the toll booth,” said Dean Suhr, Author and Chief Petitioner of IP-31, Vote Before Tolls. “We’re not saying ‘no’ to all tolling — we’re saying the public deserves a voice.”

 

What IP-31 Would Do

 

If passed, IP-31 would require a regional vote in counties within 15 miles of any proposed toll segment — including current plans for tolling I-5, I-205, the Rose Quarter, the Abernethy Bridge, and even bicycle tolls. This includes toll proposals between the Columbia River and Wilsonville, as well as studies already underway for Hwy 26 and Hwy 217.

 

Although Governor Kotek announced a temporary pause on tolling until 2026, Suhr says the threat is far from over. “Tolling hasn’t been halted — it’s just been delayed to avoid election backlash. The public should still be paying close attention,” he warned.

 

Grassroots Growth and Signature Drive

 

To qualify IP-31 for the 2026 general election ballot, the campaign must submit 161,000 valid Oregon voter signatures by July 2026. The goal is to collect 180,000 by June 2026 to ensure a buffer. Thousands of signature sheets have already been distributed across the state, and interest is growing rapidly.

 

“This is a nonpartisan issue that resonates across the political spectrum,” said Suhr. “Most Oregonians have no idea that tolls are coming. But when they find out, they want to help.”

 

Currently, hundreds of volunteers are canvassing neighborhoods, attending events, and hosting signature drives. The campaign is calling for thousands more to join. Volunteer roles include signature gathering, social media support, web help, petition fulfillment, and yard sign distribution. Visit VoteBeforeTolls.org to get involved.

 

Impacts on Major Projects Like the IBR

 

Tolling plans for the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) and the Rose Quarter project would fall under IP-31, requiring a public vote before implementation.

 

“Tolling is being used as a fallback to cover ballooning budgets. That’s not fiscal responsibility — that’s just kicking the can to commuters,” Suhr said.

 

Estimates show the IBR’s cost may now exceed $9 billion, with the toll burden rising to approximately $4.2 billion. According to ODOT’s own estimates presented in legislative hearings, toll collection overhead could consume as much as 86% of the revenue — meaning drivers might be charged up to seven times the intended $4.2 billion just to cover costs. That equates to only 14 cents of every dollar actually funding transportation improvements, with no additional vehicle capacity. 

 

Adding to the urgency, Governor Tina Kotek has called a special legislative session on August 29 to address a $350 million budget shortfall at the Oregon Department of Transportation. ODOT’s financial planning heavily depends on toll revenue — a source that may not be guaranteed if IP-31 passes.

 

“ODOT is gambling on tolls to fill budget gaps,” said Suhr. “But if the voters demand a say through this initiative, those toll assumptions could vanish overnight. That’s why transparency and public buy-in are more important than ever.”

 

Impacts on Vancouver and Hayden Island Residents and Businesses

 

“For those of us living on Hayden Island, tolling would be devastating,” said Kimberly Haslett, a Hayden Island resident and volunteer with Neighbors for a Better Crossing. “Many of us cross into Vancouver daily for basic needs like doctor appointments, and grocery shopping because we don’t have a lot of basic services like a grocery store, a mechanic, a vet, a gym, or medical facilities on the island. Tolls would effectively tax us just for leaving home for our basic needs.”

 

Haslett emphasized that local businesses on Hayden Island would also take a major hit. “A huge portion of their customers come from Vancouver. If those people start avoiding the bridge to skip tolls, our restaurants, shops, and service providers will feel it immediately,” she said. “And for low-income residents who rely on crossing the bridge for work, errands or school, it’s incredibly unfair. Tolls don’t care if you’re making a living wage or not, they just keep charging.”

 

A Message to Lawmakers and Planners

 

“Vote Before Tolls is coming,” Suhr warns. “There’s still time for elected officials to demonstrate transparency and fiscal responsibility — or face a public that’s ready to shut down unchecked spending.”

 

Feedback gathered through the campaign reveals widespread concern about diversion of traffic, regressive impacts on low-income commuters, and a lack of clarity about where toll funds are going. Residents want better roads — not endless tolls that rarely improve congestion.

 

How to Support the Initiative

 

All registered Oregon voters can sign the petition. Single-signer sheets and 10-line packets are available for download or request at VoteBeforeTolls.org. Supporters can also:

• Volunteer
• Host an event
• Donate via the Vote Before Tolls PAC or Foundation
• Spread awareness on social media
  Facebook: @VoteBeforeTolls
  X (Twitter): @VoteBeforeTolls

Additionally, Oregon residents can claim a political tax credit — donating up to $100 per household and getting the full amount back on their taxes.

“We are asking everyone to take a few minutes to print a petition, sign it, and get others to sign as well,” Suhr said. “Bring them to your neighborhood BBQs, farmers' markets, or family events—it’s nonpartisan, it’s empowering, and it’s our chance to say we deserve a vote before new tolls are imposed.”

 

“It’s a Vote — Not a Veto”

 

“This isn’t a blanket rejection of tolls,” said Suhr. “If a project is equitable, transparent, and solves real problems, voters will support it. But they deserve a say first.”

 

Neighbors for a Better Crossing stands with Vote Before Tolls in demanding accountability before Oregon becomes a state of toll booths. We encourage all Oregonians to learn more and make their voices heard before they’re charged just to cross town.

 

 

Neighbors For A Better Crossing Calls For A Current Seismic Study For $7.5?B Interstate Bridge Project (Photo) -07/09/25

Neighbors for a Better Crossing Calls for a Current Seismic Study for $7.5 B Interstate Bridge Project

 

[Oregon and Washinton] – Neighbors for a Better Crossing (NFBC) is urging immediate transparency and a comprehensive, up-to-date seismic study of the current Interstate 5 bridges before any further work proceeds on the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program’s proposed $7.5 billion megaproject.

 

IBR’s Fear-Based Messaging Lacks Verified Engineering Data

 

The IBR program continues to rely on a dramatic video—produced by its marketing team—depicting the current I-5 bridges collapsing into the Columbia River during a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.

 

“For the past four years, IBR has used this video to instill fear in the public and elected officials to promote construction of a new bridge,” according to retired engineer Bob Ortblad.

 

However, a Public Disclosure Request filed by Ortblad revealed no current engineering analysis supports the video’s narrative. He concluded the imagery is based on outdated or nonexistent studies.

 

No New Seismic Studies Released Despite Federal Seismic Grant

 

In 2022, IBR received a $1 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to study the bridge’s seismic and geotechnical conditions, including Hayden Island. Despite this, neither the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) nor the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has released any current bridge-specific seismic assessments.  This lack of transparency makes IBR’s repeated claims of the bridge’s imminent collapse misleading at best—and propagandistic at worst.

 

Existing Bridge May Be More Resilient Than Acknowledged

 

Historical evaluations—including a 2009 ODOT report and a 2007 WSDOT assessment—cited risks related to timber-pile foundations and the bridge’s age. However, Ortblad points to compelling evidence that suggests otherwise: the current bridge’s 90- to 120-foot-long, tightly spaced wooden piles compact soil more than 50 feet below projected liquefaction zones, making them act as a “fail-safe against liquefaction damage.” A Japanese engineering study supports this principle.

 

In contrast, the IBR’s proposed design uses only six drilled shafts per pier, set in uncompacted soil, and features twin trusses that are twice as long, twice as wide, 50 feet taller, and five times heavier than the current structure. The construction process is expected to require five years of intense drilling, causing significant harm to Columbia River fish and marine ecosystems.

 

Retrofitting the Existing Bridge Proven Feasible and Far Less Costly

 

A 2006 Columbia River Crossing study brought together a panel of bridge and geotechnical engineers to assess seismic vulnerabilities and retrofit options for the existing Interstate bridges. When asked whether retrofitting was feasible, the panel responded clearly: “Yes, it is technically feasible to retrofit the existing bridges to the current seismic safety standards.”

 

The panel outlined concepts for strengthening or replacing vulnerable bridge components and estimated the cost between $88 million and $190 million. This raises serious questions about the necessity of a $7.5 billion replacement project—especially in the absence of updated engineering data.

Despite this, the IBR program proposes demolishing the existing bridges, which currently carry six lanes of traffic, to build a new structure with only three lanes of traffic and one auxiliary lane in each direction. 

 

In contrast, preserving the current bridges for pedestrian and bike traffic, and constructing an Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT) could provide 10 to 14 total freeway and local access lanes, along with pedestrian and bicycle pathways—offering greater capacity, connectivity, and safety at a lower cost.

 

“Taxing and tolling citizens without updated seismic evidence is unjustified—especially when an Immersed Tube Tunnel is a proven, cost-effective, and more resilient option,” said Gary Clark of Neighbors for a Better Crossing. “We need proof, not assumptions.”

 

Request for Structural and Seismic Data Denied

 

Despite widespread IBR claims portraying the existing Interstate Bridges as structurally compromised and seismically vulnerable, little verifiable data has been released to support those statements. The bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is entitled to special protections—heightening the need for transparency.

 

NFBC submitted Public Disclosure Requests to WSDOT and ODOT seeking bridge elevation drawings, dimensional renderings, and side-view illustrations from the Hayden Island perspective. Both requests were denied, despite IBR’s claims to be accessible and transparent with the public. 

 

NFBC has escalated the matter by filing two separate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, requesting information from the IBR program. One request seeks detailed elevation drawings with dimensions, and renderings. The other specifically requests all materials related to the existing bridge’s structural and seismic condition, as well as the development of public messaging strategies related to those topics. Both FOIFA requests are currently pending.

 

Public Disclosure Undermines IBR Narrative

 

Bob Ortblad also filed his own Public Disclosure Request and received the 1,622-page I-5 Columbia River Crossing Design Ground Motions Report. Upon review, he found it only models the seismic behavior of the proposed new bridge—and entirely omits any assessment of the existing bridge’s seismic performance.

 

“My suspicion that the IBR earthquake video lacked supporting engineering analysis was confirmed by my public disclosure request,” Ortblad stated.

 

Safety Risks with IBR Construction Diversion and Design

 

Ortblad further warns that the IBR’s construction plan would reduce six lanes of traffic to just four for three years, likely increasing congestion, collisions, and emergency response times. The final design includes a 3% to 4% grade—the steepest of any interstate bridge in the country—and a sharp, steep S-curve on the north-facing Vancouver approach. Ortblad warns that these features could pose serious hazards in conditions such as wind, rain, fog, and black ice

“Where is the data-driven safety analysis of deaths and injuries for this three-year diversion and the final high bridge?” Ortblad asks.

 

ITT Alternative Dismissed Without Fair Study

By contrast, an Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT) would save billions of dollars, reduce construction time, enhance seismic resilience, better accommodate future growth, and preserve valuable historic and community assets.

 

However, IBR disqualified this alternative using flawed excavation and dredging calculations. When challenged, IBR later admitted that their calculations were incorrect in an email to Ortblad.  IBR blamed third party software saying, “Duplication occurred in the model where some excavation quantities were counted more than once. While this error does result in a change in the quantity of excavation material, it does not change the decision,” IBR officials told Ortblad.

 

There are at least 13 immersed tube tunnels in the United States and nearly 200 worldwide. Notable examples include the Fraser Tunnel in Vancouver, BC and the I-95 tunnel under Baltimore Harbor.Demonstrating the proven success of this technology in complex, urban, and environmentally sensitive settings

IBR’s Ongoing Omissions Undermine Public Trust

The IBR’s failure to disclose updated seismic studies and its dismissal of viable alternatives call into question the integrity of its environmental review process. NFBC believes a full reassessment is essential before construction begins in 2026–2027.

 

The Oregon Legislators failure to pass a transportation funding bill further underscores the need to reassess more efficient and cost-effective bridge alternatives.

Key NFBC Requests

• Release an updated, independent seismic assessment of the current bridge before construction approval.
• Halt preliminary engineering and the use of fear-based public messaging.
• Conduct a third-party feasibility study of the Immersed Tube Tunnel alternative tailored to the region.
• Ensure the IBR’s environmental review reflects public-facing, evidence-based data.

About Neighbors for a Better Crossing

 

Neighbors for a Better Crossing is a grassroots organization of residents, business owners, and retired engineers advocating for safe, affordable, and evidence-based solutions for the Interstate Bridge crossing—prioritizing the needs and voices of the communities it serves.