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11 1 1 1 <br /> ~ ~ 11 1 ~ 1 ~ 1 <br /> should recognize that properly designed The Vision Committee also recognizes <br /> capacity projects addressing system that new vehicles will soon enter the <br /> bottlenecks could have a net green- market that do not require a trip to the <br /> house gas reduction benefit by contrib- filling station. The committee recom- <br /> uting to congestion reduction, mends that the state develop and test <br /> an alternative VMT collection system for <br /> Expand user per mile fee concept. these types of vehicles while ensuring <br /> While congestion grows throughout the efficiency of fee payment, cost effec- <br /> state and the nation, fuel tax revenues tiveness in operations, administrative <br /> have flattened -and will soon enter feasibility and ease of use by the motor- <br /> into permanent decline. Policymak- ing public. <br /> ers are searching for new approaches <br /> to fund and manage the nation's road Implement least cost planning. <br /> system. Oregon has led the way with Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, <br /> its Road User Fee Task Force, created member of the House Transportation <br /> in 2001 to examine potential alterna- and Infrastructure Committee and chair <br /> tives to the gas tax for raising revenue, of the House Subcommittee on High- <br /> Distance-based or "per mile" road user ways and Transit, has said he intends to <br /> fees have emerged as worthy of serious develop the next federal transportation <br /> consideration. reauthorization bill around the "least <br /> cost planning" model. Oregon could also <br /> Based on the Road User Fee Task make good use of this proven tool in <br /> Force's findings, Oregon developed a transportation, acting in advance of a <br /> pilot program to test the per mile fee federal requirement. The Vision Com- <br /> concept, with more than 260 volunteers mittee recommends ODOT begin devel- <br /> in the Portland area participating in the oping a least cost planning model for <br /> one-year effort. The results were posi- use by the state, Metropolitan Planning <br /> tive and highly sought by transportation Organizations (MPOs), and local govern- <br /> stakeholders around the world. ments to optimize critical investments in <br /> transportation while addressing climate <br /> According to the findings, Oregon's road change and other environmental issues <br /> user charging system is fairly inexpen- critical to Oregon's quality of life. Col- <br /> sive to operate, simple for motorists to laboration between ODOT, MPOs and <br /> use, and can accommodate the addi- the local governments is essential to <br /> tion of local options, including time- implementing least cost planning due to <br /> of-day pricing for congestion manage- the strong relationship between land use <br /> ment. While the field test showed that and transportation. <br /> a vehicle-mile-tax (or VMT) based fee <br /> collection system works, the prototype "Least cost planning" is a concept de- <br /> equipment used in the pilot is not ready veloped for the electric utility industry <br /> for commercial introduction, that analyzes the methods and costs <br /> of taking actions to increase supply <br /> <br /> The Vision Committee recommends that while at the same time analyzing the <br /> Oregon continue refining the VMT fee methods and costs of taking actions to <br /> system so that, eventually, VMT charges decrease demand, and linking these to <br /> can replace the fuels tax. Further level- transmission and power system man- <br /> opment of the technology and systems agement choices. This broadens the <br /> is essential for VMT fee implementation, scope of potential choices for meeting <br /> including work that assures privacy pro- service requirements. The least cost <br /> tection for motorists, planning framework has the potential <br /> to substantially improve transportation <br /> 2 <br /> <br />