I-205 Toll Project 2023 Environmental Assessment

At the direction of Governor Kotek in March 2024, we have stopped building the Oregon Toll Program and are working with our legislative partners to identify sustainable funding solutions to improve our state's roads, bridges and multimodal transportation system.

Tolling remains a critical component of funding the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, and toll collection will be transferred to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

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Next steps for the I-205 Toll Project environmental review process

In response to comments from agencies and community members on the 2023 Environmental Assessment, and because of the reduced I-205 Toll Project scope, we were preparing a Supplemental Environmental Assessment for release in 2024. The assessment was based on a revised Project Description and revised Purpose and Need statement.

ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration analyzed proposed improvements and tolling on I-205 and published results in 2023 Environmental Assessment

This report identified the potential short- and long-term effects of the project on the transportation system, local communities, the economy, and the natural environment, and potential solutions to address negative effects. This process is required by the federal government, per the National Environmental Policy Act.

What did we study?

The 2023 Environmental Assessment compared the effects in 2045 of two alternatives:

Build Alternative, which includes building a third lane in each direction between Stafford Road and OR 43, a northbound auxiliary lane between OR 99E and OR 213, toll gantries and variable-rate pricing, and seismic bridge upgrades on I-205.
No Build Alternative, which would have no additional improvements to I-205 and no tolls.

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The 2023 Environmental Assessment compared short-term and long-term effects from both alternatives in several areas, including, but not limited to:

Travel times, traffic volumes, and the extent of rerouting traffic from I-205 to local streets
Safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles
Freight movement
Local and regional economy
Air quality, climate, and noise
Social resources, communities, and environmental justice, including low-income households
Natural and cultural resources

Visit the Resource Library to read the full text of the Environmental Assessment.