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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2024)
Page 2 March 20, 2024 Governor Kotek want Tolling Plan Scrapped (AP) — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek wants to scrap a plan to im- plement tolls on large sections of two Portland-area interstates, she said Monday. Kotek sent a letter to the Ore- gon Transportation Commission on Monday saying the Regional Mobility Pricing Project for Inter- state 5 and Interstate 205 should be halted, KGW-TV reported. Kotek said in the letter that the “state’s path toward implementing tolling in the Portland metro area is uncertain, at best,” and that the challenges associated with the plan “have grown larger than the anticipated benefits.” “Therefore, I believe it is time to bring the agency’s work on RMPP to an end,” she wrote. In 2017, the state Legislature directed the Oregon Department of Transportation to start explor- ing tolling as a traffic congestion management tool that could be part of a major transportation funding package, but the plans have drawn increasing criticism as they’ve become clearer. Kotek’s letter came a few weeks after a survey found a ma- jority of Oregon voters opposed the Regional Mobility Pricing Project tolls, KOIN-TV reported. The move also came after the Oregon Department of Transpor- tation produced a report on the equity impacts of tolling and the agency’s plan to mitigate the im- pacts on low-income Portland- ers. Kotek wrote in her letter that the report showed “a toll pro- gram which keeps toll rates low enough for working families and raises enough funding for major projects would fail to meet expec- tations for local project funding and revenue sharing.” The state transportation agen- cy is facing funding challenges because of a projected decline in revenue from the state’s gas tax, and Kotek said she expects the Legislature to tackle that issue in the 2025 session. The governor said in the let- ter she is “confident that a more robust conversation on funding options will yield greater under- standing and direction for our fu- ture moving forward.” Oregon Transportation Com- mission Chair Julie Brown and Vice Chair Lee Beyer, as well as Oregon Department of Transpor- tation Director Kris Strickler, all released statements later Mon- day suggesting they agree with Kotek. Beyer said “metro leadership views on tolling have changed” and “local and regional opposi- tion to tolling makes clear that Oregon is not ready for region- al tolling.” Strickler said “it is FILE - Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek speaks during a signing ceremony in Washington, Feb. 23, 2024. Kotek wants to scrap a plan to implement tolls on large sections of two Portland-area interstates, she said Monday, March 11. The governor said that move should not impact the planned collection of toll revenue on the interstate highway bridge between Oregon and Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) clear the toll program cannot be designed in a way that meets the needs expressed by our local partners while also meeting the needs of Oregonians statewide.” Brown said she looked forward to conversations about other fund- ing sources but added that while she didn’t believe tolling should be the only tool to solve challeng- es, “as a steward of our state’s transportation system, I believe it should be one of our tools.” Kotek said this move should not impact the planned collection of toll revenue on the interstate highway bridge between Oregon and Washington that’s set to be replaced as part of a multibil- lion-dollar project supported by federal funding. Legacy Medical Center Completes Campus Expansion Improving Existing Spaces for Patients, Visitors, and Staff Legacy Health announced the completion of the first phase of a $37 million expansion and im- provement project for Legacy Silverton Medical Center that will add 21,000 square feet to the existing hospital. The completion of phase I renovations will be marked by the opening of a newly expanded and modernized emer- gency department and a complete redesign of the hospital entrance and patient drop-off areas, among other improvements. The Legacy Silverton Medical Center emergency department will expand from twelve to twen- ty spacious, modernized patient rooms. Silverton Medical Center anticipates seeing patients begin- ning March 18 in the new larger emergency department, offering a state-of-the-art medical facil- ity for the City of Silverton and improving existing spaces for pa- tients, visitors, and staff. The new emergency depart- ment will offer a full range of Legacy Silverton Medical Center capabilities, from a trauma treat- ment bay to expanded rooms designed to care for trauma and cardiac patients. The emergency department will also provide pa- tient rooms with ample space to accommodate women's services. The new emergency department will include airborne isolation patient rooms and space opti- mized for natural light with win- dows that bring soothing views of nature. "Providing high-quality health care has been our top pri- ority at Legacy Silverton Med- ical Center for decades," said Joe Yoder, President of Lega- cy Silverton Medical Center. "The award-winning care our teams provide is why Legacy Silverton Medical Center con- sistently ranks among the top hospitals in Oregon for patient satisfaction. This construction project positions us well both now and into the future as we look to ensure patients in the mid-Willamette Valley can ac- cess world-class health care services close to home." Silverton Hospital and Lega- cy Health came together in 2016 with a shared vision and mission of improving access to health care services and a dedication to community health. Legacy Health pledged $58 million in 2016 to focus on three key areas: physician recruitment, equipment upgrades, and a new modernized medical facility. The completed renovations also include a brand-new hospital entrance with a covered drop-off/ pick-up zone that will shield pa- tients and their families from the weather as they enter the facility. A beautiful new reception lob- by includes registration stations, private admitting booths, a newly designed coffee shop, a gift shop, and a volunteer greeter station, cre- ating a tranquil setting for patients, visitors, and staff. The Silverton Family Birth Center will gain a new family waiting room, providing a calm- ing and comfortable place for expectant families awaiting their new arrival. A new helicopter landing pad will allow air ambulances to safe- ly land and transport critically ill patients and babies. Patients requiring access to higher-acuity hospitals, such as Legacy Eman- uel Medical Center or Randall Children's Hospital in Portland will be transported from a new helipad located directly across the street from Legacy Silverton Medical Center. Additionally, the expansion project includes a new "All Faiths Chapel" to welcome patients, families, and staff for moments of personal reflection and prayer. The expansion of Legacy Silverton Medical Center was made possible in part due to the generous support of corporate and individual community do- nors and the Silverton Health Foundation Board. Legacy is working on phase II plans to meet the long-term goal of continuing to serve the community and grow health care services in the area. Phase II will continue this important commitment to invest in the health needs of Silverton and the surrounding communities.
