Transportation systems need more than good pavement on arterial and collector streets. Pavement needs to be preserved on local streets too. Bicyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities need to be able to use streets safely, and all street systems need to plan for carrying more traffic as communities grow. Albany and most other Oregon communities have struggled to meet these needs for decades and have used alternative methods to support their transportation systems including local fuel taxes, general obligation (property tax) bonds, and transportation utilities. The Albany City Council considered all of these options and others in March 2017. Attachment C to the March 20, 2017 Council memo provides a discussion of each:
- General fund
- Franchise fees
- In-lieu-of franchise fees
- Stormwater service charges
- Fuel tax
- Transportation utility
- General Obligation bonds
- Local improvement district (LID)
A combination of options may be needed to generate enough revenue to make meaningful improvements to Albany's streets.
Visit Past Presentations and Public Meetings to see the March 20, 2017 memo, attachment, presentation, and meeting minutes where the City Council first discussed funding alternatives. Further discussions regarding funding alternatives occurred on May 8, November 8, and November 29, 2017.
