Bumpy road? Bend eyes gas tax for street repairs

The city of Bend is working on a proposal for a 5 cents-per-gallon gas tax that would help fund improvements to the city’s battered roads

“For our roads to get fixed, I would pay five cents a gallon,” one driver said Tuesday.

“I would if I had to,” another driver said.

Gas prices change at the drop of a hat — up and down a lot in recent years — but the price of road repairs only goes up.

“If we kick this can down the road, it will cost us more next year and the following year by doing the same amount of work,” City Councilor Sally Russell said.

One nickel per gallon could raise a pretty penny. David Abbas of the Bend Public Works Department estimated it would bring in $2.5 million annually.

But would that be enough?

“There is still a shortfall there,” Abbas said.

For one lane mile of crack sealing, it costs $10,000 — and for an overlay it would cost $90,000.

“This is the third year I’ve sat in a meeting where staff has said, ‘You wait another year, it’s going to cost the city more,” Russell said.

The proposal is still in the discussion stages.

“Invest in our streets now so we don’t keep losing money by waiting,” Russell said.

The extra change at the pump could be a problem for some.

“They should the find the money somewhere. I think there is a lot of money being wasted,” one driver said.

Others suggest alternatives.

“I’d prefer to see studded tires gone, so we don’t have to be chasing these ruts in the road with five cents,” another man said.

As for studded tires, a tax or fee may be a possibility in conjunction with this proposal.

The gas tax would need voter approval, perhaps at the November ballot. Fifteen Oregon cities and two counties already have a local gas tax.

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