The Oregon Capitol building in Salem. Photo: Chas Hundley SALEM – House Bill 4066, a prospective law that passed on a 7-2 vote that would allow the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) to provide electric companies with the ability to recover costs for electric vehicle investments from ratepayers, passed the[Read More…]
TRANSPORTATION
Gas taxes will rise January 1
Gas prices in Forest Grove. File photo: Chas Hundley SALEM – Oregon’s gas tax is about to increase again under legislation passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2017. Prices will rise 2 cents on January 1, 2020. The last increase of 4 cents came in 2018, and two cents will[Read More…]
Vehicle registration fees going up in 2020
A vehicle drives near Gales Creek on Highway 6. Photo: Brenda Schaffer SALEM – Starting January 1, 2020, some fees to register a new vehicle, title a vehicle and purchase a trip permit will increase. According to an Oregon Department of Transportation press release, the fee increases were passed by[Read More…]
Current Highway Division admin. chosen to lead Oregon Department of Transportation
Kris Strickler, current Oregon Highway Division administrator (right). Photo: ODOT SALEM – After a six month search, the Oregon Transportation Commission offered the position of Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director to Kris Strickler, ODOT’s current Highway Division Administrator at their Tuesday, September 10 meeting. Pending contract negotiations and Oregon[Read More…]
Oregon Department of Transportation names Paul Mather to Interim Deputy Director
Photo: ODOT SALEM – The Oregon Transportation Commission named retired Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Highway Division Administrator Paul Mather as ODOT Interim Deputy Director at a special meeting of the Commission in Salem. His tenure began Monday, July 1. The Oregon Transportation Commission is the governing board of the[Read More…]
In Oregon, gas prices rise – and will likely climb higher
Prices at the Forest Grove Chevron sit at $3.33. Photo: Chas Hundley BANKS – Gas prices in the 97116 and 97117 area codes are just three cents higher than the Oregon state average, according to AAA Oregon-Idaho, which sounds like good news, but the price of gas also rose during[Read More…]