Transportation problems and needed improvements are expected to cost the state of Oregon billions in the next 20 years. A new report is also estimating costs of nearly $2 billion a year in lost productivity due to the transportation problems.
"The Oregon Department of Transportation recently identified $9.3 billion in needed highway improvements, including $1 billion as state government's share of a new Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver, Wash."
"The 36 counties say they need an additional $433 million a year for their roads. It would cost $325 million to repair Portland's approximately 600-mile street maintenance backlog."
"The study is an expansion of one released last December that focused on the local area titled 'The Cost of Congestion to the Economy of the Portland Region.'"
"It found that without increased spending on transportation projects, congestion and related problems will cost the local economy $844 million a year by 2025, including lost worker productivity, higher transportation costs and lost business earnings."
FULL STORY: Traffic poses threat to jobs

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