The City of Bend is moving forward with Phase 2 of its Transportation Fee.
The fee is used to improve and upkeep roads, lanes, and sidewalks. Its revenue helps restore pavement, preserve street signs, and remove snow.
The city first collected the fee last year. A single unit home pays around $6 a month. That’s set to increase to around $10.50 with the new rates. Phase 2 will also see a change in how non-residential buildings are charged. Now, both building type and size will be taken into consideration. It is set to bring in around $10 million annually; Phase 1 currently brings in about $5 million.
David Abbas, the Director of the Transportation and Mobility Department in Bend, said the higher fee will help continue the road upkeep while also adding three more staff members.
“Phase 2 will definitely help with the maintenance of our roads and continue to work on improving our system and making it safer, filling in those infills and those gaps,” said Abbas.
If adopted, the higher rates will go into effect July 1.
The Bend City Council is holding a public hearing on Phase 2 of the transportation fee at its May 7 meeting.
