Proposed Street Maintenance Fee Increase
The City of Lake Oswego’s roadways total 181 miles with about 72% of these roadways being local neighborhood streets. Maintenance of neighborhood streets and availability of pedestrian facilities are important to our community as a whole. Whether you are walking, running, riding, or rolling, we want pathways, sidewalks, and roadways to be safe and accessible for all. To do so, the City Council is proposing to increase the Street Maintenance Fee to provide additional funding for pedestrian safety improvements.
Investing in Pedestrian Safety and Accessibility
The City aims to invest in more projects that provide everyone - whether they are on foot, on a bicycle, using a mobility aid, pushing a stroller, or accessing and riding transit - with safer and improved access to schools, neighborhoods, parks, business districts, and community spaces, like the Library and Adult Community Center. This includes investing in city streets, sidewalks, curb ramps, and pathways.
Increasing the Street Maintenance Fee for additional funding for pedestrian improvements will help ensure equitable outcomes for all roadway users.
News & Announcements
On November 4, 2003, the Lake Oswego City Council approved a Street Maintenance Fee (SMF) as a source of funding for the City’s street infrastructure investment. Since then, funds from the SMF have been used to conduct roadway infrastructure repairs, expand and maintain street beautification, build new sidewalks and pathways, install crosswalks and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, and street pavement preservation, such as repaving and slurry seal. The SMF is roughly 1/3 of the total revenue for the Street Fund.
In 2020, City Council set the goal of continuing to “focus on pavement quality and pathways.” In 2021, Council refined the goal to “increase funding for pedestrian facilities, beginning with safe routes to school.” In September 2021, Council directed staff to explore changes to the SMF or, alternatively, pursue a General Obligation Bond. In May 2022, Council agreed that increasing the SMF was the best option for creating an increased source of funding for pathway infrastructure improvements.
Since the Transportation System Plan was implemented in 2014, the City has completed or is in process of completing 12 pathway project locations. However, there are more than $94 million unfunded Pathways Projects in the current Capital Improvement Plan FY2021/22- 2026/27.
The City’s 2021 Community Survey, asked a question to help measure the community's support of an increase in funding for pedestrian safety facilities through an additional fee or bond. 60% of residents surveyed were 'very supportive' or 'somewhat supportive' of the increased funding.
Whether you are walking, running, riding, or rolling, roadways and pedestrian facilities need to be safe and accessible for all. The City aims to invest in more projects for our community to safely navigate city streets, sidewalks, and pathways.
Key Documents and Reports
Forms, Permits, and Applications