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Finance 101: Transportation Utility Fee (TUF)

by Robby Hammond, Hillsboro City Manager

Post Date:08/30/2023

Robby Hammond headshot Can you remember hitting a big pothole in Hillsboro? Hopefully not.

Potholes are rare on streets maintained by the City of Hillsboro. That’s because every Hillsboro property owner pays the TUF, or Transportation Utility Fee, on their utility bill.

As gas taxes diminish with more environmentally conscious commuting, TUF funding helps proactively maintain one of the most visible aspects of our community’s commitment to outstanding infrastructure: our transportation network.

TUF spreads the financial responsibility for that network among all who benefit from it. Everyone directly contributes to the quality of our City’s infrastructure, including residents, businesses, and nonprofits.

Investing in Quality Roadways

With 95.5% of Hillsboro roads rated good or better condition — up 8% since TUF launched in 2007 — Hillsboro has one of the best pavement condition index (PCI) ratings in the region.

Safer, smoother roads means fewer auto repairs for you to pay out of your pocket — and enhanced quality of life for all Hillsboro residents.

TUF is why we have great roads in Hillsboro (with more than 254 road miles maintained by the City of Hillsboro each year) — though not every road is City-maintained. Our partners at Washington County and ODOT take care of major arterials and highways.

Street paving

Ensuring Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety

Hillsboro residents rely on safe, accessible sidewalks and bike lanes for getting around, commuting to work, and getting to school.

TUF covers ADA ramp upgrades for residential areas, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements such as sidewalks, cycle tracks, and bike lanes.

Many TUF-funded projects help students and families, including improvements along SE Cedar Street leading to Brookwood Elementary School, and NE Jackson School Road improvements leading to Jackson Elementary School.

Street sign

Other TUF-funded projects include SE Golden Road between Brookwood and Imlay; SE 18^th Avenue from Maple to Oak; and NE 37^th Avenue between Main Street and Brogden.

If ever you see a road issue, let our Public Works Department know at 503-615-6509 or online at Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/PublicWorks.

We want to keep our transportation network maintained so we can continue to keep our costs as low as possible in the future.

Well maintained roads and sidewalks cost less in the long run.