An amendment pushed by U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., to effectively block Oregon from putting tolls on Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 passed the House Wednesday, causing unease among state lawmakers who worked to establish such tolls.

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash.

Putting rush-hour tolls on I-5 and I-205 from the Washington border to where the freeways intersect, south of Portland, was a major tenet of the $5.3 billion transportation plan state lawmakers passed this year.

The bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown last month, instructs state officials to ask the federal government to establish the tolls. Toll revenue would be used to pay for freeway expansions and upgrades to I-5 and I-205.

But Herrera Beutler's amendment says the U.S. Department of Transportation can't use any of its resources to "enter into an agreement for the establishment or collection of tolls on Interstate Route 5 or Interstate Route 205 in the State of Oregon or Washington."

'UNWILLING PIGGY BANK'

The congresswoman said she pushed for the amendment after constituents in her district, which includes Southwest Washington, complained that Oregon may force them to pay tolls to use the bridges and freeways connecting the two states.

"Residents of Southwest Washington have been voicing their strong concern to me that Oregon will be forcing them to pay tolls for infrastructure they don't use and that there's nothing they can do about it," Herrera Beutler said in a statement.

"They're concerned that Oregon will make them an unwilling piggy bank," she said, adding that she isn't against tolling "as long as it's used to construct or repair something that benefits those who pay."

Joe Cortright, a Portland economist involved in a campaign to implement tolls on I-5 before expanding the freeway, said congestion-based pricing would help alleviate Southwest Washington residents' complaints about traffic in Portland, and that they need only look to tolled corridors in the Seattle area for proof.

"I think it's a bit rich that Herrera Beutler claims that Washington residents would be forced to pay for infrastructure they don't use," Cortright said. "The whole point of congestion pricing is to charge the users of individual roadway segments based on when, where and how much they use the roadway."

Asked if she stands by her statement that Washingtonians "don't use" Oregon sections of I-5 and I-205, Herrera Beutler said, "Every Washington resident who works in the greater Portland area uses the I-5 and I-205 bridges, but they certainly don't all use the Abernethy Bridge. Oregon's transportation bill specifically states that's where the tolling revenue will go, along with the southern stretch of I-205 -- that's 15 miles south of the border.

"It's politically expedient for Oregon politicians to make Washington residents pay for infrastructure many don't use, but it's not fair," she said.

ROAD FUNDING IN DOUBT

The bill containing Herrera Beutler's amendment is now in the U.S. Senate. Washington's senators -- Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell -- and Oregon's -- Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley -- have not signaled if they will oppose the bill.

If the amendment becomes law, the success of the tax-raising transportation bill Oregon lawmakers spent considerable time and political capital on to pass may be thrown into question. That legislation was the signature achievement of state lawmakers this year, and Brown spent days touring the state to tout its success and hold ceremonial signings of the bill.

Oregon lawmakers carefully crafted the transportation plan to raise taxes to pay for a slew of upgrades while keeping tax-averse interest groups at bay. A deal was struck to keep taxes low enough that groups subject to the bill's taxes would keep from seeking to overturn it at the ballot.

But by making those compromises, lawmakers left the state without enough money to pay for all essential road and bridge upgrades, said Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, a co-author of the bill. Without tolling, the carefully-balanced funding plan goes awry.

"If we don't have tolling we will not have the money to replace these essential structures," he said.

Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Eugene, another of the co-authors, agreed, saying Herrera Beutler's plan would "put us in a position where we can't improve anything" on I-5 and I-205.

Both questioned whether Herrera Beutler had a different plan for funding regional infrastructure upgrades.

"We said please open the door to negotiation. What she's done is slam it shut. She needs to be asked: Where's the money?" Bentz said.

"Maybe she has some funding in her back pocket she hasn't told us about," he said. "We've heard a lot about an infrastructure package. Maybe there's a big pile of money on its way to Oregon, but I haven't heard of it."

Asked about how she would pay for infrastructure upgrades, Herrera Beutler said in her statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive: "Oregon can pay for its infrastructure upgrades however it wants, as long as it's not disproportionately with Southwest Washington wallets."

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman

Elliot Njus contributed reporting.