Oregon Public Broadcasting

Auditors can't tell if all the money the Portland metro area spent on transportation over five years, relieved congestion or increased it. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The study looked at how money was spent between 2004 and 2008.

And it found that tracking processes were set up to comply with government rules -- rather than to make sure the area was cutting congestion, increasing transit ridership and reducing vehicle miles travelled.

Metro auditor, Suzanne Flynn, says all the facts and figures from all the various cities in the area didn't mesh.

Suzanne Flynn: "To do it all at once just would have tied up resources in my office too long."

She says another, more focused audit is what's needed to see if the area is doing the right thing for its transportation infrastructure.

She's scheduled to brief Metro council on the audit next week.