A new funding plan will deliver a substantial portion of the finances required to build the new Colombia River Crossing bridge carrying the I-5 route linking Oregon State and Washington State. A total of US$1 billion should be delivered for the project from Oregon State sources. This will match a similar sum expected from Washington State sources. A further $2.7 billion will be required from US Federal sources. Construction for the new crossing is expected to cost from $4.8-6.5 billion and should take 10 years, with work intended to commence at the end of 2025.
The existing twin bridge structure has to cope with an estimated 143,000 vehicles/day and is no longer able to cope with transport demand. One of the existing bridges dates back to 1917, with the second having been opened in 1958. Neither of the structures meets the latest safety requirements and there are concerns over their vulnerability to earthquakes, while maintenance costs for the ageing bridges continue to climb. A design for the new bridge has yet to be conceived and discussion continues as to whether it will feature dual decks and how many traffic lanes it will carry.
The deficiencies of the existing link are well understood and plans for their replacement have been in discussion between the authorities in Oregon State and Washington State for around 20 years. Replacing the link will improve transport for the two states and remove a bottleneck for I-5.
