Lars Larson shares his concerns about the elusive cost estimate of the I-5 Bridge replacement project
Lars Larson
The Northwest Nonsense
Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
Economist Joe Cortright delivered that warning to the Portland City Council about the single biggest public works project in the Pacific Northwest.
Cortright points out that the man leading the soon-to-fail Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project is hiding new cost estimates that seem likely to push the project past $10 billion.
Oregon and Washington plan to start the bridge project next year
They have absolutely no idea how they’re going to pay for it.
Greg Johnson, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program czar, promised a cost estimate a year ago in June, then promised summer of this year.
Now he says it may come late this year or even next year.
Why hold it back? Cortright points out ODOT has a bad history of cost overruns. Abernathy Bridge, still not finished and not paid for, ballooned from $200 million to $800 million. Hood River Bridge replacement more than doubled.
Now, ODOT claims it’s broke and needs a taxpayer bailout.
The last estimate on the Interstate Bridge replacement project came in at $7.5 billion 20 months ago.
No wonder Greg Johnson is hiding the ball.
When the bridge project dies, so does his quarter million dollar salary for leading it to failure.
Also read:
- Opinion: IBR promotes ‘giving away’ historic interstate bridges while withholding cost estimate for replacement
Neighbors for a Better Crossing argues the IBR program is promoting demolition of the historic Interstate Bridges without releasing updated cost estimates or current seismic data to justify replacement. - Opinion: Bikes in crosswalks
Doug Dahl explains how Washington law treats bicycles as both vehicles and pedestrians, depending on where and how they are being ridden. - Opinion: The unpreferred and unaffordable Interstate Bridge replacement proposal
Rep. John Ley argues that the Interstate Bridge Replacement proposal is unpreferred, unaffordable, and failing to address congestion, cost transparency, and community concerns. - Opinion: IBR still holding and lying about coming billions in cost overruns
Joe Cortright argues that Interstate Bridge Replacement officials are deliberately delaying the release of an updated cost estimate that he says could push the project toward $10 billion. - Letter: A call for competent Interstate Bridge project management
Rick Vermeers argues that unchecked scope, rising costs, and missed timelines threaten the survival of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project unless light rail is removed.
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