Bogdan Lendel says the region needs more crossing capacity and true redundancy

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

This is not a true long-term solution. It’s an extremely expensive remodel of the same I-5 corridor bottleneck.

Bogdan Lendel

The region does not just need a prettier I-5 Bridge. It needs more crossing capacity and true redundancy.

Spending $14-plus billion to rebuild the same choke point is not smart planning.

This proposal pours billions into one corridor while leaving the region stuck with only two Columbia crossings.

A rebuilt I-5 Bridge still keeps too much traffic dependent on the same I-5 corridor.

The core problem is not just the old bridge structure. The core problem is that the region lacks enough crossing options.

This project looks more like a giant corridor remodel than a true transportation fix.

If traffic, freight, and growth all keep increasing, rebuilding the same crossing alone is not enough.

The region should be adding a third crossing, not just rebuilding and widening the same one.

This proposal is far too expensive for something that still leaves the region trapped in the same two-bridge system.

A real solution would improve network flexibility. This project mostly doubles down on the same corridor.

If one bridge has a major incident, the region still remains dangerously dependent on only I-5 and I-205.

A $14 billion project should create major new capacity, not just repackage old problems in a newer structure.

This plan spends enormous money without fixing the lack of westside crossing options for Clark County.

A third crossing would actually change travel patterns. This project mainly rebuilds the existing pattern.

The proposal feels like overdesign in one place and underinvestment in the broader regional network.

It makes no sense to spend this much while still forcing most north-south travel through the same basic bottlenecks.

This is exactly how governments overspend: they take a real problem and turn it into a bloated mega-project instead of solving the actual system weakness.

Replacing an aging bridge is one thing. Turning it into a multi-billion-dollar corridor rebuild without adding true regional redundancy is another.

Bottom line: this proposal is an overpriced remodel of the same broken setup. The region needs a safer I-5 Bridge if necessary, but it also needs a third Columbia crossing and a smarter long-term plan — not just a gold-plated rebuild of the same corridor.

Bogdan Lendel
Clark County

---

Also read:

• 
  POLL: Should Washington voters repeal the state’s new income tax measure in November?
  Initiative 26-645 heads to the November ballot after 511,000+ signatures were certified by the Secretary of State.
• 
  Charter Review Commission 26-40: Amending the Initiative, Mini-Initiative and Referenda Process
  Amendment 26-40 would lower the initiative signature requirement from 10% to 8% in Clark County.
• Opinion: Idaho and Montana are winning the competition for America’s families
  Idaho gained roughly 12,500 net new residents in 2024, with Washington as its single largest source of newcomers.
• 
  It’s official: WA voters will get to weigh in on new income tax
  Initiative 645 was certified after 509,365 signatures were submitted and more than 80% validated.
• 
  Opinion: UI fund has a government-made leak harming workers and their employers
  138 striking workers have collected 642 weeks of UI benefits totaling nearly $506,000 under Washington’s new law.