The Oregon Legislature should reject this allocation, and shut down planning altogether on the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project
John A. Charles Jr.
Cascade Policy Institute
Over the next four weeks, the Oregon legislature will decide whether to make a down payment of $1 billion to replace the I-5 Interstate Bridge connecting Portland with Vancouver. The total cost of the bridge is unknown, but is estimated to be around $6 billion.
The legislature should reject this allocation, and shut down planning altogether on the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project (IBRP).
The number one concern for the public when it comes to highway planning is traffic congestion, and there is no way a single replacement bridge on I-5 could ever reduce congestion. The entire I-5 corridor from Wilsonville to Vancouver is over-subscribed for about 12 hours per day, and this will only get worse as the region grows.
The Interstate Bridge should be left alone for now, and ODOT should be directed to start planning for two new bridges – one upstream from the Glenn Jackson I-205 Bridge, and one downstream from the I-5 Interstate Bridge. The new crossings would eliminate most congestion on the existing bridges, while providing essential redundancy in the event of a catastrophic earthquake.
We especially need a new Columbia River bridge with a direct connection to Highway 26 near Hillsboro. Not only would this reduce the total amount of driving for thousands of Westside motorists – who now have to drive to Portland just to get to Vancouver – it would provide much-needed congestion relief at three current bottlenecks: the Sylvan hills tunnels on Highway 26, the Fremont Bridge, and I-5 in North Portland.
Planners and their political allies seem to be missing a central truth about river-based cities: they need lots of bridge crossings. In downtown Portland, we have two interstate highway bridges over the Willamette River, plus many local crossings including the Burnside, Steel, Morrison and Hawthorne bridges.
Each crossing serves a market and is necessary for the proper functioning of the city. If we applied ODOT’s logic for the IBRP, we’d tear down all the local Willamette River bridges and just keep the Marquam and Fremont Bridges.
Of course, we’re not going to do that because it would be insane. But it’s considered brilliant planning for the Columbia River.
Planning for a new Interstate Bridge began in 1997, and 25 years later we have nothing to show for it. Legislators should chart a new course by withholding the requested $1 billion, and ordering ODOT to start planning for new bridges and highways outside the I-5 corridor.
John A. Charles, Jr. is president and CEO of Cascade Policy Institute, a nonprofit policy research organization based in Portland. A version of this article was published by the Portland Tribune on May 17, 2023.
Also read:
- POLL: After hearing state leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as vulnerable in an earthquake, what is your reaction?
State and local leaders describe the I-5 Bridge as structurally at risk but recommend drivers continue crossing it while complex replacement plans unfold. - WA and OR scale back I-5 Bridge ambitions as cost balloons
A $14.4 billion price tag prompts Washington and Oregon leaders to delay portions of the I-5 bridge project and prioritize just the main spans. - Letter: ‘Now we have Engineer Bob telling us the I-5 Bridge needs replacing because it is built on shifting sand with wooden structures’
Amboy resident Thomas Schenk critiques Democrat leadership, tax policies, and the addition of light rail to the I-5 Bridge, while urging Republican voters to participate more in midterm elections. - The I-5 Bridge is vulnerable to collapse, but apparently not that vulnerable
State leaders and Vancouver’s mayor warn about bridge safety, but insist it’s safe enough for daily use as they focus on moving forward with a costly replacement including light rail—despite decades of public resistance. - Opinion: ‘This is not the best and most efficient use of the taxpayers’ funds’
Ken Vance critiques the announced $14.4 billion I-5 Bridge replacement, questioning funding gaps, the insistence on light rail, unaddressed congestion, and transparency from state officials.
