The bridge would link Washington to the neighbouring state of Oregon. The US$3.1bn to US$3.5bn project is now being shut down as neither Washington nor Oregon has the funds to continue work.
Oregon’s governor John Kitzhaber has issued a statement lamenting the failure of the transport package in the neighbouring state. “I am extremely disappointed that our legislative partners in the Washington State Senate failed to address the clear and present safety and economic need for this essential I-5 bridge,” he said.
He added that he had worked with three committed Washington governors on this project, which makes the demise of the Columbia River Crossing “even more disheartening”. Kitzhaber thanked thanked Washington’s current governor Jay Inslee for his “strong support and extraordinary effort to deliver Washington’s share of funding for the I-5 replacement bridge”. “The failure of the Senate to act does not eliminate the safety and economic risks to both our states, but without the funds from Washington and adherence to the project budget and schedule, neither state can incur the further costs of delay,” he said. “Consequently, project managers have begun to close down the project.”
Kitzhaber said that he and Inslee will continue to work together “but our options will be different without Washington state’s financial partnership”. “Without bi-state funding, I have asked ODOT [Oregon Department of Transportation] to review all of the work on the Oregon side of the project to determine if any stand-alone investments could be made to improve safety and reduce congestion on a smaller scale. That work will be subject for further legislative review.”
The replacement I-5 bridge was to be made from two two-level deck truss structures carrying a total of 10 traffic lanes on the upper decks. The lower decks would carry light rail and a pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.
