Oregon- Washington Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Awarded $600M
The replacement of the Interstate 5 bridge between Oregon and Washington received a significant boost in federal funding this week, with the U.S. Department of Transportation granting a substantial $600 million. This grant represents the largest injection of federal funds for a project whose costs have surged. The anticipated cost of the bridge has now escalated to $7.5 billion, surpassing previous estimates by nearly $3 billion.
The bridge planning team, comprising transportation officials from Oregon and Washington, has expressed their intention to pursue at least $2.5 billion in federal grants. Friday's announcment marks a significant step in reaching this target.
Both Oregon and Washington are expected to contribute $1 billion each, with tolling revenue expected to cover the majority of the remaining expenses. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, along with Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, hailed the funding as an economic victory for the region in a joint statement. “The I-5 bridge serves as a vital commerce link for the entire West Coast.” They noted that over 130,000 vehicles move over the bridge everyday and goods grown and produced locally are transported between Oregon and Washington.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said in a written statement. "This project will help advance our goal of reducing emissions through a modern, multimodal bridge and will provide an infusion of federal funds to our region that will support local jobs and broader workforce opportunities.”
Read full story on The Oregonian
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