The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project has its own legacy that began with the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project which took place from 2005-2013. The CRC was attempting to do the same thing that the IBR project is currently trying to do, replace the I-5 bridge over the Columbia. The CRC team proposed a tall bridge alternative to replace the existing bridge. A tall bridge is a bridge with no lift span, meaning all ships can ideally fit under the bridge without any piece of the bridge moving. The CRC project ended up failing after a “blue ribbon panel” made up of experts, i.e. engineers, planners, financiers and designers, handpicked by the Oregon and Washington State Departments of Transportation (ODOT and WSDOT) issued a report stating that the DOTs had selected an untested bridge type, created a inaccurate finance and tolling plan, ignored or misled agencies like the Coast Guard, and made other errors large and small. It was due to this report and the behavior of the DOTs that the CRC was killed by Washington legislators.
The IBR project team is attempting to push through the same tall bridge type with an unknown cost and no funding plan. The IBR partners - which include Portland Metro and The City of Portland - will be holding endorsement votes on the tall bridge alternative on July 14th and 13th respectively. The endorsement votes are notably happening before an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is started and before the real cost of the bridge is known. This is a backwards approach that assumes the tall bridge is the best option, when the IBR project team has not considered any other alternatives for a decade.
Tell Metro and City of Portland that we need another bridge alternative!
The current tall bridge design includes a 5-mile highway expansion which will increase pollution in the surrounding areas. Oregon and Portland both have goals to decrease their emissions of Greenhouse Gases and transition to cleaner energy sources. If this bridge is built with the highway expansion there is no way either state will reach their climate goals. In fact it is more likely that we will be moving away from them. Moreover, the real impacts of pollution on people’s health will only increase with more fossil fuel infrastructure. It is imperative that we know the environmental impact before deciding on a bridge alternative.
The US Coast Guard, which has absolute authority to stop any bridge design from being built if it does not meet their navigational needs. In late June, the Coast Guard issued a report stating the high bridge would have to be at least 178 ft tall, 62 ft taller than the current design. A 178 ft tall bridge would be a monolithic monstrosity and incredibly expensive to build. A low bridge with a lift span or an immersed tube tunnel would be much more reasonable and accommodating to the Coast Guards navigational needs. If the Coast Guard disapproves of the tall bridge design after it has been chosen as the LPA and gone through the EIS process, the project team and local governments will have to start the design process from the beginning. This risk demands that the IBR project team analyze a phaseable lift bridge or tunnel alternative in the EIS.
The Just Crossing Alliance is asking Metro and Portland counselors to vote no or vote to delay the endorsement, until the IBR project team puts the tall bridge and at least one other bridge alternative through an Environmental Impact Statement, and conducts an Investment Grade Analysis - which will detail the cost and funding plan for the project.
Our region needs a bridge project that is equitable, just, environmentally and fiscally responsible. The IBR project team is failing to provide us with that.
Please join us and tell your representatives that we cannot go any further in this project until the project team commits to analyzing a phaseable lift bridge or tunnel alternative in the EIS.
Tell Metro and City of Portland that we need another bridge alternative!