Interstate Bridge Talks
(AP) – The governors of Oregon and Washington will meet Monday in Vancouver to show their commitment to restarting the long-discussed project to replace the Interstate Bridge.
Govenors Kate Brown and Jay Inslee have both expressed interest in reviving the project to replace the drawbridge spanning the Columbia River on Interstate 5. Monday’s meeting will be the first joint appearance specifically geared toward what likely would be a multi-billion-dollar project.
The gubernatorial summit is the latest indication that momentum continues to build surrounding the bridge talks, which essentially stalled in 2013 after years of planning when Washington lawmakers declined to pay for the state’s share of the Columbia River Crossing project. Oregon walked away from the project the following year.
In a statement, Brown said the I-5 bridge is a major source of congestion and a seismic risk.