Washington & Oregon: Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program

One Bridge, Two States, Multi-National Commerce

Challenge: The vital crossing that connects Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, Wash. is known simply as the Interstate Bridge. But there is nothing simple about it. Located on Interstate 5, the only continuous north-south freeway between Canada and Mexico, the Interstate Bridge is part of a critical trade route for regional, national, and international commerce. Comprised of two crossings, the original span opened in 1917, and the second span opened in 1958. Both are built on wood piles in sandy soil, making them vulnerable to failure in the event of an earthquake, potentially beyond repair. The bridge lift that allows boats to pass under slows freight and travelers along I-5. Safety issues in the corridor, along with the over 143,000 vehicles crossing the bridge each weekday as of 2019, resulted in 10 hours of congestion during peak travel periods. And those choosing to use public transit are stuck in the same traffic.   

Solution: With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, the Oregon and Washington Departments of Transportation are teaming up on a massive project that will replace the aging Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River with a modern, seismically resilient, multimodal structure that provides improved mobility for people, goods and services. The new span will be built tall enough to reduce or eliminate the need for bridge lifts and it will have dedicated space for high-capacity transit. The new bridge will also provide safety shoulders and ramp-to-ramp connections to optimize traffic flow. A new, shared-use path will be up to 24-feet-wide and improve low-stress connectivity for people, walking, biking, or rolling across the bridge.   

What they’re saying: “This is a big moment for the Pacific Northwest and demonstrates the national significance of this effort…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.” – Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (Statesman Journal, 12/16/2023)