The Interstate 5 bridge connecting Oregon and Washington recently recieved a $600 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to supplement plans to rebuild the structure that sees more than 130,000 vehicles daily.
The grant is the largest infusion of federal funding so far. The bridge is now expected to cost as much as $7.5 billion, nearly $3 billion more than previous estimates, according to the Oregonian.
“The I-5 bridge serves as a vital commerce link for the entire West Coast,” said senators Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, in a statement.
“By upgrading and adding lane capacity, we are enabling more regional economic growth and better day-to-day travel experiences for commuters,” said Murray, Cantwell, and Perez.
“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,” said Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement.
Previous efforts to rebuild the bridge have failed since 2014, mostly over disputes over details like the height of the bridge and how large it should be.
Recently, the U.S. Coast Guard, which must sign off on the bridge plan, has said it will not approve a bridge unless it has 178 feet of clearance to accommodate vessels navigating the river and ferrying products manufactured by local companies.
------------------------------------
Source: The Oregonian
