Oregon governor pushes for I-5 bridge replacement

The I-5 bridge project would replace the existing spans with a 10- to 12-lane bridge and improve five miles of freeway interchanges. A council of local, regional and state leaders that oversees the project gets ready to meet Friday in Portland to decide what comes next.

The Associated Press

12/3/2009

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is urging regional leaders to press on with a multibillion-dollar project to replace the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River.

He called the bridge "our economic lifeblood" on Wednesday as he took a tugboat ride beneath the aging structure.

The project would replace the existing spans with a 10- to 12-lane bridge and improve five miles of freeway interchanges. Kulongoski's push comes as a council of local, regional and state leaders that oversees the project gets ready to meet Friday in Portland to decide what comes next.

"That's why I'm here," Kulongoski said. "Because I want the Sponsor Council to make a decision on Friday. Let's move on. It's time."

Project engineers recently came up with a way to trim the expense of the bridge and other facilities by millions of dollars, bringing the total estimated cost down to a range of $2.6 billion to $3.6 billion.

Significant savings could come from new engineering studies showing that the replacement bridge will require fewer pilings bored into the bedrock below the river bed.

Instead of 13 piers with 14, 8-foot pilings supporting the two-level bridge, only 7 piers with 9 pilings apiece will be needed, said Don Wagner, southwest region director for the Washington Department of Transportation.

The rest of the savings would come from reducing the number of lanes from 12 to 10 and other trims.

The key West Coast corridor is frequently jammed with rush hour traffic between Portland and Vancouver, Wash.

Congestion isn't the only issue. The two existing spans, built in 1917 and 1958, are anchored atop bridge pilings sunk into river sediment, labeled as "soft and liquifiable soil" on a placard displayed by Wagner. The new span will minimize earthquake hazards with pilings drilled 80 to 230 feet into bedrock.

And then there's maintenance. The Oregon Department of Transportation spends $1.1 million a year for a full-time staff of 11 people to maintain the multiple moving parts in the existing two drawbridge spans.

Bridge supervisor Marc Gross says about $20 million in structural, mechanical and electrical repairs are needed as well.

Planners envision a three-way collaboration among the federal government, Oregon and Washington, and local funding through bridge tolls. Officials are hoping construction could begin in 2012 although fundamental questions remain about funding and size.

Some environmental groups have called for a complete rethinking of the bridge project to prioritize environmental concerns such as reducing pollution from auto traffic.

Kevin Jones of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at kevinj@thetrucker.com.

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