Officials leading the effort to replace the aging Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver said Monday they likely will not release a new cost estimate for the massive infrastructure project until at least spring 2026.
The primary reason for the delay: the U.S. Coast Guard has not yet decided whether the future bridge should include a movable section to allow ships above a certain height to pass underneath — an addition that would likely boost the final price tag by more than $500 million, officials told a committee of lawmakers from Oregon and Washington overseeing the project.
Project officials have not released a new estimate since December 2022, when they said the project was expected to cost between $5 billion and $7.5 billion. Construction is expected to begin in mid to late 2026.
In the three years since that projection, rising costs for materials and labor have continued to drive up the cost of infrastructure projects nationwide, project officials said, suggesting that the new estimate could be significantly higher.
“We are watching those industry trends and trying to build them in, and we do recognize the importance of timely and transparent communication and are committed to keeping you informed as the work progresses,” said Carley Francis, interim project administrator.
While the design for the replacement bridge has not been finalized, it is expected to include three lanes in each direction, plus one or two auxiliary lanes and shoulders in both directions. The new bridge will also include a light rail track and designated space for cyclists and pedestrians.
The project also includes significant upgrades or redevelopment of intersections and traffic infrastructure in Portland, Hayden Island and Vancouver, plus the creation of a light rail station in Vancouver.
Project officials have pitched a fixed span bridge as the best design option, but moving forward with that option will require the approval of the Coast Guard. On Monday, project officials said they expect that decision to come early next year.
“I apologize that we will not have something for you in early January,” Francis said in response to a lawmaker pointing out that both Washington and Oregon lawmakers will separately convene early next year and address their own state transportation funding issues.
Project leaders have so far secured about $5.9 billion in expected funding for the project. That includes $217 million already allocated from Oregon and Washington, commitments of $1 billion from each state, $2.1 billion in federal grants and up to $1.6 billion in future tolling revenue. The team is also hoping to secure a $1 billion federal grant for the light rail extension. The project is unaffected by an Oregon law passed earlier this year that removed language authorizing tolling for certain projects.
Lawmakers from both states expressed frustration with the delay, with some saying they had expected to receive a new cost estimate Monday. On several previous occasions, project leaders have said they expected to release a new cost estimate by certain dates but did not follow through.
“I feel like this estimate is being punted down the road,” said Rep. Thuy Tran, a Democrat from Portland. “So I want a date and I want a report (laying out a specific timeline), or else I would say that your team is not doing its work, to be blunt.”
Project officials on Monday didn’t explicitly say whether they expected either state to approve more funding for the bridge replacement any time soon. They said they would have further details once the Coast Guard makes its decision.
