Latest news with #InterstateBridgeReplacementProgram
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
I-5 bridge replacement program unveils plan to minimize impact on historic sites
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program is asking for help in ensuring the project reduces its impact on historic sites in the Portland and Vancouver areas. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requires agencies to assess whether federally-funded projects could harm cultural resources and, if so, determine how to minimize that harm. As a result, the team behind ongoing efforts to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge is on its Draft Programmatic Agreement. Residents appeal Oaks Amusement Park's plan to install 135-foot Drop Tower ride The proposed agreement reveals how leaders would address the program's potential 'adverse effects' to historic places, such as physical damage, removal from their original location or alterations to the features that make the sites historic. IBRP has identified more than 10 places that could face adverse effects of construction. According to the program's , the Harbor Shops along 11915 N Center Ave. and Jantzen Beach Water Tank at N Center St and N Jantzen Ave. are the two Portland sites that could be completely demolished under the program. In Washington, around one-third of an acre of the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and nearly one-quarter of an acre of the Vancouver Barracks Historic District would be demolished. Program leaders have selected different 'treatment measures' for the identified areas, but some — like the Northbound lanes of the I-5 bridge — will have their historic materials salvaged for future use. 'Preference will be given first to the public ownership and reuse of these materials within public spaces or structures in or adjacent to the [Area of Potential Effect] and second, to public ownership and reuse of these materials within public spaces or structures outside the APE,' the drafted Programmatic Agreement reads. Portland Fleet Week to bring extended bridge lifts next week The program will also consider offering materials to the general public if public agencies don't express interest in using them. Community members have until June 8 to weigh in on the PA proposal. They can submit their feedback through the online form or by emailing culturalresources@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tolling delay on I-5 bridge could mean higher rates for Washington and Oregon drivers.
More than 131,000 drivers crossed the Interstate Bridge between Portland and Vancouver each day in 2021 compared to 33,000 in 1961. (Grant Stringer/States Newsroom) Tolling on the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River will start a year later than planned – but drivers traveling between Washington and Oregon may pay a little more than originally forecast as a result. Tolling in both directions on the existing bridge will be one of the first things the public experiences once construction of a replacement bridge gets underway. It is also a critical source of funding to help cover the cost of the project, which could range from $5 billion to $7.5 billion. For months,it's been projected that toll collections would begin on the existing bridge early next year when construction of the replacement bridge was expected to start. Project managers now say tolling won't start before the summer of 2027, likely after the megaproject is underway. On Friday, a panel of transportation commissioners from each state pondered how best to avoid losing out on a year's worth of revenue. The Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee recommended sticking to the initial toll rate shared with the public over months of meetings, but the committee said rates should increase enough in the second and third years to make up for the year delay. Each state's transportation commission must approve the recommendation. If that happens, work will begin to detail how much revenue can be generated from different toll rates. Several possible rate scenarios are under review. These have one-way rates ranging from $1.55 to $4.70 with higher prices during peak travel times. It is assumed rates will rise on a yearly or biannual basis. In separate meetings this month, the Washington State Transportation Commission and Oregon Transportation Commission learned about the different options for making up for the year's loss of collections. On Tuesday, Washington commissioner Debbie Young said that in the first year it was important to let the public know they would 'keep the toll rate that we said we would.' She supported increasing it more in the ensuing years to catch up. Other commissioners agreed with the approach – as long as the target for toll receipts is met. 'We want to finish this with a bridge,' Commissioner Nicole Grant said. Delayed toll collections are a byproduct of slower-than-planned progress on other parts of the project. The final analysis of the project's environmental impacts won't be done until the end of the year. Officials with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program said in a statement that they expect to get a key federal approval known as an amended record of decision in early 2026. It is needed before construction-related contracts can be issued. 'Our federal agency partners have provided us with our current schedule,' the statement reads, adding construction is expected to begin sometime in 2026. Based on that schedule, planners now anticipate cars would begin driving across a new bridge in 2032 or 2033 and construction would last at least 10 to 15 years through the five-mile corridor on either side of the bridge. Meanwhile, Washington state lawmakers passed legislation allowing for a huge increase in the amount of toll revenues assumed for the multi-year project. House Bill 1958, which awaits action by Gov. Bob Ferguson, would authorize the state to sell up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds, $900 million more than assumed when the bill was first introduced in February. With significant cost increases on major highway and bridge projects in recent years, backers have said it made sense to recalibrate but doing so doesn't mean the state will necessarily seek higher bonding capacity. Bonds, a long-assumed source of financing for the new span, would pay for design and construction, as well as future maintenance and operation. The borrowed money would be repaid with toll proceeds, gas taxes and vehicle fees. Because the bonds would be backed by 'the full faith and credit of the state,' the general fund could be tapped as a last-resort source of repayment. Because Washington will be administering the tolling program, it is the one that needs to issue the bonds.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tolling delay on I-5 bridge could mean higher rates for Oregon, Washington drivers
Tens of thousands of people use the Interstate 5 Bridge every day. (Photo courtesy of Interstate Bridge Replacement Program) Tolling on the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River will start a year later than planned — but drivers traveling between Washington and Oregon may pay a little more than originally forecast as a result. Tolling in both directions on the existing bridge will be one of the first things the public experiences once construction of a replacement bridge gets underway. It is also a critical source of funding to help cover the cost of the project, which could range from $5 billion to $7.5 billion. For months,it's been projected that toll collections would begin on the existing bridge early next year when construction of the replacement bridge was expected to start. Project managers now say tolling won't start before the summer of 2027, likely after the megaproject is underway. On Friday, a panel of transportation commissioners from each state pondered how best to avoid losing out on a year's worth of revenue. The Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee recommended sticking to the initial toll rate shared with the public over months of meetings, but the committee said rates should increase enough in the second and third years to make up for the year delay. Each state's transportation commission must approve the recommendation. If that happens, work will begin to detail how much revenue can be generated from different toll rates. Several possible rate scenarios are under review. These have one-way rates ranging from $1.55 to $4.70 with higher prices during peak travel times. It is assumed rates will rise on a yearly or biannual basis. In separate meetings this month, the Washington State Transportation Commission and Oregon Transportation Commission learned about the different options for making up for the year's loss of collections. On Tuesday, Washington commissioner Debbie Young said that in the first year it was important to let the public know they would 'keep the toll rate that we said we would.' She supported increasing it more in the ensuing years to catch up. Other commissioners agreed with the approach – as long as the target for toll receipts is met. 'We want to finish this with a bridge,' Commissioner Nicole Grant said. Delayed toll collections are a byproduct of slower-than-planned progress on other parts of the project. The final analysis of the project's environmental impacts won't be done until the end of the year. Officials with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program said in a statement that they expect to get a key federal approval known as an amended record of decision in early 2026. It is needed before construction-related contracts can be issued. 'Our federal agency partners have provided us with our current schedule,' the statement reads, adding construction is expected to begin sometime in 2026. Based on that schedule, planners now anticipate cars would begin driving across a new bridge in 2032 or 2033 and construction would last at least 10 to 15 years through the five-mile corridor on either side of the bridge. Meanwhile, Washington state lawmakers passed legislation allowing for a huge increase in the amount of toll revenues assumed for the multi-year project. House Bill 1958, which awaits action by Gov. Bob Ferguson, would authorize the state to sell up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds, $900 million more than assumed when the bill was first introduced in February. With significant cost increases on major highway and bridge projects in recent years, backers have said it made sense to recalibrate but doing so doesn't mean the state will necessarily seek higher bonding capacity. Bonds, a long-assumed source of financing for the new span, would pay for design and construction, as well as future maintenance and operation. The borrowed money would be repaid with toll proceeds, gas taxes and vehicle fees. Because the bonds would be backed by 'the full faith and credit of the state,' the general fund could be tapped as a last-resort source of repayment. Because Washington will be administering the tolling program, it is the one that needs to issue the bonds. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ODOT intends to buy portion of Hayden Island to offset impacts of I-5 bridge replacement
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The group behind the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program is awaiting feedback on their proposed purchase of a portion of Hayden Island. The Oregon Department of State Lands began on the potential sale of 65 acres of the property on Wednesday. The Oregon Department of Transportation wants to purchase the land, located on the south shore of the west side of the island, to fulfill the City of Portland's requirements for 'anticipated compensatory mitigation.' Ritz-Carlton building in downtown Portland in trouble? Lender may foreclose, documents state ODOT aims to modernize the Interstate 5 bridge connecting Portland to Vancouver over the Columbia River. According to the agency and Washington's transportation regulators, the bridge's current foundation makes it vulnerable to earthquakes. Program leaders have also cited congestion and narrow paths for pedestrians and cyclists, for the 108-year-old structure. Although the portion of Hayden Island that officials hope to buy is not located within the City of Portland, it sits within the city's urban growth boundary and could be affected by changes made under the bridge replacement project. The state lands board approved the due diligence period for the potential sale of the property during a . At that meeting, ODSL Deputy Director of Land Management Chris Castelli said transportation officials would be expected to maintain the natural state of the parcel 'in perpetuity.' Chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall to visit Oregon as part of lecture series Bill Warncke, deputy environmental manager for ODOT and the replacement project, explained that the sale would result in the removal of dredged soils from that portion of Hayden Island to prevent flooding. 'While we're doing that, our intent is to improve habitat for listed salmonids and other aquatic species in North Portland…' Warncke said. 'If you approve the sale, we'll buy the land, put a conservation easement on it and that conservation easement will allow further restoration and enhancement on that site.' DSL will accept comments on the proposed purchase through Saturday, Apr. 19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
