At a public meeting on March 5, 2024, bridge planners released new illustrations of the potential Interstate 5 Bridge replacement. Three configurations will be part of the planners' application for federal approval. How federal transportation officials respond to that application will affect the bridge's final design.
Courtesy of Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
Interstate 5 bridge planners on Tuesday released several illustrations of how they believe a new — and much larger — span could look.
The images visualize a new bridge looming higher than the current structure, over the banks of the Columbia River and over Hayden Island. Greg Johnson, head of the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, acknowledged in a meeting the bridge is noticeably larger than its predecessor, parts of which are older than a century.
“This is going to be a larger bridge than currently exists,” Johnson said. “We know that.”
Johnson made the comments while meeting with representatives from Oregon and Washington who helped steer the major infrastructure overhaul.
The designs are far from final. The release comes as the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program — a team jointly funded by Oregon and Washington — works toward submitting an application to federal transportation officials ahead of planned construction.
Johnson said the renderings show only “design options being considered.”
“This is just to give perspective on the size of the bridge, as related to if you’re standing on the ground on Hayden Island or on the waterfront in Vancouver,” Johnson said.
In addition to the vehicle portion of the bridge, Tuesday’s renderings also show an improved bike and pedestrian path to cross the Columbia River, as well as the telltale overhead power lines for light rail.
“This will carry a modern, active transportation system,” Johnson said. “This will carry light rail.”
Traffic travels on the Interstate 5 bridge that spans the Columbia River and connects Portland, Ore., with southwest Washington state on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, as seen from near the Washington state entrance to the bridge.
Jenny Kane / AP
Johnson focused primarily on the bridge’s scale. For example, it is shown clearing well over Hayden Island’s Center Avenue. In contrast, the current bridge touches down on the island’s northern bank before it cuts completely across and over the river slough.
That height will create some challenges for on- and off-ramps, and the scope of the multibillion-dollar project includes rebuilding several nearby interchanges in Portland and Vancouver.
“This will be a bigger bridge, and this will have impacts on Hayden Island, but we also think there will be very positive impacts,” Johnson said. He offered that the new bridge would make the island “more walkable” because it would no longer be bisected by I-5.
It’s not clear when exactly planners will submit their application to federal officials. However, the planning commission said it intends to hand over the plans to the federal government this spring.
According to the images, planners have three primary bridge styles in mind: a single-level bridge, a double-decker bridge, and a bridge with a moveable span to allow tall ships to pass underneath, along the river.
The bridge’s height has been a significant sticking point for its design. The U.S. Coast Guard has asked planners to ensure the replacement bridge is at least 116 feet tall to accommodate the ships or come to agreements with the companies that need that clearance — mainly, heavy manufacturers that are headquartered near the river.
The bridge’s final design is also likely to influence the price tag of the project, which planners have so far estimated to be around $6 billion or more.
This article may be updated.