Oregon’s I-5 Bridge Replacement Moves Forward with Coast Guard Approval

AASHTO Journal, 4 October 2013

Last week, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced it was one step closer to constructing a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River after the U.S. Coast Guard granted the project a general bridge permit.

The Coast Guard approved construction of a new 116-foot I-5 bridge and the removal of the existing structure. The project, known on a larger scale as the Columbia River Crossing, will carry I-5 traffic, light rail, pedestrians, and bicycles over the Columbia River. The crossing will be comprised of two bridge structures to carry five vehicle lanes in each direction (three through lanes, and two merging and diverging traffic lanes) and full safety shoulders. The southbound bridge will carry light rail traffic under the highway, and the lower deck of the northbound bridge will carry the pedestrian and bike traffic. The new bridge does not include a lift span, hence the 116-foot height.

“This is a major step forward that recognizes the importance of this project and its economic benefits to the state, region, and nation,” said ODOT Director Matt Garrett in a statement. “Getting the go-ahead from the Coast Guard meets a key viability requirement and makes the project’s path forward clearer.”

The project’s permit application was submitted in January and included various studies and surveys that explained, among other things, the economic impact of a new bridge. According to those studies, replacing the bridge would bring economic benefits of about $5-8 billion, as it will result in 4,200 new jobs and $231 million in additional wages as opposed to not building the new bridge. Project advocates also say that the bridge will make people safer, as it will eliminate the potential for “catastrophic loss of the existing bridges in an earthquake,” and will save users about 6.8 million hours per year from traffic congestion (which translates to $435 million in savings compared to not building the bridge).

Additional information on the I-5 Bridge over the Columbia River is available here.

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