Gov. Jay Inslee joined Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in Vancouver Monday to announce a bi-state effort to replace the Interstate 5 bridge that spans the Columbia River and connects the two states.
“This is a new day,” Inslee said. “We need to replace the I-5 bridge over the Columbia River to benefit both Washingtonians and Oregonians. Our states are separated by a magnificent river but our values are consistent on both sides of the river. We are starting this process anew, moving forward with resources for a project office and a transparent, data-driven process that listens to the community’s needs.”
The aging bridge poses significant safety risks to drivers during an earthquake, and locals consider the bridge a source of major congestion. Brown said seismic resilience is the project’s first priority. The governors are also exploring options around high capacity transit that could reduce overall congestion.
Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium site.