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Coast Guard will allow for less expensive Interstate 5 Bridge design

  • On Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard reduced the minimum navigation clearance to 116 feet, allowing the Interstate Bridge Replacement program to proceed with a fixed-span design, Sen. Maria Cantwell said.
  • Previously, a PNCD had required 178 feet, which would have forced a movable span and a drawbridge, prompting Washington and Oregon officials and the Interstate Bridge Replacement team to push a fixed-span proposal with mitigation agreements for upriver companies.
  • A 116-foot span would serve roughly 99% of vessels on the Columbia River, reducing lift operations and saving $500 million to about $1 billion compared to a movable span.
  • Program managers are now pursuing federal sign-off to secure a record of decision and begin contracting this year, as the IBR Program will finalize its cost estimate and schedule, key steps advancing federal environmental review.
  • Despite the clearance decision, officials warn the project is less than halfway funded, with new draft totals $13.6 billion and a budget gap of at least $7 billion.
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US Senate broke the news in Washington, United States on Friday, January 16, 2026.
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