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New I-5 Bridge Replacement Cost Now Estimated at $15B
The $14.4 billion estimate reflects a 140% increase since 2022, driven by inflation, design changes, and safety upgrades for the 109-year-old bridge, officials said.
- On March 17, 2026, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson recommitted to replacing the Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver with a $14.4 billion plan covering a fixed-span bridge and five miles of upgrades.
- Program administrators attribute rising costs to inflation, tariffs, delays, and design changes, which account for nearly half the projected costs, as officials say the century-old Interstate-5 bridge is seismically vulnerable.
- $5.5 billion is currently available for the project, but even scaling to four core objectives still leaves a $2.2 billion shortfall, with contractor selection in 2027 and construction starting in 2028.
- The Oregon Transportation Commission questioned the project’s future in January and did not revisit IBR at its March 12 meeting; officials set a May 7 commission meeting as lawmakers press for funding clarity while ODOT and the governors' stated focus on core projects.
- With costs up about 140% from 2022, new official figures reflect a 140% increase from a 2022 estimate of $6 billion; the program agreed to a $140 million settlement and plans phased completion of remaining corridor work.
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Interstate Bridge cost soars 140%, adding billions to project estimate
The cost of the project to replace the Interstate Bridge between Washington and Oregon is going up again. According to new official estimates released Tuesday morning, the price will increase approximately 140% from a 2022 estimate of $6 billion to a new target of $14.4 billion. While dramatic, the new cost of the decadeslong megaproject is not surprising. A combination of project delays, rising materials and labor costs, and tariffs led to pred…
·Portland, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Center
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
60% Center
L 40%
C 60%
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