Project Description

Columbia River Crossing is a bridge, transit and highway improvement project of the Oregon and Washington transportation departments. The project is designed to reduce congestion and improve safety problems on a five-mile segment of Interstate 5. The project area stretches from State Route 500 in Vancouver, Washington, to approximately Columbia Boulevard in Portland, Oregon, including the Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River.

Purpose and Need

To address the transportation problems on I-5, a mix of bridge, public transit and highway solutions are needed. If we do not move forward with a comprehensive long-term solution now, the problems will only get worse. This project will improve:

Travel safety and traffic operations at the I-5 river crossing and nearby interchanges
Connectivity, reliability, travel times and operations of the public transportation systems in the project area
Freight mobility and address interstate travel and commerce needs in the project area
Structural integrity of the I-5 river crossing

What Are the Challenges?

Traffic congestion at the I-5 bridge currently lasts six hours and is expected to increase to more than seven hours southbound and eight hours northbound by the year 2030.
On-time freight deliveries are compromised by congestion, hampering productivity and efficiency.
Buses traveling I-5 between Vancouver and Portland get stuck in traffic and can become less reliable.
Safety is deteriorating.
- About one crash occurs daily – a rate that is two times higher than similar highways in Oregon and Washington. Crashes will grow with more congestion.
- Many collisions can be attributed to short on-and off-ramps, inadequate spaces for merging and weaving, and poor sight distances on and near the I-5 bridge.
A significant earthquake could cause bending, buckling or collapse of the I-5 bridge itself or lead to soil liquefaction under the bridge

Current Status

The project analyzed two bridge options and two public transit options in a process to identify the best combination of options (called “alternatives”) that improve mobility and safety and reduce congestion in the project area. The result of this study is a report called a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

A Brief Overview of the Alternatives

No build
A No Build alternative is required by NEPA and serves as a baseline for comparison with other alternatives. Under this scenario, the existing Interstate Bridge and public transit systems would remain. Only improvements likely to receive funding and be constructed in the Metro and southwest Washington regional transportation plans would be considered.

Replacement bridge with bus rapid transit
The Interstate Bridge would be replaced with new bridge structures with three through lanes and two or three auxiliary lanes in each direction. This alternative also would have a lane for bus rapid transit and a lane for foot and bicycle traffic, potentially located on a separate structure.

Replacement bridge with light rail
The Interstate Bridge would be replaced with new bridge structures with three through lanes and two or three auxiliary lanes in each direction. This alternative also would have a lane for light rail and a lane for foot and bicycle traffic, potentially located on a separate structure.

Supplemental bridge with bus rapid transit
A new bridge would be built with three through lanes and one auxiliary lane for southbound vehicles. The new bridge also would have a lane for bus rapid transit. The existing Interstate Bridge would be re-striped to three through lanes and one auxiliary lane for northbound traffic. Pedestrians and bicyclists would have a lane on the existing bridge.

Supplemental bridge with light rail
A new bridge would be built with three through lanes and one auxiliary lane for southbound vehicles. The new bridge also would have a lane for light rail. The existing Interstate Bridge would be re-striped to three through lanes and one auxiliary lane for northbound traffic. Pedestrians and bicyclists would have a lane on the existing bridge.

Next Steps

The Draft EIS was released on May 2, 2008 starting a 60-day public review and comment period that ended July 1, 2008. During this time, community meetings and public hearings occurred to provide the community with information and opportunities for input. The project’s Task Force recommended a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) on June 24, 2008. Project sponsors will take formal action to adopt the LPA in summer 2008.

The LPA is the alternative selected by local decision-makers as the preferred solution to the project’s identified needs.