Cost Estimates and Funding

November 2009 Capital Cost Estimate: $2.6 - $3.6 billion (year of expenditure dollars)

The cost estimates are for construction of a replacement bridge with light rail to Clark College and interchange and pedestrian/bicycle improvements on five miles of I-5. This cost estimate includes the savings resulting from several design refinements. Estimates are based on year of expenditure dollars, or the projected year the money would be spent. The estimate assumes that construction could begin in 2012 and last five to seven years. The cost range does not include operating and maintenance costs.

The ultimate cost and time to complete a project is subject to many variables, including inflation, demand for materials or labor and the availability of funding. The range is determined through a risk-based analysis that estimates the probability that actual construction costs will fall somewhere within the range. More information on cost estimation may be found on the WSDOT Web page on the Cost Estimate Validation Process.

Potential Funding Sources

Multiple sources will help fund construction of the Columbia River Crossing project:

Federal government
State of Oregon
State of Washington
Tolling the I-5 bridge

Toll rates and policies will be set in the future by the state legislatures and transportation commissions. More information can be found on the project’s tolling site.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has pledged to support the project with a grant from its Corridors of the Future program. Additional financial information will be published with the Final Environmental Impact Statement, expected in 2011.