Bridge Review Panel

Bridge Review Panel convened to consider bridge type

The Columbia River Crossing Bridge Review Panel was convened in November 2010 by the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation. The panel was asked to evaluate the open web box girder bridge type previously under consideration for the Columbia River Crossing project, as well as the environmental, regulatory and physical constraints pertinent to the crossing. A final report was issued February 2011.

Panel recommends three bridge types

The panel’s primary recommendations focused on bridge type. The panel offered three bridge types for consideration that panel members believe would have less construction risk and be potentially less expensive to construct than the previous bridge type. The three types were deck truss, tied arch and cable-stayed. The panel did not recommend any of the types over the others.

As a result of the bridge panel’s recommendation, Oregon Governor Kitzhaber and Washington Governor Gregoire directed the CRC project to discontinue further design work on the open web box girder and begin a review of the panel's three options. The governors said the analysis must consider cost, schedule, environmental impact, commitments made to communities and stakeholders in both states, and overall risk. A report back to the governors that includes a recommended bridge type, based on the criteria above and consultation with local partners, was delivered on Feb. 25, 2011. Listening sessions were held on March 10, 2010 to receive public comment on the draft recommendations.

Governors select deck truss bridge type

On April 25, 2011, the governors announced the deck truss bridge as the recommended replacement structure for the aging Interstate 5 bridge. In making their recommendation, the governors considered the findings from the Bridge Review Panel, the results of the Oregon and Washington transportation departments' review, public comments, input from agency officials and the purpose and need of the project.

The governors cited several major factors influencing their decision to move forward with a deck truss bridge:

Reducing and eliminating risks to schedule and budget. In all key areas that determine risk - schedule, design, construction, procurement, cost growth and construction claims - the deck truss performs better than the cable-stayed bridge type. It also is the least likely to require a supplemental draft environmental impact statement because its environmental impacts and footprint closely resemble the previously studied bridge type.
Affordability. The deck truss is likely the most affordable of the three bridge types because it is the least costly, the most likely to meet schedule, the easiest bridge to build and will attract the most competitive bids.
Securing funding. A delay in securing the federal Record of Decision (ROD) creates significant risks of missing or delaying federal funding opportunities. CRC is seeking $400 million in federal highway discretionary funding as well as $850 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts funding.

Rendering of the Bridge Review Panel's deck truss bridge type
Concept of deck truss bridge type chosen for the project. Additional architectural design work is forthcoming.