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Oregon and Washington’s departments of transportation have given the thumbs up on for the Columbia River Crossing project. The DOTs told project leaders they may move forward with final planning for the multibillion-dollar bridge project.

Recommendations that were OK’d include cost estimates, an intersection at Marine Drive and Hayden Island, tolling on the bridge and oversizing the bridge to accommodate traffic for the next 100 years.

The DOTs identified six areas that require further planning, including choosing a design for the bridge, resolving design issues with the Hayden Island interchange, and updating cost estimates for the project.

“All of these areas will move forward simultaneously,” said Patrick Cooney, ODOT spokesman. “The bridge type chosen will determine the cost.”

The bridge is planned to cost between $3 billion and $4 billion. The DOTs said to governors Ted Kulongoski and Christine Gregoire that they expect to see an updated cost estimate by late October. A final cost estimate for the project will be dictated by the bridge’s design. An expert panel, including people with experience designing large bridges in the U.S. and Europe, is currently being formed to choose the bridge design, the letter said.