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A committee overseeing the project to build a third bridge over the Willamette River in Salem is closer to choosing a design.

The Salem River Crossing Oversight Team on Thursday shortened a list of five potential designs to three, Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Lou Torres said. The two designs that were eliminated were the least expensive and most expensive options.

“Now what they’re beginning to do is look at what type of a bridge they want to put in there,” Torres said.

The three conceptual designs the committee recommended pursuing are:

• A steel-tiered arch design, estimated to cost from $165 million to $210 million

• A cast-in-place concrete box girder design, estimated to cost from $120 million to $170 million

• A precast concrete steel girder design, estimated to cost from $100 million to $240 million

Torres said he expects the committee to choose one of these options later this year. Also, an environmental assessment for the project is scheduled to be completed this year.

The bridge would span the Willamette River in North Salem to reduce congestion on the city’s Marion Street and Center Street bridges. However, without money allocated for the project, it remains far from reality, Torres said.

“The big hurdle is and will be the funding issue because funding has not been determined for the project yet,” he said. “We’re still quite a few years out.”