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The Interstate Bridge replacement project saw major wins this week when all eight partner agencies 鈥� Portland City Council, Vancouver City Council, C-TRAN, Metro Council, the Port of Portland, the Port of Vancouver, and the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) 鈥� voted to move the project forward.

This follows TriMet endorsement of the project on June 22.

With the approval of the modified Locally Preferred Alternative the project can move into the Environmental Review Process, which is not expected to occur until mid-2024.

However, officials didn’t approve the LPA without some skepticism. Major Ted Wheeler expressed concern about the bridge’s height and the city’s squeezed position between what the U.S. Coast Guard would like 鈥� a higher bridge 鈥� and what the Federal Aviation Administration wants 鈥� a lower bridge. TriMet board member Ozzie Gonzalez, who voted against the LPA in June, said the project was 鈥渘ot perfect, but something.” Metro Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal said his vote is an 鈥渆xtremely reluctant 鈥榓ye’鈥� before the council approved the LPA on Thursday afternoon.

Each group added conditions of approval to their endorsement for the project. However, none of the conditions will be binding, like seen in Portland land use reviews, rather are an indication of what each party would like the program to address. Metro Councilor Mary Nolan voted against the bridge due to this.

Partner agencies votes:

• TriMet Board of Directors: 4-1 (Ozzie Gonzalez opposed)
• Vancouver City Council: Unanimous approval
• C-Train Board of Directors: 8-1 (Karen Bowerman opposed)
• Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners: Unanimous approval
• Port of Portland Board of Commissioners: Unanimous approval
• City of Portland: Unanimous approval
• Metro Council: 6-1 (Mary Nolan opposed)
• RTC: 10-3 (Gary Medvigy, Leslie Lewallen and Karen Bowerman opposed)

鈥淔or too long 鈥� we have sat on our hands and said that that river is a dividing line,鈥� Metro Counselor Christine Lewis said. 鈥淎nd we’ve got to get beyond that because our economy won’t progress. Our equity and climate goals can’t progress unless we figure out what Vancouver means to Portland and what Portland means to Vancouver.鈥�

Under the current proposal, the new Interstate Bridge would include three travel lanes, one auxiliary and two shoulder lanes in each direction. A new light rail line would also extend from the Portland Expo Center over the bridge to Evergreen Boulevard in Vancouver, bringing the MAX system to southwest Washington for the first time.

A partial interchange on Marine Drive and a local bridge to Hayden Island would also be added, as well as updated pedestrian and bicyclist connections.

Although all partner agencies voted to endorse the modified LPA, most of the final design has yet to be decided, including cost. Interstate Bridge Replacement program administrator Greg Johnson said they hope to have numbers for the public sometime in November or early December.

The Executive Streeting Group meets at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 21.