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The Oregon Transportation Commission received updates on two megaprojects on Thursday while funding is sought for all phases of work.

The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) team announced it plans to soon seek a contractor for the project. A request for qualifications will be issued on Monday for the progressive design-build project. The deadline for submitting statements of qualifications will be in September.

The short list will include three firms. Then a request for proposals will be issued (likely in November), proposals will be evaluated, and the highest scoring proposer will be determined. A contractor will be selected in spring 2027. Construction is estimated to begin in 2028.

The contractor will be brought on board when design is 30 percent complete. A guaranteed maximum price will be established at 60 percent completion of design.

鈥淚f that guaranteed maximum price does not seem reasonable, there is the opportunity for the owner to take that design body of work that has been completed out to the open market for bidding,鈥� said Carley Francis, interim IBR program administrator. 鈥淭here’s both this initial evaluation space and also later consideration about whether or not continuation with that selected contractor is the best path forward.鈥�

The IBR team intends to hire an independent cost estimator.

On Thursday, the team shared a refined cost estimate for core projects: $7.09 billion 鈥� down from $7.65 billion. Consolidation of contracts to reduce risk and oversight costs and refinement of pre-completion tolling led to the cost decrease, Francis said.

Core projects include constructing a new seismically resilient bridge, constructing bridge connections to Interstate 5 in Oregon and Washington, designing and building light rail infrastructure extending to the Vancouver waterfront, building tolling infrastructure, and removing the existing bridge.

Funding committed to date 鈥� $5.69 billion 鈥� is expected to cover all core projects except light rail construction.

鈥淭here are additional funds needed to bring light rail forward,鈥� Francis said. 鈥淲e’re continuing to hunt for those Capital Investment Grants program dollars to bring as much federal money into the dialogue as possible.鈥�

The IBR team also shared some recent milestones, allowing the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to continue to progress toward the construction phase. These include approval of a STIP/MTIP amendment by federal, state and regional authorities; acceptance of the Initial Financial Plan submitted to federal partners, and receipt of an amended Record of Decision from federal partners that completes the federal environmental review process.

Last month, ODOT and WSDOT entered into a new IBR bi-state agreement that establishes rights and responsibilities during the project delivery phase.

鈥淚t was important to have this acquired before the procurement process,鈥� said Travis Brouwer, ODOT’s assistant director of revenue, finance and compliance.

WSDOT will be the leading contracting agency on the project.

鈥淥regon would contract for the elements in Oregon and Washington would contract for the elements in Washington,鈥� Brouwer said. 鈥淭hose elements will not move forward until there is a funding source available, pending further conversations with the legislature and the transportation commission.鈥�

I-5 section set to close temporarily

The I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project will include Interstate 5 closing in the Rose Quarter for five weeks beginning on Sept. 11. Crews will repair and reinforce weak areas, replace bridge joints, repave the surface, and repaint lane lines, an ODOT press release states.

All lanes of I-5 southbound between the exit to Broadway/Weidler and I-84 will be closed to traffic. All I-5 southbound traffic will be detoured to I-405 southbound and regional traffic will be directed to I-205. One lane of I-5 southbound will remain open to the Broadway exit by the Moda Center. I-84 westbound to I-5 southbound and I-5 northbound will remain open.

Depending on the time of day, drivers’ travel times during the closure may be two to three times longer than usual, ODOT estimated. Vehicle traffic is expected to back up across the Columbia River into Washington and onto local streets in the Portland area.

The total funding available for the project is $480.6 million from preliminary engineering to Phase 1B.

Phase 1A, including work during the upcoming closure, will provide safety upgrades such as structural resilience, signage replacements, and stormwater improvements. Also, the southern portion of the southbound auxiliary lane will be built between I-84 and the Morrison Bridge exit. The phase is expected to conclude in late 2026, according to ODOT’s website.

Construction of phase 1B will begin next summer and continue through 2028. It will include installing new signage, widening I-5 over the transit center and upgrading the transit center.

Phase 1C has some funding for development but none for construction. With full funding, construction would begin in 2029. This phase includes the southern portion of the highway cover and local streets, completion of the southbound merging lane and extension of the northbound merging lane.

The top of the highway cover would be available for development once construction is completed, interim project director Monica Blanchard said. With full funding, it could be completed in late 2032.