As the approximately $14.4 billion Interstate Bridge replacement project advances, officials are continuing to discuss tolling details.

A joint meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission and the Washington State Transportation Commission on Friday provided results of the Level 3 Traffic and Revenue Analysis with the latest information on four tolling scenarios. The financial plan for the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program includes $1.5 billion in toll funding.

Julie Meredith, secretary of transportation for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said tolling the existing bridge would allow construction to start in Washington, because tolling revenue would provide up-front bonding capacity for the project.

The first phase of the first set of projects includes constructing the replacement bridge, adding bridge connections to Interstate 5, extending light rail infrastructure to Vancouver, and removing the existing bridge.

Currently, toll revenue is not expected to help pay for future project phases, according to interim IBR Program administrator Carley Francis.

Financing strategies currently being explored by the IBR team for the first set of projects include state toll-backed bonds or a toll-backed federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan. The project team plans to begin the application process for the TIFIA loan next year.

Washington State Transportation Commissioner Gael Tarleton requested a more detailed discussion comparing the benefits of a TIFTA loan with those of state toll-backed bonds.

The traffic and revenue analysis includes four toll scenarios, with toll rates ranging from $1.55 to $4.70 per trip and possible rate variability depending on time of day. Also, two scenarios would begin tolling at the start of project construction and the other two would begin when the new bridge opens.

“We do assume there is a low-income discount program in all scenarios,” said Stantec transportation engineer Liz Horta, who led the Level 3 Traffic and Revenue Analysis. “The timing of when that begins varies by scenario, with some scenarios offering this discount on day one and some scenarios offering it when the new bridge is online.”

Oregon Transportation Commissioner Phil Chang said he would support a low-income discount.

“It seems to me that if we’re trying to provide relief to low-income people, it should start sooner than later,” he said.

The discount would be 50 percent for eligible drivers, Horta said. The criteria would be household income within 200 percent of the federal poverty line. Eligible drivers would need to be registered and have a Good To Go! account, which is used for toll payments in Washington.

Possible toll exemptions under consideration include state maintenance vehicles, school buses, tow trucks, and emergency vehicles. There would be no exemptions for transit buses, rideshare vehicles such as vanpools, or private buses.

The four tolling scenarios being considered also include the existing Washington tribal preemptions of Yakama and Nez Perce tribes. The process for consultation with multiple tribes and any considerations of toll discounts will be made by the two state transportation commissions.

Washington State Transportation Commission Chair Debbie Young said Washington is also advancing a low-income toll discount for its entire tolling system.

“One of the things just in the tolling piece that kind of stuck out to me is that Washington has a lot at stake here as far as making decisions on what exemptions are given,” Oregon Transportation Commission Chair Julie Brown said. “That is because it impacts their entire state and their tolling system, whereas Oregon doesn’t have that system in place.”

Each state transportation commission will discuss separately in the next two weeks whether there is anything they would like to request the Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee to study further.

The two commissions will meet again later this year or early next year to receive a new report from the Bi-State Tolling Subcommittee and consider decisions that will support advancing a toll rate and policy proposal. Final toll rates and policies are expected to be adopted as early as late fall 2027.

Currently, tolling on the existing Interstate Bridge is anticipated to begin as early as summer 2028.

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