The city of Portland is preparing public comments to submit on the proposed Interstate Bridge‘s design by the end of September.

On Thursday, the Portland Design Commission sought consensus on what changes they would like to see in the early bridge designs.

Chairman Brian McCarter focused on how the bridge will connect with the Vancouver Waterfront at the north end. A shared use ramp from the bridge to the waterfront appears to be “quite a journey,” he said.

“I’m having a struggle with the configuration being this long,” he said. “Is this the only way to do this, or could this be enhanced by some stairs, some elevators at strategic locations?”

Brenda Martin, major projects and transit manager for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, said a connection should be made between the light rail and a shared path for bicycles and pedestrians, given their close proximity.

Commissioners also discussed whether the design details of the bridge landings should differ on the Oregon and Washington sides. Commissioner Zari Santner said the bridge doesn’t need to look the same on both sides.

McCarter agreed, as long as it’s cohesive, he said. “Variety is great as long as it’s within an overall story,” he said.

McCarter also pushed for transparency in the bridge railings, so users can see outside the bridge.

Commissioners will consider and likely vote to approve a letter to the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program at their Sept. 18 meeting.

Construction on the bridge is expected to last 15 years, with 24 construction packages up for bid. The total project was estimated in 2023 to cost $5 billion to $7.5 billion. That range is expected to grow when Interstate Bridge project officials release an updated cost estimate later this year or early in 2026.

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