Lars Larson shares his concerns about the elusive cost estimate of the I-5 Bridge replacement project
Lars Larson
The Northwest Nonsense
Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.
Economist Joe Cortright delivered that warning to the Portland City Council about the single biggest public works project in the Pacific Northwest.
Cortright points out that the man leading the soon-to-fail Interstate 5 Bridge replacement project is hiding new cost estimates that seem likely to push the project past $10 billion.
Oregon and Washington plan to start the bridge project next year
They have absolutely no idea how they’re going to pay for it.
Greg Johnson, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program czar, promised a cost estimate a year ago in June, then promised summer of this year.
Now he says it may come late this year or even next year.
Why hold it back? Cortright points out ODOT has a bad history of cost overruns. Abernathy Bridge, still not finished and not paid for, ballooned from $200 million to $800 million. Hood River Bridge replacement more than doubled.
Now, ODOT claims it’s broke and needs a taxpayer bailout.
The last estimate on the Interstate Bridge replacement project came in at $7.5 billion 20 months ago.
No wonder Greg Johnson is hiding the ball.
When the bridge project dies, so does his quarter million dollar salary for leading it to failure.
- Goodbye, bumpy ride on I-5 in Vancouver
Three coordinated WSDOT projects will improve more than 6 miles of I-5 in Clark County, backed by a $25 million investment. - Nighttime work on I-5 between Ridgefield and Woodland will replace damaged concrete panels Sept. 14-19
Granite Construction will close right and center lanes nightly on I-5 between mileposts 9.5 and 21.5 through Sept. 19. - County seeks volunteers to serve on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Clark County seeks two volunteers, including one youth member, for its Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; deadline is Oct. 11, 2026. - Washington Rep. John Ley warns ballooning bridge budget needs reality check
Rep. John Ley says the IBR ballooned from a $44M contract to a $13B–$15B project, with phase one still $2.2B short. - POLL: The IBR project is described as only 30% designed and 30% funded after more than six years of work. How confident are you in the current management of the IBR program?
IBR’s cost has climbed from $3.2–$4.8B to $15.2B while the project remains 30% designed and 30% funded.
