Lars Larson shares more concerns about the Oregon Department of Transportation and the I-5 Bridge replacement project
Lars Larson
The Northwest Nonsense
Remember ODOT?
The agency that claims it’s so short of cash it’s been forced to lay off hundreds of workers, most of them in red regions of Oregon?
The one threatening to short change snow plowing, fire evacuation duties and routine road maintenance.
Yeah, that bunch.
In the closing hours of the legislature last month, lawmakers ordered the state treasurer to borrow more than a quarter of a billion dollars specifically for ODOT.
(https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SB5505 G.O. bonds under sub (6)
You’d think that would pay for a lot of regular daily ODOT obligations stuff. Only the money is allocated to the Interstate Bridge replacement project that, in my opinion, will never be built.
The Interstate Bridge project lacks billions in funding from both Oregon and Washington, lacks the required Coast Guard approval because its 60 feet too short to clear river traffic, and includes the hated light rail. It also allocates 54 percent of the bridge for bikes, peds and trains … and less than half to cars and trucks. It’s effectively smaller than the current Interstate Bridge.
The Abernathy 205 Bridge, halfway done … lacks the funding to finish.
Yet the Interstate Bridge replacement project gets 251 million 825-thousand bucks to keep paying folks to plan a dead bridge project?
The Oregon Legislature’s supermajority tried to get multiple billions of dollars for the incompetent management down at ODOT … and Gov. Tina Kotek refuses to install new leadership.
- 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.
