Congresswoman sends letter to IBR, WSDOT and ODOT officials calling for the cost-effective use of resources to limit tolling and increased vehicular capacity to reduce congestion
On Thursday (Sept. 12), Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) sent a letter to the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program, WSDOT, and ODOT calling for the prioritization of Southwest Washington bridge users’ concerns in the final project design – both through the cost-effective use of resources to limit tolling and increased vehicular capacity to reduce congestion.
The effort comes after Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez helped secure $2.099 in federal funding for the project, including a $1.499 billion Bridge Investment Program (BIP) grant in July and a $600 million Mega grant in December. The Congresswoman has spoken with Southwest Washington commuters, business owners, and tradespeople about the necessity of this project – and by being good stewards of federal dollars, burdens can be reduced for local drivers.
The I-5 Bridge is a crucial linchpin in both the regional and national economy and plays a vital role in transporting freight along the I-5 corridor. $132 million worth of freight crossed the I-5 Bridge daily in 2020 and 131,747 vehicles crossed each weekday in 2021.
Despite the bridge’s importance, the I-5 Bridge is rated the worst truck bottleneck in Washington and Oregon and the fifth-worst on the West Coast. With seven to 10 hours of traffic daily and a crash rate more than three times higher than Washington averages, it is critical that the final project design effectively and economically addresses congestion for local drivers, commuters, and truckers.
“Both my constituents and bridge users from across the Pacific Northwest list traffic congestion relief as their top transportation priority. The final I-5 Bridge design must prioritize increasing vehicular capacity and easing existing bottleneck conditions to move goods to stimulate our economy, and get folks home faster so they can coach their kid’s Little League team,” wrote Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez in the letter. “We also must ensure that the bridge design is cost-effective and that the final design makes the best use of the significant existing resources secured from federal and state funding. This is a project of national and regional importance, and it is critical that the burden of paying for this project does not fall on local users. I urge you to explore every option to hold down construction costs, reduce congestion, and limit the need for tolling which will disproportionately impact the people I serve.”
Full text of Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s letter can be found here.
Also read:
- Opinion: ‘I’m more than just a little skeptical that IBR officials are doing everything they can to limit the cost of this project’
Ken Vance shares his concerns over rising costs and limited contractor interest in the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. - Letter: ‘IBR has relied on this video to instill fear in the public and government officials to promote the construction of a new bridge’
Bob Ortblad questions IBR’s use of a seismic video and urges a shift toward tunnel alternatives in this critical letter to the editor. - Troubled TriMet and fleecing taxpayers with LRTJohn Ley analyzes TriMet’s ridership decline and what it signals for post-pandemic public transit in the region.
- Lawsuits associated with Michelle Belkot’s removal from C-TRAN board in holding patternsTwo lawsuits tied to Councilor Michelle Belkot’s removal from the C-TRAN board are awaiting court dates and could impact a key vote in July.
- Plan for overnight lane closures on I-5 near Ridgefield, May 12-23Drivers near Ridgefield should prepare for overnight I-5 lane closures May 12–23 during bridge work on the Pioneer Street overpass.
The Perez website states,
“Supporting Critical Infrastructure,”
” She (Rep. Perez) worked to secure $600 million in funding needed to replace the 100-year-old I-5 bridge. This financial support is a down payment and essential to repair the bridge and avoid the need for tolls.”
Since then, more federal dollars have been earmarked for the I-5 bridge replacement, yet not enough to “avoid the need for tolls”.
Ever increasing tolls, raised as often as the unelected toll commission subcommittee decides, have always been a major funding element for the bridge, per the IBR website, and many news reports about tolling. It has also been noted by a former Oregon governor that adequate tolls are needed to persuade people out of vehicles, onto public transit instead.
The bi-state tolling subcommittee will decide toll rates and policies. While congressional representatives may be able to avoid tolls somehow, ordinary residents, truckers, and travellers who cross a costly I-5 bridge replacement will not be able to avoid tolls, or limit tolls.
What limits are there on tolls in WA state? Tolls on the 520 bridge from the east side to Seattle increased significantly in 2023, and again in 2024.
The pay by mail toll for a car 1-way is $6.90 from 7-10 AM and 3PM-7PM weekdays,
$13.80 round trip
The pay by mail rate for 6-axle trucks is $20.70 one-way for those hours,
$41.40 roundtrip
To avoid tolls, gold plated fixed “light” rail and double decker buses that could topple when winds blow over the Columbia River and other unnecessary extravagant elements should be avoided. Clark County voters have rejected light rail and tolls at the ballot box repeatedly.
This Op-ed points out excess expenditures the IBR consultants and too many elected officials continue to push to benefit a very few, no matter the cost.: Elected officials should protect Southwest Washington taxpayers
Marie said she is fighting for grant money so Clark County can taxed and tolled the bulk of $2 Billion for light rail to “ get folks home faster so they can coach their kid’s Little League team.” Seriously?
It’s game time and she and her handlers know it. So, the spin masters tell her to release something that sounds like she is ‘on your side’. It’s that simple. Keeping her in office and in Congress is ‘super’ important to others outside our region. American politics is at its lowest point ever in America’s history. By today’s standards…..Bill Clinton had morals.
If she were on our side, she would honor our votes against light rail and tolls, like former Congresswomen Jaime Herrera-Beutler did. Light rail is not required on a replacement bridge. Better alternatives to reduce congestion include building a third or even fourth bridge, without light rail.
Marie is doing a great job, this is far more than any past representative have done to help with the funding. We need a new bridge, since this is a major transportation route from Canada to Mexico for Interstate Commerce. We don’t need for it to collapse and create another disaster. She is working hard to find a way to keep tolls out of the funding. Taxes are part of a responsible society, except far too many do everything to avoid paying anything or the bare minimum.
I wish common sense would be more common… We need at least 5 lanes in each direction. Change the onramp location to Jantzen Beach to at least 0.5 miles away from bridge entrance. Far Right lane Northbound becomes exit to highway 14, Next Far right line becomes SR500 exit lane, and then 3 lanes continue northbound to Salmon Creek 1-205 merge.
Portland MUST fix the Rose Quarter pinch and get that to at least 4 lanes in each direction. It will take a transition to a stacked highway from Freemont to I-84 merge, and some major changes to SE Portland areas around the freeways.
It is probably too late in the area development to put another bridge with a thruway bypass that misses Portland Metro to the east or west. America seems to have lost its taste for massive improvements of infrastructure, that will benefit future generations.
Well said, Jared.
The reason Portland has the nation’s 8th worse traffic congestion, is Portland elected leaders have refused to build more vehicle capacity.
It’s been over 40 years since a new freeway and transportation corridor has been built.
Regional population has doubled. With no new vehicle capacity, of course traffic congestion has become a nightmare.