Embedded Files
By Donnie Huang
March 2022
The current Interstate Bridge, composed of two truss bridges, on a sunny day (Goff).
A long-planned replacement project for the local Interstate Bridge, also known as the I-5 Bridge, began with community engagement. Lying between Portland (OR) and Vancouver (WA), the Interstate Bridge is one of the main crossing points over the Columbia River. Although it contains “one span… now over 100 years old”, it supported around 120,000 average weekday crossings during 2020 (“Columbia River Bridges.”). It is unknown how much longer the historical bridge can hold, thus the importance of replacing it is a “vital priority for the region” (“Frequently Asked Questions.”).
A map of the Interstate Bridge's location ("Understanding the Interstate Bridge Program").
Built in 1917, it is a daily risk to crossers (Goff). Specifically, the bridge poses a “risk for collapse in the event of a major earthquake and no longer… [satisfies] the needs of modern commerce and travel” (“Frequently Asked Questions.”). There have been “problems identified over the past decades”, yet they “remain and have not been addressed.” (“Fact Sheet.”)
Image of the Interstate Bridge from a 1931 postcard (Shedlock).
The replacement program, named the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, aims to solve the following identified issues: congestion, earthquake vulnerability, safety, impaired freight movement, inadequate bike/pedestrian paths, and limited public transportation (“Fact Sheet.”). In general, the program priotizes in safety but also accessibility, providing the community reliable transportation. In a joint effort between the governments of Washington, Oregon, Portland, Vancouver, and the local transportation agencies (such as TriMet), $50 million have so far been invested into this project (“Fact Sheet”).
Currently, the project’s planning phase relied extensively on the local communities’ feedback. Through public meetings with diverse sections of the community, the program has been actively listening for suggestions and concerns. With around 14,500 comments received from the local community as of 12/27/2021, there has been an effort to get the local communities’ voices heard. (“Community Engagement”). You can learn more and even submit your comments at https://www.interstatebridge.org/resources/contact-us/.
If you ever find yourself crossing this bridge within the next few years, gaze and appreciate this beauty as it fades away as a relic of history.
Bibliography:
Bibliography:
“Columbia River Bridges.” Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, https://www.rtc.wa.gov/data/traffic/bridges/daily.asp.
“Community Engagement.” Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, https://www.interstatebridge.org/get-involved.
“Fact Sheet.” Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, Jan. 2021, https://www.interstatebridge.org/media/hlkksrep/ibr_fact_sheet__v11-20-2021_vfinal_remediated.pdf.
“Frequently Asked Questions.” Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, https://www.interstatebridge.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions/.
Goff, Michael. “Interstate Bridge.” Bridgehunter.com, Historic Bridge Foundation, 21 Jan. 2009, http://bridgehunter.com/or/multnomah/interstate/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2021.
Shedlock, David. “Interstate Bridge.” Bridgehunter.com, Historic Bridge Foundation, http://bridgehunter.com/or/multnomah/interstate/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2021.
“Understanding the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program.” Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, https://www.interstatebridge.org/about.
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