Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation unanimously supports funding from Oregon for Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program

PORTLAND, Oregon – The Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program is pleased to announce that in this morning’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), $36 million in funding from Oregon was unanimously endorsed for the IBR program, signaling the move from the planning phase to the preliminary engineering phase of the program.

“Progress on this critical infrastructure program is reliant on continued regional support from agency partners, which will allow the IBR program to design and build the climate friendly solution our region needs. We look forward to continuing to work with JPACT and Metro on future opportunities to weigh in and make iterative decisions that will impact the IBR program and its role in the region’s transportation infrastructure. The IBR program team is committed to working with our partners to diligently assess each request with the utmost seriousness as we collectively work to define the IBR solution. We are committed to continuing our innovative approach to studying transportation issues in the region and to designing and building a multimodal Interstate Bridge and program area that meets the complex transportation needs of the region and is accessible to all travelers who cross the Columbia River via the Interstate 5 corridor. We thank JPACT members for their unanimous support for the continuation of IBR funding.” – Greg Johnson, IBR program administrator

About the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement program

Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River with a modern, seismically resilient, multimodal structure that provides improved mobility for people, goods and services is a high priority for Oregon and Washington. Governors and legislative leadership in both states directed the Oregon Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Transportation to launch the bi-state Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) program to lead this work, recognizing that needed safety and transportation improvements to the existing Interstate Bridge remain unaddressed. Program development work will center on equity and follow a transparent, data-driven process that includes collaboration with local, state, federal, and tribal partners.

Comprehensive and equitable community engagement that minimizes barriers to involvement and proactively seeks to include communities of concern is critical to successfully identifying a bridge replacement solution that reflects community values and can earn broad regional, bi-state, and national support. The Executive Steering Group, Community Advisory Group, Equity Advisory Group and community events are key components of comprehensive community engagement efforts to ensure ongoing, extensive and inclusive public dialogue. Visit the new program website at www.interstatebridge.org, sign up to receive a monthly e-newsletter and program updates, or connect with the program on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube).