State lawmakers from Oregon and Washington left a Monday meeting without the long-awaited cost update for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, raising fresh concerns as the hypothetical final price tag has continued to climb.
The Bi-state Legislative Committee met Monday, Dec. 15, with information presented by the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program. Legislators had expected to see an updated cost estimate for the project, a presentation IBR staff said would be ready by December back in September, but none was provided. The most recent estimate of $5 billion to $7.5 billion is roughly three years old and does not account for inflation or increased labor and material costs, according to IBR staff.
Outgoing IBR Program Administrator Greg Johnson told lawmakers the delay is tied to the federal review process. The project team submitted a required navigational clearance report to the U.S. Coast Guard in October, but the 43-day government shutdown slowed the agency’s ability to review the document, open a public comment period and issue a decision on bridge height, according to IBR staff. If the bridge is ultimately required to be movable, a determination dependent on the Coast Guard’s findings, overall project costs are expected to rise by at least $500 million…