PORTLAND, Ore. — The price tag to replace the aging Interstate 5 bridge between Oregon and Washington has climbed to $14.4 billion — more than four times its 2013 estimate — but Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle says the rising cost is no reason to halt a project she calls critical to the region’s safety and economy.
McEnerny-Ogle, who serves on the Interstate Bridge Replacement program’s executive steering committee, outlined the project’s scope and explained the cost increases in an interview Thursday on KGW’s “Straight Talk.”
The $14.4 billion figure covers five miles of work, including a new bridge structure, a light rail extension to Vancouver, removal of the existing spans and seven interchanges in Oregon and Washington. Full project completion is expected to happen around 2045…