Interstate Bridge freeway expansion could cost up to $7.5 billion
Expansive freeways demand expansive budgets.
Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
First look at a possible I-5 bridge bike and pedestrian path
After months and months of draft renderings from the team behind the planned expansion of I-5 between Washington and Oregon that focused on the highway, on Thursday the public finally got a look at what a potential bike and pedestrian path being planned as a part of the project could look like. At a meeting … Read more
Fake bridge bike ramp graphic causes confusion, raises issues
There are all types of ways to push back against a project you don’t like. As social media has matured in recent years, a lot of folks have become good at creating graphics that — when they go viral — can be a very effective way to establish a narrative. Look no further than someone … Read more
Just Crossing Alliance gains momentum for I-5 freeway fight at first fundraising party
There’s one vital ingredient needed to influence the debate around a multi-billion dollar effort to expand I-5 between Portland and Vancouver: Money. Last night in a shaded backyard in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, well over 100 people gathered for a house party that raised thousands of dollars for the Just Crossing Alliance, an upstart coalition of … Read more
Comment of the Week: Politics of a megaproject
Welcome to the Comment of the Week, where we highlight good comments in order to inspire more of them. You can help us choose our next one by replying with “comment of the week” to any comment you think deserves recognition. BikePortland has run 14 “Comment of the Week” features since we recommitted to doing … Read more
Skeptics fear Interstate Bridge will be too high for bikers and walkers
In response to climate and transportation activists who are wary of expanding I-5, both Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) leadership and politicians who voted ‘aye’ on the project have gestured to a consolation prize. IBRP planners – correctly – point out that the current bridge is unfriendly to people using active transportation, given the small … Read more
No one’s happy with the I-5 bridge project. And that’s a good thing?
“Activists hate it and business community hates it and therefore we absolutely must be moving in a direction that makes the most sense.” – Jo Ann Hardesty, Portland City Commissioner On Thursday, the Interstate Bridge Replacement project received the approval of state lawmakers and the heads of all of the regional authorities, giving it the … Read more
With 6-1 vote, Metro Council endorses I-5 Columbia River Bridge project
Following a unanimous vote at the Portland City Council in favor of the current plan for the Interstate Bridge Replacement, the Oregon Metro Council voted 6 to 1 to do the same Thursday, with only staunch project critic Mary Nolan in dissent. The vote signals the incredible momentum that this $4-5 billion megaproject has as … Read more
Portland City Council says yes to I-5 Columbia River bridge project
There was almost no concern or skepticism about the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project at Portland City Council today. The mayor and four other commissioners all voted to endorse the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), a decision that helps pave the way for project staff and the transportation departments of Oregon and Washington to move forward … Read more
A moment of truth for local politicians and the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project
This week leaders from Metro and the City of Portland will make a decision on whether or not to support the multi-billion-dollar megaproject that would widen I-5 between Portland and Vancouver and replace the aging Interstate Bridge. They are being asked to endorse the project’s Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), a major milestone in the federally-required … Read more
Guest Opinion: How to Handcuff your Decision Makers, a Guide for Megaproject Managers
Note: This piece was submitted by a close observer of the Portland – Vancouver I-5 freeway project (a.k.a. Interstate Bridge Replacement Program) who asked to remain anonymous. Project managers, listen up! You’re reviving a mega-project that failed to secure funding a decade ago. Do you go back and re-examine the original assumptions? Absolutely not! You … Read more
