WA and Oregon scale back I-5 bridge ambitions as cost balloons to $14.4B

By: Jerry Cornfield

Outlets: Washington State Standard

Published: March 17, 2026

Words: 1,164

Last Updated: 3 days, 11 hours ago

Body Text Preview

The price tag for a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River, linking Washington and Oregon, has doubled to $14.4 billion and the timeline to get it built has slipped again.

Elements of the massive undertaking will be delayed as the focus, and all available dollars, will be directed at building the new bridge itself, the governors of the two states said. The new estimates showing much higher costs were released Tuesday at

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us