Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) led 17 of their bipartisan colleagues in urging the House Appropriations Committee to fully fund the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program. This program is essential to bridge replacement projects across the country, including the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project connecting Washington state and Oregon.

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that nearly 43,000 bridges are in poor condition, twice as many as there were nine years ago. Additionally, every single Congressional district in the country is home to structurally deficient bridges.

In the letter, the lawmakers emphasized the critical role bridges play in our nation’s transportation infrastructure and urged the committee to provide $675 million for the Bridge Investment Program to improve bridge conditions across the nation.

Last year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez helped bring home a $600 million Department of Transportation Mega grant to replace the I-5 Bridge – and she has continued to express support for upcoming funding opportunities to Secretary Buttigieg. 

“Southwest Washington knows the impact of relying on a structurally deficient bridge all too well. Commuters are stuck in endless traffic and the narrow lanes are a safety hazard,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Fully funding this program will help ensure we can continue supporting projects like the I-5 Bridge replacement and strengthening our country’s transportation infrastructure as a whole.”

“Making these key investments to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure today will provide outsized benefits for decades to come,” wrote the lawmakers. “We respectfully request that you provide $675 million in funding for the Bridge Investment Program. Funding the Bridge Investment Program at its fully authorized level is a necessary step towards improving the condition of our bridges and the function of our nation’s transportation system.”

Full text of the letter can be found here.