Gluesenkamp Perez, Newhouse Invite Secretary of Transportation to Visit I-5 Bridge, See Critical Importance of Replacement Firsthand

Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) wrote a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy inviting him to tour the I-5 Bridge to see firsthand why federal investments in the replacement effort are urgently needed.

The effort comes after Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez and bipartisan members of the regional Congressional delegation helped secure $2.099 in federal funding for the project, including a $1.499 billion Bridge Investment Program (BIP) grant in July and a $600 million Mega grant in 2023.

Last year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez brought then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to visit the bridge, speak with skilled students in the trades at Cascadia Tech Academy, and hold a roundtable discussion with local apprentices and tradespeople who will work on the bridge replacement project. In 2023, the Congresswoman hosted then-White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu for a visit to the bridge.

“We write to you with an urgent invitation to tour the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, a critical effort to replace and modernize the aging Interstate 5 (I-5) Bridge, which connects Washington and Oregon over the Columbia River. During your confirmation hearing, we were pleased to hear your commitment to honoring the federal funding for projects like this.,” wrote the lawmakers. “Replacement of the I-5 bridge has become a necessity, and the values and priorities of all our citizens, rural and urban alike, must be reflected in its final adopted design. This replacement program will strengthen our local economy, honor the trades, and keep drivers, commuters, and truckers safe and on the move. Our Washington and Oregon Congressional Delegations have worked on a bipartisan basis to deliver critical federal funding to support this project, including securing $600 million in Mega grant funding and $1.499 billion from the Bridge Investment Program. As you review federal funding priorities, we urge you to come see and see the critical importance of federal investment in this project.”

The I-5 Bridge is a crucial linchpin in both the regional and national economy and plays a vital role in transporting freight along the I-5 corridor. $132 million worth of freight crossed the I-5 Bridge daily in 2020 and 131,747 vehicles crossed each weekday in 2021.

Despite the bridge’s importance, there are significant issues with its structural integrity. One span of the bridge is 107 years old – and the bridge is built on wood piles in sandy soil, leaving it at serious risk for collapse in the event of a major earthquake.

The I-5 Bridge is rated the worst truck bottleneck in Washington and Oregon and the fifth-worst on the West Coast. With seven to 10 hours of traffic daily and a crash rate more than three times higher than Washington averages, it is critical that the final project design effectively and economically addresses congestion for local drivers, commuters, and truckers.

“Separately, we would like to invite you to join us at the Skamania County Fair and Timber Carnival this summer,” continued the lawmakers. “It would be great to have a three-year speed climbing Lumberjack World Championship winner attend the event and witness first-hand the critical role timber plays in our communities.”

Last fall, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez submitted her own public comment, expressed concerns about tolling proposals, and urged the IBR Program to prioritize Southwest Washington bridge users’ concerns in the final project design – both through the cost-effective use of resources to eliminate or limit tolling and increased vehicular capacity to reduce congestion. The Congresswoman also held an I-5 Bridge replacement roundtable with local community, trades, and small business leaders to discuss local bridge priorities.

Last month, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez helped bring home $30 million in federal funding to build a freeway lid over Interstate 5 to connect downtown Vancouver, the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Full text of the letter can be found here.