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Panelists back I‑5 Bridge replacement but flag tolling, workforce and design questions
Summary
Speakers at the AWB panel agreed the I‑5 Bridge needs replacement, but raised concerns over tolling, whether the railroad bridge could be reused (it cannot), the scale of 28 bid packages and the local workforce capacity to handle such construction.
Speakers at an AWB forum in Vancouver expressed broad support for replacing the I‑5 Bridge but flagged key questions about financing, design and local construction capacity.
Johan Hellman, representing BNSF Railway, said the railroad’s parallel bridge "works really well" and cannot be repurposed for vehicle traffic. He conceded tolls are unpopular but acknowledged they may be necessary to pay for replacement: "I'm no fan of paying tolls, but at some point, you have to pay for the project." He described the bridge as "a very complicated situation" and said upgrading it will be a significant challenge.
Rep. Stephanie McClintock said she supports replacing the bridge and suggested additional capacity — including a possible third bridge or extra lanes — should be considered. She warned that tolls could affect cross‑river employees and employers may need to consider toll reimbursement as part of compensation packages.
Kevin Tapony outlined construction logistics and labor concerns, noting the project could be split into about 28 bid packages and may require thousands of workers, placing pressure on local labor and equipment markets. "I honestly don't think you could be, you could plan enough to be prepared for... I've heard this 19,000 workers," he said, warning that the program will stress existing projects and staffing.
Panelists also discussed sequencing options (e.g., building a third span to divert traffic during replacement) and urged coordinated planning with Oregon partners to ensure costs and traffic impacts are shared and mitigated. No final design or financing decision was reported during the panel.
