Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Project Costs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sen. Khan Pham warns I‑5 bridge replacement could crowd out statewide maintenance funding
Summary
Sen. Khan Pham told the OTC the multi‑billion-dollar I‑5 bridge replacement has grown much larger than identified funding and urged shrinking the project to avoid shifting maintenance burdens onto Oregonians.
State Sen. Khan Pham (District 23) told the Oregon Transportation Commission during public comment that the Interstate Bridge Replacement project has become a fiscal risk for the state. "Only about 5,680,000,000 of the project's estimated 13 to $17,000,000,000 cost has been identified so far," Pham said, adding that Oregon taxpayers would be left to close the financing gap if federal funds fall short.
Pham urged the commission to "right size this project to reduce costs and steward public dollars," citing an investment-grade analysis that, he said, forecasts the new bridge could carry less traffic in 2050 than the existing bridge because of tolling. "This vote may be the last meaningful opportunity for the OTC to provide oversight and fiscal restraint," he said, and asked commissioners to weigh trade-offs carefully against preservation and transit needs statewide.
Pham framed his plea in the context of an upcoming state budget period and argued that asking the legislature to raise additional billions amid a statewide fiscal squeeze would be politically and practically difficult. He said other states have reduced bridge sizes by roughly 40% in comparative examples and urged similar attention to cost containment in Oregon.
