Bipartisan Oregon legislation introduced to fund replacement bridge

A new bipartisan bill introduced to the Oregon Legislature, Senate Bill 431, aims to provide $125 million in state funding for the construction of a new Hood River-White Salmon Bridge. The new bridge will replace the nearly 100-year-old steel structure currently connecting the mid-Columbia communities. The bill is sponsored by Senator Daniel Bonham and Representative Jeff Helfrich along with co-sponsors Senators Findley, Gorsek, and Hansell, as well as Representatives Lewis, McLain, and Pham K. These sponsors are working to get the bill passed and secure Oregon state funding for the new bridge. The bill is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, February 7, in front of the Joint Transportation Committee.

Recent feedback from the U.S. Department of Transportation emphasizes the importance of securing state funding to strengthen federal grant applications. If the funding represented in the bill is approved, it will provide the necessary state funding from Oregon and will support the process of obtaining additional funding from the federal government.

Senate Bill 431 is sponsored by representatives from across the political spectrum, including both Republicans and Democrats. The sponsors represent a diverse range of regions in the state, including both rural and urban areas, from Hood River and Troutdale to Hillsboro and Outer SE Portland, as well as Umatilla County in the northeast corner of the state and Senate District 30 which covers the southeast quadrant of the state. “This bipartisan and regional representation demonstrates broad support for funding the new Hood River-White Salmon Bridge,” said project director Michael Shannon. “It is also reflective of the unanimous support for the project in the local Gorge constituencies.”

Replacement project representatives will attend the annual “Gorge-ous Night in the Capitols” events, hosted each year by Gorge regional legislators in Salem and Olympia, along with elected officials, business owners and community members from the Columbia Gorge area. The Olympia event is scheduled for February 8 and the Salem event is scheduled for the following week, on February 15.

“We encourage our local Oregon residents to contact their state elected officials and reiterate the importance of this project to our region. Passing Senate Bill 431 will realize a big piece of the puzzle in terms of secured funding from both states,” said Port Commissioner Mike Fox, who also serves as Chair of the Bistate Working Group.

Large infrastructure projects like this are usually funded by a combination of federal and state grants and loans. Federal grants can only pay for up to 80% of a project and are highly competitive because there are more projects around the country than available funding. State funding is complex because the bridge spans two states, Oregon and Washington. Loans are government-backed, low-interest, and usually taken out against project-related revenue streams, such as tolls.

In the fall of 2021, design and construction costs for the new bridge were estimated at $500 million. The project team now forecasts the cost at $520 million. The original forecast accounted for 4% inflation per year, however, inflation in 2022 was 8% — and for some materials, even higher. If current inflation rates continue, the cost for the bridge is expected to increase by $20 million per year. This emphasizes the need to advance the project as soon as possible.

Currently, the project has secured $95 million in funding. Out of that $95 million, $80 million came from Washington through a $75 million allocation as part of the Move Ahead Washington funding plus an additional $5 million grant. The remaining $15 million was received through three different opportunities worth $5 million each: an American Rescue Plan grant through Oregon, a federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant and a 2017 Oregon grant that has been spent. These funds are being used to complete the planning phase of the project and begin the design and construction phases of the project.

Members of the Bridge Replacement Team at the Washington State capital in Olympia, Washington. Pictured from left to right: Michael Shannon, project director; Jacob Anderson, Klickitat County commissioner; Mike Fox, Port of Hood River commissioner; Marla Keethler, White Salmon mayor; Kevin Greenwood, Port of Hood River executive director.