Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority Update on Bridge Investment Program
As the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement project moves through the design process, the Authority is seeking remaining construction funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Bridge Investment Program (BIP). With $588 million in federal, state, and local funding already committed to the project, our BIP request represents the final piece needed to move into construction.
This week, USDOT announced Large BIP Fiscal Year 2025 awards for two projects. While the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project was not selected in this round, the Authority remains confident in the strength of the project and the competitiveness of its pending FY 2026 application and expects a decision later this year.
The BIP grant program is a competitive, multi-round federal program authorized in 2021 to address the nation’s aging bridge infrastructure, with $9.7 billion in total funding. The Authority has applied in both the FY 2025 and FY 2026 rounds for $532 million. The FY 2026 application remains active and under review, with a decision expected later this year. In a previous round, the project was rated "highly recommended" by USDOT, and our FY 2026 application is even stronger, demonstrating clear regional and national value.
The project continues to advance with strong momentum. Final design is underway, with Kiewit under contract as the progressive design-builder and on track to deliver a construction-ready set of plans by spring 2027. The project received its Record of Decision in November 2025, completing the federal environmental review process. Oregon and Washington have each committed $125 million, and the project has secured a $200 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant. Together, these milestones reflect a broadly supported project that is positioned to move into construction as early as 2027.
The Authority remains in close coordination with USDOT and the region's congressional delegation and will continue advocating for this critical investment.