In the state Legislature on Monday, three words rang loudest from supporters of a bill that would make replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge a project of statewide significance: bicameral, bipartisan and priority.
But not everyone was convinced, however, during committee hearings on the legislation in the House and Senate.
“I’m pleased to bring forth legislation that represents consensus,” state Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, said while introducing Senate Bill 5608 to the Senate Transportation Committee. “It represents commitment of our Southwest Washington delegation to work together to solve transportation challenges.”
The bill is co-sponsored locally by Sens. Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, and Ann Rivers, R-La Center.
“This is just the beginning of a very, very long journey ahead, but I’m confident we’re going to continue to work together,” Cleveland said.
Although the discussion was about building a replacement for the I-5 Bridge, the conversations occasionally veered back to the failed Columbia River Crossing project.
“I was really disappointed the last (Columbia River Crossing) thing fell apart the way it did,” said committee member Sen. Dean Takko, D-Longview. “One of the big hang-ups before was light rail. Is there any consensus on light rail?”
Cleveland said the bill was meant to “first and foremost” create an “open and transparent” process, and design discussions would come later.
Mostly a process piece of legislation, the Senate bill would designate replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge as a project of statewide significance. It would direct Washington’s governor to work with Oregon’s governor to bring stakeholders and employees of both states’ departments of transportation together on a legislative action committee. It also includes language for a public comment process and directs leaders to investigate any relevant remaining inventory from the defunct Columbia River Crossing project.
In the Senate committee, 20 people registered in support of the bill while one person registered against it.
Vancouver City Councilman Jack Burkman, Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow, Washougal Mayor Sean Guard, Regional Transportation Council CEO Matt Ransom, Mike Bomar of the Columbia River Economic Development Council and Mike Iyall of the Cowlitz Tribal Council, among others, spoke in favor of the legislation.
Many praised the collaboration between members of both parties in the Southwest Washington delegation, decried the congestion on the 100-year-old I-5 Bridge and emphasized what they said was the need for a replacement to meet the region’s growing economy and population.
The House version of the bridge bill, House Bill 2095, is sponsored locally by state Reps. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver; Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver; Brandon Vick, R-Felida and Paul Harris, R-Vancouver.
When it came before the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, asked if the bill could be amended to include corridors outside of the I-5 Bridge.
Wylie, a sponsor of the bill, told the House committee that the legislation “represents a yearslong effort trying to figure out what would be a reasonable start to the process. … We’re not chasing after one particular vision, but we’re opening the discussion to solving a problem that still needs to be solved.”
Wylie said the bill includes a Columbia River bridge authority to address other bridges, but noted that those can’t be built without additional corridors.
Ten people signed up to speak Monday on the House bill, three of whom spoke against it.
Onslow, Guard and Burkman spoke of how replacement would benefit their constituents and help their cities attract new businesses.
Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, a transportation committee member who has a bill of her own aimed at restarting discussions about crossing the Columbia River, questioned them about the purpose of building a replacement bridge while congestion along I-5 in Portland remains a problem.
“Will your residents be satisfied when all we have built is a new parking lot?” she asked.
In response, Guard emphasized the existing bridge’s vulnerability to earthquakes and the subsequent risk of having only the Interstate 205 Bridge to cross the Columbia locally.
Burkman added that Oregon is taking steps to improve congestion in the Rose Quarter of Portland.
“Replacing that really old bridge is a major step forward,” Burkman said.
