Vancouver council urges Inslee, legislature to fund new I-5 bridge

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The Vancouver City Council has thrown their support behind efforts to replace the aging Interstate 5 bridge and are urging adequate funding from state lawmakers to help a replacement become a reality.

Last week the council unanimously approved a resolution which urges Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington Legislature to provide funds so the Washington State Department of Transportation can get to work on a replacement. 

Apart from a replacement bridge, the resolution also calls for “high capacity transit with a dedicated guideway,” as part of the city’s push for “a multi-modal approach of highway, high-capacity transit, and bicycle and pedestrian improvements to support the city’s and region’s travel needs.” 



“This is an important first step in moving the I-5 bridge project forward,” Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said in a statement. “The replacement of the bridge will be critical to the continued economic growth of the bi-state region.”  

Information provided alongside the resolution references 2017’s Senate Bill 5806 which established a legislative action committee for bridge replacement. The resolution notes the importance of the Interstate 5 corridor for connecting the west coast with Canada and Mexico, explaining that the route “between Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon experiences some of the most severe congestion along the entire length of the Interstate 5 corridor, especially during the daily commuting periods, affecting travel time reliability and hindering the efficient movement of people and freight.”