Governors John Kitzhaber and Christine Gregoire said that the Columbia River Crossing is vital to the success of both Oregon and Washington. We agree.
At a press conference April 25 on Hayden Island, the two Governors announced that the chosen design for a new bridge is the composite deck truss. Gregoire said the composite deck truss is the most affordable option for taxpayers, keeps the project on track – which is important for securing federal funding – and minimizes the project’s environmental impact.
By proceeding with a deck truss bridge plan for the Columbia River Crossing the Governors are ensuring our region has the infrastructure it needs to compete in a global economy.
Kitzhaber outlined some next steps including:
- Both Governors will work with federal partners to complete the record of decision by the end of the year.
- Both state treasurers will work with bond experts and legislators to conduct an independent financial review of the project. The review will take place later this year.
- The project team will immediately engage bridge architects and designers.
We applaud the leadership of the two Governors to move this critical project forward, and for responding to concerns about cost and environmental impact by recommending the deck truss bridge and engaging the state treasurers and legislators in a financial review of the project.
Both Oregon and Washington must continue advancing the project in order to get federal funding. Missing out on federal funding would be ad bad deal for Oregon and Washington taxpayers, sticking them with a greater portion of the expense for this project that is important not only at a local, but also a regional and national level.
