Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, recalled meeting with federal transportation officials to discuss renewed efforts to replace the century-old Interstate 5 Bridge across the Columbia River.
Since the demise of the Columbia River Crossing, the previous replacement project in 2013, both Oregon and Washington have faced the prospect of having to repay nearly $150 million to the federal government in September if they couldn’t demonstrate progress on replacing the antiquated bridge. Cleveland recalled asking in the meeting about the prospect of having to repay federal funds.
“The response was: ‘We don’t know; that’s never happened before,’” said Cleveland.
After Washington Legislature adjourned its 105-day session Sunday night, Cleveland is more confident the two states won’t be on the hook to repay the feds after she secured $35 million in the state’s $52.4 billion two-year budget toward replacing the bridge.
During the session, lawmakers also approved funding for a revamp of the state’s dysfunctional mental health system, as well as legislation changing how local jurisdictions collect taxes that are expected to give some residents a break. While elected officials say Clark County fared relatively well this session, Republican legislators weren’t pleased with additional taxes used to pay for it.
“There were just multiple taxes that we simply didn’t need,” said Rep. Larry Hoff, R-Vancouver. “If we would have tightened our belt a little, all the good programs would have been funded.”
Days before the Legislature was scheduled to adjourn, both the House and Senate versions of the state’s two-year transportation budget contained over $8 million for a project office to replace the I-5 Bridge.
By the time the Legislature adjourned on Sunday night, the total amount dedicated to replacing the bridge ballooned to $35 million.
According to a press release from Cleveland’s office, half of the $35 million will go to opening and operating the I-5 Bridge office; the rest will fund the future predesign and planning of the bridge.
“I felt very strongly that we owe it to our partners, particularly the state of Oregon, to demonstrate our commitment to working with them on a new I-5 Bridge,” Cleveland told The Columbian. “Given the past history and the fact that Oregon has been clear that they need to see a strong financial commitment, this was something that I needed to go to the mat on.”
In a statement, Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle thanked Cleveland and the Southwest Washington delegation for their work on replacing the bridge, which she called “critical to meeting the region’s transportation and economic development needs over the next 100 years and beyond.”
Cleveland said that the additional funding for the bridge was generated by a tax hike under the Model Toxics Control Act, Washington’s environmental cleanup law. Cleveland said that with Democrats in full control of the Legislature for the first budget-writing process in years, she felt a responsibility to push for funding.
