CURRENT TIMELINE
Completed Milestones	Date Completed
Notice of Intent	September 2005
Draft EIS	May 2008

Columbia River Crossing – Oregon and Washington

Interstate 5 (I-5) is the only continuous north-south interstate highway on the West Coast, linking the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This corridor has been recognized by FHWA as a Corridor of the Future because of its importance to the region and the nation.

The I-5 Columbia River Crossing project is a multimodal improvement project that is intended to reduce congestion, enhance safety, and increase the mobility of motorists, freight, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The project involves a five-mile segment of the I-5 corridor spanning the Columbia River and extending from State Route 500 in Vancouver, Washington, to approximately Columbia Boulevard in Portland, Oregon. The project includes the two interstate bridges (northbound and southbound) across the Columbia River.

The Columbia River Crossing has been called the only red light on the interstate system, because the bridges have lift spans that are raised 20 to 30 times per month to accommodate vessel traffic on the river. In addition, the current bridges do not meet today’s earthquake standards, and the narrow lanes, short on-ramps, and a lack of safety shoulders on the bridges contribute to an accident rate more than double that of similar urban highways.

The project's six local partner agencies have selected a replacement I-5 bridge and light rail extension as the project's locally preferred alternative. This alternative also includes a wider and safer path for pedestrians and bicyclists. For more information, please visit the project website.