With Oregon looking to match funds, the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge replacement project is making headway after Washington authorized more cash to replace the century-old structure.
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Authority praised Washington state lawmakers in a late May news release for allocating an additional $50 million to the project, which Governor Bob Ferguson signed into law on May 21.
The Evergreen State’s $50 million contribution brings the state’s 2023 pledge of $75 million to a total of $125 million for the construction of a safer bridge.
“We deeply appreciate the strong backing from lawmakers in Olympia, especially Senator Curtis King, whose long-standing commitment to this project has been instrumental,” HRWSBA Co-Chair Jacob Anderson stated. “We’re also thankful for the leadership and advocacy of Senator Paul Harris, Representative David Stuebe, and Representative Kevin Waters, and statewide leaders on transportation policy like Senator Marko Liias, Representative Jake Fey, and Representative Andrew Barkis.”
“This funding shows that Washington is stepping up for this critical bi-state connection and the communities that rely on it,” Anderson added. “With Oregon matching that commitment, both states can send a unified message to federal partners: this project is a priority, and we’re ready to deliver.”
The authority is currently considering Oregon House Bill 2184, which would provide $105 million for the project and assist the state in matching Washington’s financial obligations, as the legislative session in Washington draws to a close.
The bill is currently being discussed by the Ways and Means Committee after passing the Joint Committee on Transportation in April under the leadership of Rep. Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) and Oregon Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles).
The bridge authority is pleading with Oregon lawmakers to approve the funding in the interim.
Rep. Helfrich referred to the bill as a “critical lifeline for our bi-state communities” during a hearing held by the Oregon legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation on April 1.
The state legislator also emphasized his 25 years of prior experience as a police officer, stating that a new bridge would be a “vital link” in life-or-death crises like earthquakes or wildfires.
Helfrich reminded the committee that more federal funding for the project depends on Oregon’s commitment to the project, saying, “The time to act and build this new bridge is now.”
“Most of you have crossed the old bridge yourselves—perhaps gripping the wheel a little tighter as a semi passes just inches away in the opposite lane,” HRWSBA Co-chair Fox explained in written testimony filed to the transportation committee, outlining the necessity for a new bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1924 for cattle and Model Ts, not for the needs of modern traffic, business, or safety regulations, as you have personally witnessed.
Read Also: Town of Hempstead Now Claims $20M in School Bus Traffic Fines Are Legitimate
“The current bridge is too narrow, with no shoulders or space for emergency vehicles, let alone bikes and pedestrians. At just 9½ feet per lane, trucks routinely straddle the centerline. It’s weight-restricted, unable to handle modern freight, and poses growing safety and mobility risks. We’ve long known it wasn’t built to withstand a major earthquake—but recent geotechnical surveys revealed that many of its foundations aren’t even anchored to bedrock. Instead, they rest in compacted gravel now known to be vulnerable to liquefaction. Out of a score of 100, ODOT’s sufficiency rating for this bridge is a 7,” Fox said.
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project website states that the new bridge design intends to improve car, pedestrian, bike, and transit access while addressing concerns regarding river navigation for vessels.
A 12-foot lane with eight-foot shoulders in each way, a 12-foot bike and walking path, additional barge space, seismic safety enhancements, and measures to prevent direct vehicle runoff from entering the Columbia River are also part of the design.
