November 18, 2024
Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
Attn: Draft SEIS Public Comment
500 Broadway, Suite 200
Vancouver WA 98660

To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the Oregon Trucking Association and the Washington Trucking Associations and the thousands of trucking companies we represent, we urge you to consider the long-term capacity needs of the Interstate 5 bridge as you finalize design of this critical new infrastructure project for our region.

As part of the National Truck Network, the I-5 freeway is the only continuous north-south interstate route on the west coast connecting Canada to the Mexican border and it a vital transportation route to our local, state, regional, and national economies. The I-5 bridge provides important highway connections to the ports along the Columbia River, as well as the majority of the area’s freight consolidation facilities and distribution centers.

As you know, the current I-5 bridge is over 60 years old, and it is not unreasonable to assume that the replacement bridge will also be in service for more than 50 years. We must ensure that the next iteration of the bridge not only adequately account for current capacity and demand, but that it also plans for future capacity for the next 50+ years as much as possible.

Currently, more than 114,000 freight trips carrying over $132M in commodities cross the bridge each day. That volume is projected to more than double over the next 25 years. Passenger vehicle trips have also continued to grow with population increases and are expected to increase over the next 50 years. Without additional capacity on the I-5 bridge, hours of delay on this key national freight route will increase. In addition, freight costs are expected to increase more than 90 percent over the next 20 years due to the cost of congestion without additional capacity.

We must increase vehicle capacity in any future iteration of the I-5 bridge. Our top priorities – and those of the members we represent who keep our economies moving – are congestion relief, throughput improvement, and freight mobility. Expanded roadway capacity by adding two auxiliary lanes should be the minimum strategy to address this need.

This will remain an important route for high, wide and heavy loads and these additional height and width needs should also be taken into consideration as overpasses and tolling gantries are going through the design and construction process.

Like many of us, safety remains a top priority for our members with any new bridge design. The first step to improving bridge safety is the establishment of 12-foot lane widths and wide shoulders, in addition to separation of bike, pedestrian, and freight and bus-only lanes. Finally, any future bridge should be designed to withstand extreme geologic or weather events, limiting closures and restrictions for freight and ensuring the safety of all users.

We also recognize that the question of tolling remains a top priority for many involved in the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program. Generally, the trucking industry is not supportive of tolling existing infrastructure. However, if the final bridge design includes enhanced capacity, support for tolling may increase. If tolls are to be implemented, we encourage them to be limited to one direction and ensure that they have predictable rates that do not put a heavier burden on freight. Unfortunately, because most trucking companies are unable to add the cost of tolling onto their contracts, they are forced to absorb the cost of tolls. Those increased costs are often rolled into higher freight costs overall, raising the price of products that are moved through toll roads. Finally, we want to ensure that any tolls will be used to pay for infrastructure and provide for future ongoing maintenance and preservation and are not diverted to other projects.

Above all else, we urge you to consider capacity needs for freight and passenger vehicles. We are extremely concerned that we are not building adequate capacity for current demand, let alone future demand. Thank you for the opportunity provide comments and we look forward to continuing conversations with the IBR Program around design specifics of the new bridge.

Sincerely,
Jana Jarvis
President & CEO
Oregon Trucking Association

Sheri Call
President & CEO
Washington Trucking Associations