The last few weeks, Seattle commuters have been weathering I-5 maintenance on the Ship Canal Bridge. The traffic is bad, the timeline is long … yeah, it’s not fun. 

Maybe this will help ease the frustration while you wait in traffic. It could be worse: we could need a whole new bridge.

That’s the situation for the I-5 span over the Columbia River, at the border of Washington and Oregon. Parts of the crossing are over 100 years old, and local leaders have discussed a replacement for decades.

Planning between Washington and Oregon started twenty years ago … the project hasn’t broken ground yet, and cost estimates have recently ballooned.

But the I-5 bridge replacement got good news from the Coast Guard this month that could make it a tad less pricey.

Guests: 
Carley Francis, Interim Program Administrator for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program

Related links: 
Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
Washington State Is Losing Control of the Columbia Interstate Bridge Replacement Megaproject » The Urbanist
Coast Guard OKs new I-5 bridge over Columbia River without movable span • Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The last few weeks, Seattle commuters have been weathering I-5 maintenance on the Ship Canal Bridge. The traffic is bad, the timeline is long &hellip; yeah, it&rsquo;s not fun.&nbsp;
Maybe this will help ease the frustration while you wait in traffic. It could be worse: we could need a whole new bridge.
That&rsquo;s the situation for the I-5 span over the Columbia River, at the border of Washington and Oregon.&nbsp;Parts of the crossing are over 100 years old, and local leaders have discussed a replacement for decades.
Planning between Washington and Oregon started twenty years ago &hellip; the project hasn&rsquo;t broken ground yet, and cost estimates have recently ballooned.
But the I-5 bridge replacement got good news from the Coast Guard this month that could make it a tad less pricey.
Guests:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Carley Francis, Interim Program Administrator for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program</li>
</ul>
Related links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.interstatebridge.org/">Interstate Bridge Replacement Program</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/2022/12/28/washington-state-is-losing-control-of-the-interstate-bridge-replacement-megaproject/">Washington State Is Losing Control of the Columbia Interstate Bridge Replacement Megaproject &raquo; The Urbanist</a></li>
<li><a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/16/coast-guard-will-not-require-drawbridge-to-replace-i-5-span-over-columbia-river/">Coast Guard OKs new I-5 bridge over Columbia River without movable span &bull; Washington State Standard</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Construction along the Ship Canal Bridge is frustrating Seattle commuters... but another part of I-5 could need a whole new bridge.