The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program has reached a milestone with the receipt of a federal Record of Decision, allowing the project to advance toward procurement and construction. However, significant funding questions remain unanswered, with Neighbors for a Better Crossing warning that the project’s $14.4 billion cost leaves roughly $9 billion with no identified funding plan.

Funding Concerns

While the Federal Record of Decision completes the environmental review process, it does not address the critical issue of how the remaining billions of dollars needed to complete the project will be funded. Gary Clark, Chair of Neighbors for a Better Crossing, emphasized that a record of decision is not an indication of financial readiness and that these questions should be answered before procurement begins.

NFBC is calling on the governors of Oregon and Washington, state legislatures, Congress, federal transportation officials, and independent oversight agencies to publicly explain how the remaining billions of dollars needed to complete the project will be funded. The organization is also urging an independent outside financial audit of the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program to ensure transparency and accountability.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.