Feds give WA, OR more time to repay bridge money
VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Federal Highway Administration is giving the states of Washington and Oregon five more years to repay tens of millions of dollars they were given for the now-defunct Columbia River Crossing — a new Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver.
The states requested the extension last month.
The Columbian reports the states could be on the hook for as much as $188 million. More than $100 million of that went to Oregon.
The $2.9 billion project shut down in May after five years of work as support shrank in both legislatures.
Transportation officials say a new I-5 bridge eventually will be needed over the Columbia River.
