PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon and Washington lawmakers appear to be growing frustrated with ongoing delays on the Interstate Bridge Replacement project, which is scheduled to start construction next year but is still struggling to win federal environmental approval and resolve key questions about the new bridge's design and river clearance.

News first surfaced last week that the project's Record of Decision — the federal green light to start construction — may not arrive until as late as April 2026. IBR project leaders have frequently stressed that delays in the planning process can translate into significant construction cost increases due to inflation, but there's another risk factor as the Record of Decision deadline slips farther into 2026.

"We have grants that have to be obligated and

See Full Page