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August 14, 1997
$100 million Oregon bridge wins approval
SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Gov. John Kitzhaber has signed a bill authorizing the Port of St. Helens to construct and operate a new $100 million Lewis & Clark bridge between St. Helens and Longview.
The existing bridge, built in the 1930s, is in such poor shape that it has been closed overnight for repairs several times this summer.
If all goes according to plan, the new four-lane bridge would be open around 2006.
Money for the new bridge could come from various sources, including driver tolls, state highway taxes and private investment.
The bill signed by Kitzhaber allows the port to operate the new bridge as a toll facility, although a final decision on whether to charge drivers to use the bridge would be made later by state and local officials.
Under one plan being considered, local drivers, who make four-fifths of all bridge trips, would carry electronic "stored value" chips within their cars. When the vehicles passed a scanning device, the toll would be deducted.
A local bridge authority will be formed to hear citizens' comments and to conduct siting, design and funding studies for the new bridge.
However, Port Commissioner Eric Dahlgren said a "ton of work" remains before any plans go out for public consideration.