August 18, 2026

Columbia River crossing out for bid in WSDOT’s largest contract ever

Photo from IBR Facebook [enlarge]

The Interstate Bridge’s first span opened in 1917. Two new fixed-span multimodal bridges will be built west of the of the existing crossing.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is seeking a progressive design-builder for the largest contract ever in Washington or Oregon.

At long last, the request for qualifications dropped Monday on WSDOT's contract page for the $3.3 billion to $3.9 billion Columbia River Bridge Replacement (CRBR) contract that includes designing, permitting and constructing twin Interstate 5 spans to replace the aging crossing.

The selected team will design and build two new earthquake-ready, multimodal fixed-span interstate bridges over the Columbia River west of the existing spans. They will also construct new approaches and interchange ramp connections to state Route 14 in Washington, and Oregon's Hayden Island.

A voluntary submitters meeting is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the Holiday Inn Columbia Riverfront on the Oregon side of the bridge at 909 N. Hayden Island Drive in North Portland. The meeting will include a briefing to potential primes on the procurement process, as well as time for networking for firms of all sizes, a spokesperson told the DJC. Register to attend: https://vendor.interstatebridge.org/

Statements of qualifications are due Sept. 30, and WSDOT plans to release the RFP to the shortlist on Nov. 23. Contractor selection is slated for the spring, with construction set to start in 2028.

WSDOT is administering the project in close collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation, according to the communications team for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR), made up of multiple state and local transportation departments in Washington and Oregon — and it's a historic contract for both agencies.

“To our knowledge, the CRBR contract will be the single largest contract that WSDOT or ODOT have ever awarded, with an estimated range of $3.3 billion to $3.9 billion,” the IBR program told the DJC in an emailed statement. “The scale of the CRBR contract means that WSDOT and ODOT expect there to be plenty of work for firms in our region representing both sides of the Columbia River.”

“Prospective prime contractors will be asked to submit plans for how they will engage and utilize small and local businesses to help deliver the project,” the statement said.

‘PLENTY OF WORK FOR FIRMS'

Map from IBR program materials [enlarge]

The project includes rebuilding approximately 1.5 miles of I-5 between Washington’s Evergreen Boulevard and Oregon’s North Portland Harbor.

The CRBR project includes rebuilding approximately 1.5 miles of I-5 between Washington's Evergreen Boulevard and Oregon's North Portland Harbor.

The two new spans at the heart of the project will each have three lanes of general traffic and one lane of auxiliary traffic, with inside shoulders for bus travel.

The southbound Washington to Oregon structure will have additional width to allow for future light rail. The northbound Oregon to Washington structure will have a shared-use bike and pedestrian path.

The Oregon side approach includes a full Hayden Island interchange replacement and will connect to the existing I-5 at the north end of the North Portland Harbor Bridge.

The Washington-side approach includes rebuilding the SR-14 interchange and connecting to the existing I-5 south of Evergreen Boulevard. About a half mile of SR-4 will be rebuilt.

Approaches include grade separations over BNSF tracks. The megacontract will also include widening and reconfiguring some local roads and intersections, including North Tomahawk Island Drive and North Hayden Island Drive in Oregon, and Southeast Columbia Way, West Fourth Street and Washington Street in Washington.

The selected progressive design-builder will also construct two toll points on the interstate and build stormwater treatment facilities. WSDOT has already contracted with Kapsch of Vienna to operate and maintain the toll systems.

The project includes working around in-water regulations and bridge opening schedules for construction as well as removing the existing 116-year-old bridge structure, including the superstructure and substructure below the mudline, as well as the piles.

Bridge construction is expected to last six to seven years, followed by two to three years of work removing the bridge.

MORE IBR WORK STILL PLANNED

The U.S. Coast Guard gave approval in January to a fixed-span design for the long-awaited replacement, allowing the work to proceed hundreds of millions of dollars lighter than with a movable span.

But updated cost estimates released in March by IBR meant original plans that included other projects along a 5-mile stretch of I-5 needed to be pushed back, with initial construction focused on this CRBR contract that zeroes in on rebuilding the bridge and its approaches.

IBR confirmed last month it had $5.7 billion in hand in federal state and local funding to fund the work, now being called the first phase of the project. In addition to the new bridges, toll infrastructure (with collection slated to start in 2028 on the existing bridge), and old Interstate Bridge removal, this phase of work includes advancing light-rail designs in alignment with federal transit grant requirements.

IBR said both states remain committed to building the additional planned projects in the 5-mile corridor over time.

The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration issued an amended record of decision last month, concluding environmental review for the decades-in-the-making project.

PROJECT DELIVERY

Photo from IBR Facebook [enlarge]

The Interstate Bridge’s first span over the Columbia River opened in 1917.

The project will be designed and constructed in two phases using the PDB delivery method.

The engineer's estimate for the PDB contract (including all design, permitting and construction for the project) is $3.3 billion to $3.9 billion. That includes $85 million to $135 million for Phase I preconstruction and design services, $65 million to $100 million for Phase II design and permitting, and $3.15 billion to $3.65 billion for construction.

The Phase I contract is expected to be executed on July 30, 2027, according to the RFQ, with Phase II contract work expected to commence in October 2028.

WSDOT will pay a $1 million stipend to all proposers that participate fully in the process described in the RFP.

Firms interested in the project can sign up for future notices at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOT/subscriber/new