The Washington State Transportation Commission met with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) on Tuesday to discuss tolling on the Interstate Bridge.
Both agencies laid out options for future tolls for the updated bridge that crosses the Columbia River. Pre-completion tolls range from $1.55 to $3.20. However, post-completion prices could go up to $4.70.
Members of the committee told the commission they would plan to leverage at least $1.24 billion in toll revenue for capital funding to as much as $1.6 billion.
Toll rates would go up at least 2% annually.
Members voted in favor of a level 3 tolling scenario for further study. Both state commissions need a majority vote to pass the proposed tolls.
One of the points in the discussion was toll exemptions or discounts for members of 10 federally recognized tribes in the region. Washington allows tolling exemptions for a handful of tribes, such as the Nez Perce and Yakama Nation.
There are plans to reduce tolls once construction is paid off, according to officials.
The project began as the Columbia River Crossing project in 2004, but the project was suspended in 2014 due to lack of regional consensus.
The plan was brought back in 2019, and a joint commission was made up of transportation leaders from Washington and Oregon.
Construction of the new Interstate Bridge is expected to begin in early 2026 with tolling to follow in spring of 2026.
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Source: Washington Examiner, King 5
