Newsroom Articles

CRC will have informational booths at various fairs and festivals throughout the summer to provide updates on recent developments, including information about the project’s schedule and next steps. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about the project and hand out informational materials. In the coming weeks, project staff will be attending the following events:   

• Portland Sunday Parkway: Northeast  – May 13, Portland, OR 
• Kenton Street Fair – May 20, Portland, OR
• Woodland Planters Days – June 16, Woodland, WA
• Good in the Neighborhood – June 23, Portland, OR
• Portland Sunday Parkways: North – June 24, Portland, OR
• Vancouver Farmers Market – June 30, Vancouver, WA
• 4th Plain International Festival – July 14, Vancouver, WA
• Battle Ground Harvest Days – July 21, Battle Ground, WA
• Ho’ike and Hawaiian Festival – July 28

Visit the calendar for a complete listing of summer events and community presentations where CRC will be present.

Cyclists and pedestrians traveling through the CRC project area will experience minor construction detours as the CRC conducts construction techniques testing starting in mid-March. A pre-construction test project will occur at two locations just west of the I-5 Bridge near the I-5/State Route 14 interchange in Washington and near the Hayden Island interchange in Oregon. Construction chain-link fencing will be placed around the work zones and large cranes will be visible.

Temporary detour routes will be clearly marked at both work locations, with flaggers/spotters present during all work hours.

In Oregon, the temporary route will only affect bicycle and pedestrian traffic destined for points on the west side of I-5 on Hayden Island.

In Washington, the east lane of SE Columbia Way will be shifted between the Interstate Bridge underpass and West 3^rd Street. In this location, pedestrians will be directed to cross SE Columbia Way to the sidewalk on the west side of SE Columbia Way; bicycle traffic will merge with vehicle traffic for this short distance.

The project could take up to 14 weeks to complete with work occurring in daytime and night-time hours. All work is expected to be complete by summer 2012.

Work zone safety is a vital component of any construction project. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are responsible for staying alert and obeying traffic laws, signage and flaggers. Most importantly, slow down when traveling in work zones.

The construction of the replacement Interstate Bridge requires a general bridge permit be issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, an agency primarily focused on the needs of navigation. We are interested in protecting a clear path for both river navigation and freight movement.

The formal process to apply for many permits begins once a project has completed its environmental planning process. The Columbia River Crossing Project completed the planning process in December 2011 with receipt of its Record of Decision. 
 
We have been working with the U.S. Coast Guard since 2005 to improve the river crossing and river navigation. Current plans call for about 95 feet above the Columbia River datum, which provides between 75 and 95 feet of navigational clearance depending on water level. This proposed navigational clearance was identified in 2006 by CRC based on a previous survey of river users and airport navigation limits. Some river users have stated they require greater clearances.
 
As part of the general bridge permit process, we are currently performing an updated data-collection effort. CRC has asked Columbia River vessel owners and ports to provide information by mid-March on vessel size, frequency of vessel use and future business plans. This data will be considered as project officials continue to analyze existing and future river navigation clearance needs. The data and additional analysis also will be considered by the U.S. Coast Guard when reviewing a permit application from the Columbia River Crossing project.
 
CRC is working to ensure that interests of river users are met while also giving consideration to flight paths over the bridge, the nearby communities and the overall cost and schedule of the project.
 
We have worked with the Coast Guard to identify the necessary next steps related to the bridge permit process. They include:

• Collect and review updated river use data from vessel owners, ports and businesses
• Analyze vessel impacts and investigate minimization opportunities for unavoidable impacts
• Submit draft bridge permit application for review
• Hold public comment period
• Submit final permit application for review
• Issue permit

We expect the bridge permitting process to be complete early next year.

The Columbia River Crossing project will conduct a construction techniques test project starting mid-March. Construction on the test project is scheduled to be complete by summer 2012.

This test project will help engineers evaluate: 

• Construction techniques for bridge foundations
• Noise and ground vibration levels produced by pile driving at different locations and distances 
• Installation methods to ensure the construction phase of the replacement I-5 bridge stays on schedule and on budget
• Methods and procedures to help ensure foundation work will not diminish groundwater quality 

The test project focuses on construction techniques for drilling shafts and pile driving. Construction crews plan a total of three drilled shafts and five driven piles at two on-land locations just west of Interstate 5 near the I-5/State Route 14 interchange in Washington and the Hayden Island interchange in Oregon. Drilled shafts are deep, cylindrical holes into which concrete is poured for bridge foundations. A pile is a long, cylindrical steel column that is driven into the soil to provide support for bridges and other structures. 

Please visit the CRC website for more information, including a map with temporary detours for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The CRC project has been awarded a national environmental award for its work to evaluate construction effects to fish species. 

CRC received a 2012 National Environmental Excellence Award by the National Association of Environmental Professionals for its 2011 study of potential impacts to threatened and endangered fish in the Columbia River. The project’s submittal, Columbia River Crossing Hydroacoustic Analysis on Threatened and Endangered Fish, was recognized for excellence in demonstrating use of best available environmental technology.

CRC conducted test pile research to measure pile driving noise levels, distance of sound travel, and effectiveness of "bubble curtains" to reduce underwater noise. The results of the study were used to evaluate environmental impacts and plan for construction. The research showed that installation of the test piles can be done primarily by a vibration method.

The Columbia River is a migratory corridor for 16 species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including three endangered runs of salmon. Other species of concern include white sturgeon, Pacific lamprey, and California sea lions. Underwater noise impacts from installation of hundreds of piles could harm these aquatic species. (Piles will be installed to support temporary work platforms during construction of the replacement I-5 bridge.) 

Learn more about the test pile study results here.