I-5 Bridge Latest: Mayor Wheeler Tells The States Work Together

PORTLAND, OR – One thing that everyone agrees on is that the Interstate Bridge needs to be replaced. The problem is that none of them agree on how it should be done.

Millions have been spent to study the issue and develop plans.

Still, no progress has been made. Get all the latest information on what's happening in your community by signing up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler says that despite that, Oregon and Washington need to figure out how they are going to work together and make it happen.

"It needs to be done," he said on Friday. It is the only drawbridge on the interstate system, it creates a tremendous amount of congestion, and it is not seismically sound.

"Washington and Oregon have to work together with the federal government in a partnership to get it done."

While Wheeler is glad that people are again talking about replacing the bridge, he's not holding his breath.

"All of us are under a healthy dose of skepticism," he said. "We've been down this road before."

Wheeler said that despite that and despite failures, it is time for leaders to step up.

"If we just say we're so bruised because of what happened last time that we're going to not deal with it, what we're really saying is we couldn't get the job done so we're going to punt it to our kids and let them figure it out," he said.

"That's not leadership. That's abdication of responsibility."

Photo via Clark County.