East Columbia Neighborhood Association

Bi-state Legislative Committee receives update on Interstate Bridge Replacement

On July 28, the Interstate Bridge Replacement program provided updates to members of the Oregon and Washington legislatures that make up the IBR Bi-State Legislative Committee. Program updates included an overview of recent activity including conceptual bridge visualizations that the program released in May, anticipated funding sources including federal grant updates, and an overview of upcoming work as part of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process, which builds on the National Environmental Policy Act work from previous planning efforts and focuses on components that have changed. Legislators stressed the importance of significant community engagement in addition to mitigating risks to cost and budget. Committee members also expressed interest in additional funding specifics and the details of the Draft SEIS, which will evaluate the benefits and impacts of the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for public review and comment. Community members also participated in the meeting by providing public comment during the committee meeting. Topics included sentiments about the size of the bridge, budget concerns, and the need for continual community education. You can access the video and meeting materials on both the Washington and Oregon legislative committee pages.

Office Hours Are Here!

Curious about the IBR program? Come to our Vancouver, Washington office, in person or virtually, and get your questions answered! Starting in August, the IBR team is offering weekly timeslots for community members to sign up for a 30-minute appointment to connect one-on-one with a member of the team. Office Hours will be available at various times and days of the week as we hope to make them as inclusive and accessible as possible. In an effort to ensure we have the right staff available to answer questions, community members are asked to sign up at least 24 hours in advance. You can view upcoming Office Hours opportunities on our Meetings & Events calendar and sign up for an appointment via SignUpGenius, by emailing info@interstatebridge.org, or by calling 888-503-6735. Please provide your contact information so that we can confirm your appointment and provide you with the necessary details. We look forward to connecting with you!

What’s Been Happening

Vancouver Pride

An image of IBR staff interacting with a community member at an outdoor event by a table with IBR print materials

On July 8, the IBR team attended Vancouver Pride, hosted at Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, Washington. Our staff provided the opportunity for participants to learn about the program, ask questions, and share their feedback. Nearly 150 people stopped by the event table, and it’s clear there is a lot of anticipation for the program.

A rainbow colored graphic titled "2023 Vancouver Pride - What We Heard: with an illustration of people holding hands and five text bubbles that say "I'm excited about the light rail because I don't drive", "I think you guys are going in the right direction.", "Looking forward to the bridge being replaced.", "Hooray! I won't need to take three buses to work anymore!", and "Build a bridge [I] don't care how long it takes... also, [make it] safe!"

Summer Outreach at Community Events

Our team is busy this summer visiting fairs, festivals and other community events to answer your questions about the program. Please stop by and see us at an upcoming event! The program will also continue to add opportunities to engage throughout 2023 – visit our events calendar and sign up for updates at www.InterstateBridge.org.

Meetings & Events Calendar

Recent Meeting Highlights

Community Advisory Group | July 13 – The Community Advisory Group (CAG) received program updates, including acknowledgement of the recent $1 billion funding commitment from the Oregon State Legislature, information on federal grants, and a summary of recent community events and meetings that the program attended. CAG members discussed the “people-first” design approach and their priorities as individuals and organizations. The design team presented program area investments and an aerial roll map highlighting investments at Hayden Island and Expo/Marine Drive. The presentation was followed by a conversation on urban design and the community values and characteristics that should be taken into consideration. Equity Advisory Group | July 17 – The Equity Advisory Group (EAG) was informed about the creation of the IBR Staff Equity Council, comprised of internal IBR staff from different disciplines; the EAG shared suggestions and tools the IBR Equity Council can use in implementing equity throughout the program. The design team presented elements of the program on the Oregon side and program investments, addressing questions asked at the last EAG meeting, including explaining how the Equity Framework is being applied. An outline for letters of support from the EAG for federal infrastructure grants was introduced, asking the EAG for feedback.

Leadership Spotlight

Aidan Gronauer | Civil Rights Manager

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