East Columbia Neighborhood Association

Learn about the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Process

The IBR program recently launched a new page on our website that provides the community with information about the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, including what the community can expect to find in the document, why the environmental review process is important, and how you can provide your input during the upcoming 60-day public comment period. A comprehensive notification process will inform the public when the Draft SEIS is published, and a full digital copy will be available on this webpage.    Additional information on other ways to access the materials and provide comment will be shared as we draw closer to the release of the Draft SEIS. We invite members of the public to use this page as their first point of reference when they have questions about the environmental process and how they will be able to provide input. Also, we invite you to learn more about the environmental review process by joining us at one of these upcoming meetings.

What’s Been Happening

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (center) and U.S. Department of Transportation Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights Irene Marion (left) met with IBR program staff, Tribal leaders and advisory group members for a roundtable discussion on Feb. 12, 2024.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation joins IBR and partners for roundtable discussion on equity

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg honored the IBR program by participating in two events during his visit Feb. 12-13. Sec. Buttigieg toured the bridge with dignitaries including Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. The tour also included a visit with program partners. Sec. Buttigieg graciously made time to sit down for a discussion with IBR and state transportation leadership, Tribal leaders, representatives of partner agencies and advisory group members to hear about the program’s commitment to centering equity. Buttigieg was joined by Irene Marion, U.S. DOT Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights. The conversation with the IBR program, its valued partners and Tribal leaders, provided Sec. Buttigieg and Dir. Marion a brief overview of the many ways we are focusing efforts to ensure the historical harms often caused by large infrastructure programs of the past are not repeated and that equity priority communities have a voice to help shape program work. This includes everything from listening to the diverse range of lived experience among the program’s advisory group members and intentional government-to-government consultation with sovereign Tribal Nations, to taking actions that support efforts to build a more diverse regional workforce and help create opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses to participate in contracting opportunities. “I am energized by the benefits that the right kind of inclusion and right kind of process can bring not only for the IBR program, but for the country as well,” Buttigieg said. “This can stand as a national model that can inform what we do on large and smaller projects; that’s why we are paying such close attention.”

Student journalists get firsthand look at challenges posed by the Interstate Bridge

Local college and high school journalism students joined leaders from the IBR program in February for two events that gave them an up-close look at the transportation issues the program seeks to address. The program sees youth ages 16 to 25 as an important audience to engage with, as both an equity priority community and the fact they are the future users of a replacement bridge aimed at serving travelers over the next century. On Feb. 15, students gathered at the IBR office in downtown Vancouver to meet Program Administrator Greg Johnson and Design Manager Shilpa Mallem, who served as tour guides. Participants toured the program area on a bus and made stops at the Interstate Bridge itself, Hayden Island, and Evergreen Boulevard where the program proposes to build a new transit station and other investments. The following week, students joined IBR leaders in a virtual format where they had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming release of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and ask questions regarding the environmental review process and public comment period.

IBR Program Administrator Greg Johnson (center) tours the Interstate Bridge with a group of local student journalists on Feb. 15, 2024.  New subcommittee on bi-state tolling holds first meeting The subcommittee that will make recommendations on tolling for the Interstate Bridge to the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and Washington State Transportation Commission (WSTC) met for the first time on Friday, Feb. 23. The initial meeting of this new joint subcommittee allowed members to receive a reminder on the tolling programs in both states and review the tolling analysis completed by the IBR program in winter 2023.  The committee is composed of balanced representation from both states, including Oregon Transportation Commissioners Lee Beyer and Alicia Chapman, as well as Washington State Transportation Commissioners Jim Restucci and Roy Jennings. The committee is expected to meet monthly through December 2024; their next meeting takes place March 15.   Tolling is not anticipated to begin on the Interstate Bridge until 2026 following a public rate setting process.   To learn more about the subcommittee, you can visit the websites of the transportation commissions of Oregon and Washington. You can sign up for updates specific to this committee here. Recent Meetings Community Benefits Advisory Group (CBAG) — Feb. 22 Members of the Community Benefits Advisory Group received a program update from Administrator Greg Johnson, about visits from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, engagement with local small business groups and contractor associations, outreach to local schools and youth, as well as listening sessions with community-based organizations.  The group then discussed and confirmed recommendations to the program intended to avoid further harm during construction of the proposed IBR investments. Equity Advisory Group (EAG) — Feb. 26 The Equity Advisory Group held its first meeting of 2024, having taken a short break in January. The group received a program update similar to the CBAG’s, including a recap of the visits from federal officials, and engagement with businesses and contractors. Members then reviewed their December visioning exercise and received a report about interviews that took place in January to add new members to the EAG. They also heard about updates to the program’s equity framework that incorporate further Tribal consultation. The group then received a presentation on urban design elements with a focus on the Vancouver waterfront transit station.    Executive Steering Group Advisory (ESG) – Mar. 5   The program’s Executive Steering Group held its first quarterly meeting of 2024 at the beginning of March. The group heard an update on recent activities from Program Administrator Greg Johnson which included mention that the joint subcommittee created by the transportation commissions of Oregon and Washington held its first meeting near the end of February. ESG members were also shown the latest visualizations highlighting four new views of the three potential bridge configurations being studied. The meeting included a brief discussion of the preparation for release of the Draft SEIS and public comment period that will follow.  The ESG also received an overview of the takeaways from a workforce study commissioned by the program to identify gaps in the current and projected workforce and opportunities that could support equitable economic and workforce development. The study was completed by local workforce development boards and is anticipated to be published later this month. Myth vs. Fact Myth: The congestion on I-5 in the program area is primarily caused by bottlenecks further south.  Fact: The sub-standard design of the current Interstate Bridge and closely spaced interchanges in the program area contribute significantly to congestion and slower moving vehicles. Narrow lane widths, reduced sight distance due to the bridge hump and freeway curve approaching the Interstate Bridge in Vancouver cause congestion and vehicles to slow down while crossing the Columbia River. A lack of safety shoulders contributes to those problems. In addition, the seven interchanges in just five miles and short entrance and exit ramps on either side of the bridge contribute to congestion. Design improvements, safety shoulders throughout the corridor and the addition of auxiliary lanes to enhance ramp-to-ramp connections will help improve the flow of traffic both on the bridge and throughout the five-mile program corridor.   The Interstate Bridge is not the only bottleneck on the regional transportation system, but addressing the transportation issues with the existing bridge and program area plays an important role in helping to improve the overall system in the Portland-Vancouver metro region.   On the Horizon Upcoming Advisory Group Meetings & Events Multilingual Press Conference Tuesday, March. 12 — 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. In our ongoing efforts to conduct broad community engagement with equity priority communities, the IBR program will host a multilingual press conference with a live Q&A session. The purpose of this event is to encourage journalists from equity priority media outlets to inform their communities of the program and the opportunity to provide input on the program’s upcoming Draft SEIS.  In an effort to center equity, this event is reserved for journalists and community-based organizations that serve equity priority community members: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), people with disabilities, individuals with limited English proficiency, and immigrants and refugees.   Journalists serving lower income and houseless individuals and families, young people (25 and under) and older adults (65 and older) will be granted registration access as space allows. News media serving the general public will also have access as space is available.   The deadline to register for the virtual press conference is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2024. On the registration, please indicate your language needs and the program will try to have interpreters present.  Community Advisory Group Thursday, March. 14 — 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bi-state Tolling Subcommittee Friday, March 15 —1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Equity Advisory Group Monday, March 18 — 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Community Benefits Advisory Group Thursday, March 28 — 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Meetings & Events Calendar IBR Office Hours Do you have questions and want to speak to a real person? We answer questions on a range of topics, including design, equity, Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise opportunities, community engagement, financial plans, and much more! Join us for IBR office hours, in person or virtually, and get your questions answered! NOTE: No new technical data will be available until the release of the environmental documentation.  Please make a 30-minute reservation at least 24 hours in advance. There are three ways you can make a reservation: Visit: SignUpGenius Email: info@interstatebridge.org Call: 888-503-6735 Please provide your contact information and what you would like to talk about. We will confirm your appointment and provide meeting details upon confirmation. See you there!

Emails us at info@interstatebridge.org or call 360-859-0494 (Washington), 503-897-9218 (Oregon), 888-503-6735 (toll-free).  The IBR program is subject to Oregon and Washington public records laws. Therefore, public comments and questions (verbal or written) may be made available to anyone requesting them for non-commercial purposes. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Civil Rights Title VI accommodations in Oregon For ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) or Civil Rights Title VI accommodations, translation/interpretation services, or more information for those in Oregon, please call 503-731-4128, TTY 800-735- 2900 or Oregon Relay Service 711. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VI accommodations in Washington Accommodation requests for people with disabilities in Washington can be made by contacting the WSDOT Diversity/ADA Affairs team at wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov or by calling toll-free, 855-362-4ADA (4232). Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling the Washington State Relay at 711. Any person who believes his/her Title VI protection has been violated, may file a complaint with WSDOT’s Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) Title VI Coordinator by contacting (360) 705-7090. Copyright © 2024 Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program11018 NE 51st CircleVancouver, WA98682-6686