$15 BILLION Columbia River Bridge: Why Are Taxpayers Paying More?

The Interstate Bridge Replacement project connecting Washington and Oregon is now carrying a price tag of up to $15 billion — a dramatic increase from earlier estimates of roughly $6 billion. Lawmakers on both sides of the Columbia River are questioning the project's rising costs, the funding gap and the decision to include light rail. Supporters say the aging bridge needs to be replaced and warn that delaying the project could put federal funding at risk. Critics argue taxpayers are being asked to shoulder an enormous bill for a project that still isn't fully funded. Construction is currently expected to begin in 2028, with tolls potentially starting before the new bridge is even finished. So how did a bridge project become a $15 billion taxpayer fight?