VANCOUVER, Wash. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday visited the century-old Interstate 5 bridge that links Portland, Oregon, with southwest Washington state, a important however earthquake-vulnerable structure that’s set to be changed as part of a multibillion-dollar job supported by federal financing.
The bridge — so old that horses were still a primary mode of transport when it opened — now brings more than 130,000 cars a day over the Columbia River inbetween Portland and Vancouver, Washington, according to local transport firms. It’s a secret part of I-5, which runs the length of the West Coast, however its blockage regularly hinders travel and freight motion.
Seismologists state the Pacific Northwest is at threat of a extreme earthquake — magnitude 9 or higher — that might ruin substantial parts of the area. The bridge is at threat of collapse in a significant quake, which might eliminate lotsof individuals and sever a essential transport link in such an emergencysituation. Plans to change the bridge haveactually been in the works for years.
“We puton’t understand whether ‘the huge one’ is tomorrow or 100 years away, or numerous hundreds of years away, however we understand that we oughtto be getting this bridge into a more durable state,” Buttigieg informed pressreporters.
The bridge, which opened in February 1917, was the veryfirst car period to cross the Columbia River, and it endedupbeing part of I-5 in1957 A 2nd period opened the next year. They consistof areas that lift to enable ships through.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and transport authoriti