Legislators told Portland business leaders that they can’t count on getting matching money for the Columbia River Crossing project this legislative session.
Legislators told Portland business leaders that they can’t count on getting matching money for the Columbia River Crossing project this legislative session.
Hanna and state Sen. Lee Beyer, D-Springfield, provided a preview of Oregon’s 2011 legislative session at the Portland Business Alliance’s monthly breakfast forum at the downtown Governor Hotel. Beyer agreed with Hanna’s assessment that the $3.6 billion bridge, freeway and transit project won’t get much state financing this session, given the state’s massive budget shortfall.
Federal funding for Columbia River Crossing is by no means assured yet, but failure to procure state matching money is a setback for project boosters and could cause construction to be delayed. Business leaders, politicians and labor unions view the project as a key way to boost jobs in the Portland area, and speed up freight and commuter traffic along Interstate 5 north of Portland.
Read more at The Portland Tribune.
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