I-5 Boone Bridge Replacement Project and Why I Submitted Testimony
The I-5 Boone Bridge does more than connect Wilsonville—it carries the full weight of both local traffic and the massive stream of through-traffic traveling along Oregon’s busiest highway. It is the link that keeps our community functioning and keeps the state’s north–south travel and commerce moving. Locally, thousands of Wilsonville neighbors rely on it to get to work, school, family, medical care, and the everyday services that keep life moving. In many ways, the bridge is part of the rhythm of our community. But it’s also a structure built for a different era—one that now carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day, carries billions in freight movement, and faces high seismic risks that we can no longer ignore.
Because it is the only continuous I-5 crossing of the Willamette for nearly 30 miles, the Boone Bridge plays an outsized role in how Wilsonville and the broader region functions. When traffic slows or an incident occurs, the effects ripple quickly: commuters are stuck, freight schedules fall behind, and drivers divert onto neighborhood streets “never” meant to absorb freeway-level traffic. That congestion doesn’t just create frustration—it affects safety, livability, and the sense of connection between Charbonneau, French Prairie, and the rest of Wilsonville.
Transportation studies at both the city and regional levels continue to point to the same conclusion: the Boone Bridge is the single greatest bottleneck in our transportation system. Local improvements alone cannot overcome the limitations of an aging structure that was never built for today’s demands. The most serious concern, however, is seismic vulnerability. The Boone Bridge was not designed to withstand a major Cascadia earthquake—an event experts say has a significant likelihood of occurring within the next 50 years. If the bridge were to fail, Oregon’s main north–south route for delivering emergency aid, supplies, food, fuel, and evacuation support would be severed at the river. Communities on both sides would face immediate isolation challenges, and recovery efforts would be severely hampered in a large event. Rebuilding afterward would take far longer—and cost far more—than acting now.
Despite broad agreement that a replacement is needed, only the early planning work has been funded so far. Roughly $5 million has been committed to environmental review, design, and site investigation. But the full project—estimated at $250 million to over $450 million—still awaits dedicated construction dollars.
Delays carry real consequences. Construction costs throughout Oregon have surged due to inflation, tariffs, and supply-chain volatility. Every year we wait, the price tag grows—absorbing taxpayer dollars that could instead be used to deliver a modern, safe, resilient bridge. Investing in the Boone Bridge replacement is about more than traffic flow. It is about protecting our residents, strengthening regional mobility, supporting our economy, and ensuring that Wilsonville remains connected during future emergencies. A new, seismically resilient bridge would reduce daily congestion, improve safety, and better position our community for long-term stability and growth.
This is one of the most significant infrastructure decisions facing Oregon in the coming decade. With early planning underway, now is the time to secure the state and federal funding needed to move from preparation to action. With that said, I ask our state and federal legislators to support ongoing and continued investment in the I-5 Boone Bridge Replacement Project. This is a responsible, forward-looking commitment—one that protects our community, strengthens our region, and ensures that the lifeline running through Wilsonville will remain strong for generations to come.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this — or any other issues —with you. You can reach me at scull@wilsonvilleoregon.gov or 971-804-0613.