The Oregon Legislature has approved $125 million in funding to match Washington State’s earlier $125 million commitment toward replacing the aging Hood River-White Salmon Bridge. Combined, the two states’ contributions account for approximately 25% of the project’s estimated $1.12 billion total cost.
The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge spans the Columbia River between Hood River, Oregon, and White Salmon and Bingen, Washington. Built in 1924, the structure is considered functionally obsolete and inadequate for modern freight and commuter traffic. It remains a key corridor on the National Highway System, heavily used for transporting agricultural goods, timber, and manufactured equipment.
Design work on the new bridge is scheduled to begin in September 2025, with completion targeted for 2030. The new structure will be built to modern safety and capacity standards to improve freight movement and commuter travel through the Columbia River Gorge.
Additional funding includes:
- $200 million from the federal Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program
- $105 million in federal loans under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), to be repaid using toll revenues
The Port of Hood River, which manages the bridge, has raised tolls over recent years to support ongoing maintenance and contribute to future replacement. Toll revenues from the 2023 rate increase are reserved exclusively for the replacement project.
The bridge authority also has a $532 million request pending under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program.