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Bob Ortblad

@bortblad.bsky.social

100 followers 180 following 95 posts

Civil Engineer, MBA 40-years P.E. & CPA Historian of 200 years of infrastructure Explored 70 countries

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · Feb 3

WA & OR can save $5 billion

Don’t add one lane for 5 miles & rebuild 7 interchanges.
Repurposed current bridges.
Scrap Park & Ride & build housing.
Build an Immersed Tunnel, less cost & time, safer for barges, salmon & people.

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 1d

“JUST DO IT” and “Keeping the lights on” are not rational arguments to approve $2 billion for the IBR.

Jeff Baker stated the facts, no bridge design, and no cost estimate. No reason to approve $2 billion.

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 3d

"I also struggle with the notion that we’re putting $2 billion forward here without having an answer on what this bridge is going to look like… I can’t support the request based on wrong information.”

— Jeff Baker, Oregon Transportation Commission
bikeportland.org/2025/10/30/n...

'No' vote an ominous first for Interstate Bridge project

While it was just a procedural step, Commissioner Jeff Baker was not having it.

bikeportland.org

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 3d

Greg Johnson is jumping ship!

IBR may want to delete its link to last summer’s political love fest of President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America”.
Link:
www.flickr.com/photos/19413...
Greg is leaving his political crew on a sinking ship.

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 5d

bikeportland.org/2025/10/28/a...

Another freeway expansion megaproject leader has jumped ship

Leadership as elusive as funding.

bikeportland.org

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 5d

Is the Interstate Bridge Destined to Fail?
Joe Cortright interviewed on the Lars Larson Show

Link;
cityobservatory.org/lars-larson-...

Reposted by Bob Ortblad

No More Freeways @nomorefreewayspdx.com · 5d

NMF co-founder Joe Cortright @cityobservatory.bsky.social spoke to KGW about the latest updates on the Interstate Bridge Replacement - turns out the project is not doing so hot!

Where’s the accountability from the Oregon legislature and the Governor?

#orpol #orleg

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 6d

IBR also lied about an immersed tunnel alternative. They fraudulently inflated excavation by four times.

"Interstate Bridge Replacement Program incompetence and deception"
www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opin...

www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opin...

Opinion: The IBR guts transit ridership projections by 84 percent and O&M costs by over half - ClarkCountyToday.com

John Ley writes that the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program has slashed its projected transit ridership by 84 percent, raising questions about accuracy, leadership, and the need for costly light ra...

www.clarkcountytoday.com

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 6d

Time to stop dumping money on 1960's style freeway and dangerous bridge.

"The IBR has spent more than $200 million on consultants, on top of $200 million spent a decade ago on the CRC, ... are a virtual scene-for-scene remake of its predecessor in 2014."

www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opin...

Opinion: IBR’s problems are much deeper than its leadership - ClarkCountyToday.com

Joe Cortright of City Observatory says Greg Johnson’s departure from the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program won’t fix its systemic issues, calling the IBR a costly repeat of the failed Columbia Riv...

www.clarkcountytoday.com

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 8d

What if nobody ever came to Port of Vancouver's Terminal 1 Public Market?

A New Orleans Neighborhood Confronts the Racist Legacy of a Toxic Stretch of Highway
NPR:
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 8d

A tunnel will protect the citizens of Vancouver. IBR’s bridge approach will inflict 100 years of noise, toxic pollution, and visual blight on Vancouver’s downtown and riverfront.

Part II: Proposed I-5 Bridge replacement
www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/part-ii...

Part II: Proposed I-5 Bridge replacement - ClarkCountyToday.com

Vancouver’s mayoral and City Council candidates share their views on the long-delayed I-5 Bridge Replacement Project, debating whether to continue the current plan or push for new alternatives.

www.clarkcountytoday.com

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 9d

Greg Johnson had a massive conflict of interest. He was a WSP Senior VP. Hired as the IBR Administrator he managed a $76 million contract with WSP.

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Reposted by Bob Ortblad

Jonathan Maus @jonathanmaus.bsky.social · 9d

Breaking news: Interstate Bridge Replacement Project Administrator Greg Johnson is stepping down from his role in the project effective Dec. 31.

He will be replaced by Carley Francis from WashDOT.

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 9d

IBR's cost could double or triple.

Oregon DOT’s “Reign of Error” grows worse.
By Joe Cortright

cityobservatory.org/reign_of_err...

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 11d

WSDOT failed to reduce noise on SR 520, Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and I-5 Ship Canal Bridge.

IBR's bridge will be loud!

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 11d

Port of Vancouver's $84 million Public Market will be spoiled by IBR's loud overhanging bridge.
www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/lett...

Letter: ‘The Port of Vancouver should withdraw its support for the IBR’s bridge design’ - ClarkCountyToday.com

Seattle resident Bob Ortblad urges the Port of Vancouver to withdraw its support for the IBR bridge design, arguing it would harm the Terminal 1 Public Market and create severe noise and air pollution...

www.clarkcountytoday.com

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 12d

IBR administrator Greg Johnson at every public meeting pleads to get “shovels in the ground”.

He wants to dig a Willie Brown hole.
“Start digging a hole and make it so big, there’s no alternative to coming up with the money to fill it in.”

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 12d

July 15, 2021
IBR’s error-filled “Tunnel Concept Assessment” disqualified a tunnel.

June 17, 2022
USCG suggests tunnel evaluation.

Feb. 8, 2023
USCG says IBR may not have a permittable alternative.

IBR continues to ignore tunnel alternative.

Link USCG
www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organiza...

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 12d

New Burnside Bridge construction delayed indefinitely due to federal uncertainty |

Price doubled, will IBR have same fate?
www.kgw.com/article/news...

New Burnside Bridge construction delayed indefinitely; county blames federal uncertainty

Design work on the project will continue. Multnomah County said the project's price tag has also risen to a range of $1.6-1.8 billion, up from around $900 million.

www.kgw.com

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 17d

"While the former model projected 21,600 daily light rail riders based on 2045 estimates using pre-pandemic ridership numbers, the STOPS model estimates 4,600 to 5,400 daily light rail riders based on fall 2024 ridership data, Schlupp told C-Tran board members."

clbn.us/rmg8j

Light rail, express bus operation on new Interstate 5 Bridge projected to cost $10.3M annually, less than half of last estimate

New estimates indicate the cost of operating and maintaining light rail trains and express buses on the planned Interstate 5 replacement bridge will likely be less than half the $21.8 million annual p

clbn.us

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 17d

IBR's wildly inflated ridership estimate reduced by Federal software model.

October 14, 2025 C-TRAN Regular Board Meeting
player.invintus.com?clientID=291...

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 17d

IBR backpedaling extremely inflated light rail ridership estimate.
21,600 to 4,600 daily riders.

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 24d

Mayor McEnerny-Ogle is using "the cost will rise" time-share sales pitch to sell IBR's dangerous bridge, that's too low for the Coast Guard.

Vancouver mayor warns costly delays if I-5 bridge construction doesn't start on time
katu.com/news/local/i...

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 26d

www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/lett...

Letter: The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program must solicit a design-build bid - ClarkCountyToday.com

Bob Ortblad urges the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program to consider an immersed tunnel alternative, arguing it would be safer, faster, and more cost-effective than a new bridge.

www.clarkcountytoday.com

Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 27d

IBR’s freeway expansion & bridge will:
Destroy 35 businesses and 43 homes, but build 1,270 parking spaces on 6 acres of downtown Vancouver!
Loom over Terminal 1 Public Market
Take an acre of Fort Vancouver
Demolish the Hurley Building
Have 80’ crazy high Transit Station

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Bob Ortblad @bortblad.bsky.social · 27d

Go Safe Labs ranks the Glen Jackson I-205 the 8th most accident hot spot in the country. An S-curve with rain & ice make it treacherous.
katu.com/news/local/n...
IBR’s bridge will be more dangerous. Steeper at -4% with a tighter S-curve and an icy North-face, it will be deadly.

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