Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland's regional government Metro was the latest to weigh in on the contentious project to replace the congested Interstate Bridge.  As Andrew Theen reports, the Metro Councilors gave conditional support for a new bridge with light rail.

The 7-member Metro Council was the fifth regional agency to approve further analysis of a new bridge across the Columbia River, which would include  light rail.

Washington's Southwest Regional Transportation Council is the final sponsor agency to vote.  It takes up the issue on Tuesday.

The Metro  vote played out in what has become the pattern for all sponsor agencies; take scores of public comment, then issue a list of concerns about the project, but ultimately vote in favor of exploring the light rail option.

Metro Councilors joined the Portland City Council in demanding there be no more than 6 total lanes on a new bridge.

The project had called for up to 12 lanes, but the bulk of those are considered auxilary lanes and are meant to ease traffic on and off the interstate.

Metro also called for examining tolling the existing bridge and the Glen Jackson bridge to generate revenue for the project.