Fewer crashes, faster commutes, more transit options and less air pollution are among the expected benefits of replacing the Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River, linking Washington and Oregon, according to a new report released Friday.
There will be costs as well. Construction will require buying up as many as 43 homes and 36 businesses in the two states. Tolling to cover bridge operations will hit lower-income families hardest. And some vessels may be too tall to travel under a new span depending on the chosen design…