Hayden Island residents and renters press IBR team on housing loss, tolling and construction impacts at virtual SEIS hearing

David Gitlin, a member of the Interstate Bridge Replacement public affairs team, opened a virtual public hearing and said comments would be recorded for the administrative record and answered in the final supplemental environmental impact statement.

Residents who would be directly affected by the project told the IBR program team they are worried about losing homes and facing higher everyday costs. Amanda, a Jansen Beach resident, said the project would “have a very, a very profound impact on how we live here” and asked for “compassion to be shown towards the people that are impacted and, not just feelings. We need to make sure that those people are taken care of financially and given resources to be able to relocate and, assistance be provided to us.”

Multiple speakers described fear of permanent displacement. Joshua, who said he lives on Jansen Beach, said his home is “likely in the sites for this bridge project to be removed” and described the tight-knit, maritime community he would lose. Richard, who said he has lived at the Morge (Jansen Beach) for close to 20 years, asked the program to ensure that residents forced to move are not “just thrown off the morgue” and to address how relocation would affect monthly dues and access to medical care in downtown Portland.

Several commenters also raised concrete financial concerns about tolling. Bradley of Camas said he prefers automated license-plate tolling to cash plazas but questioned the equity of tolling an interstate, and Amanda said tolls would be expensive for island residents who must travel off-island for groceries and services.

Commenters urged staff to publish and respond to public inquiries promptly. Bob Ortblad asked why responses to public questions he submitted hadn’t been provided and suggested the IBR should publish incoming comments as they arrive. Gitlin reiterated that all verbal comments from the hearing will be transcribed by a court reporter and included in the formal comment record and that written comments may be submitted through the project website, email (draftSCIS@interstatebridge.org), mail, or by phone.

The hearing moderator also reminded attendees that the IBR team offers office hours with technical staff (interstatebridge.org/calendar) for people who want individualized follow-up.

Next steps: the formal public comment period for the draft SEIS remains open until November 18; all submitted comments will be addressed in the final SEIS.