Inslee says Columbia River bridge money off table

TACOMA — Gov. Jay Inslee says he still wants a special session to pass a transportation revenue package this November, but says that money for a controversial bridge project across the Columbia River won’t be part of the deal.

The News Tribune of Tacoma reported Tuesday that Inslee said he won’t try to include the replacement of the I-5 bridge across the Columbia River in a tax plan to fund statewide road improvements. He said he’s content with having Oregon take the lead on replacing the connection between Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore.

The replacement bridge was a hurdle to the Legislature passing a roads package earlier this year, when the conservative majority in the state Senate opposed spending $450 million to match Oregon’s contribution to the project.