Yeeeah, the "please send half a billion dollars" ask is likely a tough sell. Maybe we can ask to turn I5 into a rail corridor and say the trains are one big truck with all the intermodal they run. That'll get FHWA funds no prob. A no waterfront I5 + grade separated rail combo deal.

Seems like Portland would be a good candidate for FRA's Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program. It looks like for Oregon, only Coos Bay and Bend got them last year. But also idk what the state of the program is given the current admin.