SALEM -- Oregon political leaders say the timing is wrong to restart planning to build a new Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River, despite the Washington legislature's vote to do just that. And without Oregon at the table, they say, the talks won't happen.

"It's not going to be part of the plan that we're working on now," Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday.

Senate Bill 5806 passed the Washington Senate on Monday and awaits a signature from Gov. Jay Inslee. The bill would create an Oregon-Washington legislative committee to plan for building a new I-5 bridge, among other initiatives.

Inslee spokeswoman Jaime Smith said replacing the Interstate Bridge is a "high priority" for the Washington governor. Monday's bill "could be a good first step" for addressing the outdated bridge, Smith said, but "building community consensus is key."

Bryan Hockaday, a spokesman for Gov. Kate Brown, said she is "encouraged" by Washington's bill but focused on passing an Oregon transportation plan.

Lindsey O'Brien, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, said Kotek sees a new Interstate Bridge as "one of the most important transportation infrastructure needs in the Pacific Northwest" and is "pleased" with Washington's bill. But, O'Brien said, Kotek also agrees that passing an Oregon transportation plan is a higher priority than a new Columbia River bridge.

The last attempt to build a Columbia River bridge failed in 2014, after Washington backed out. Nerves still raw, Courtney said he is "not going to get involved" with Washington's new plans.

Courtney said that months ago, he spoke by phone with Washington Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, who wanted to talk about bridge options. She favors building a new bridge connecting Hillsboro and southwest Washington instead of replacing the Interstate Bridge.

Pike said she wasn't part of earlier ill-fated bridge projects, Courtney recalled.

"I said, 'You may not be part of it but, I'm not over it,'" Courtney said.

"You can't just call me up and say 'Oh, we didn't mean it. Why don't we just do it and we'll be fine.' That isn't really going to go over so well with me at this stage in the game," Courtney said.

The conversation became so heated, Courtney said, that in a moment of animated anger he swung his arm into a bobble-head of Pope Francis that sits on his desk. The statuette -- which was gifted to him by Kotek, the House speaker -- fell to the ground, its hand broken off at the wrist.

"He got wounded. We bandaged the poor pope," Courtney said, showing where its hand was glued back on.

In a telephone interview, Pike said Courtney was respectful but adamant that Oregon would have no part in discussing bridge projects with Washington.

In his interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive, Courtney was firm in his views: When it comes to roads and bridges, Oregon needs to think of itself first, he said.

The transportation bill now in the works is "extraordinary," he said, and "one of the greatest transportation plans the state of Oregon has ever seen."

"We'll take care of our backyard," Courtney said, "and then we'll decide whether or not there's a state north of us."

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman

Jeff Manning contributed to this report.