It began simmering this summer and boiled to a full-fledged verbal offensive just three weeks ago.

But in 45 minutes Wednesday,

and

quashed their beef over money for the proposed

replacement, reaching a complex agreement that's also expected to help fill the sizable gap

.

Through what seemed an unlikely compromise, Adams and Cogen, in their first meeting since their

, solidified funding for two regional transportation projects estimated to cost roughly $1.75 billion.

"These projects are too important to allow spats or disagreements to get in the way of it," Cogen said. "We both compromised and voilÃ , we have a deal."

If only it were that easy.

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Last month, Cogen accused Adams of piling on demands and attempting to stall progress of the county's $330 million effort to replace the crumbling Sellwood Bridge. At the same time, TriMet had been pressing Portland to nearly double its contribution for a new light-rail line because of a $100 million-plus budget gap.

In the biggest component of Wednesday's compromise, Portland would receive half of the cost savings on the Sellwood Bridge project -- up to $20 million if as much as $40 million in savings is found. Portland would agree to contribute $20 million to TriMet and would use Sellwood savings to offset the light-rail costs, otherwise the city will look to cut elsewhere.

"We've come up with an agreement to get both projects done," said Adams, who dropped his insistence that Portland take ownership from the county of all Willamette River bridges as part of the Sellwood deal.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, about a dozen officials representing Portland, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, TriMet and Oregon's congressional delegation packed into a conference room in Adams' third-floor City Hall office to hash out details of the compromise.

Early in the meeting, Adams proposed that the first $20 million in potential Sellwood Bridge savings should be allocated to Portland. Cogen countered that Portland could split the savings up to $40 million -- provided officials find that much fat in a project not yet halfway designed.

Confirming Portland's heightened contribution to the Milwaukie MAX line further reduces the gap TriMet is trying to plug. With fewer federal funds than anticipated, TriMet has scrambled to make the $1.5 billion project pencil out. Portland now is poised to increase its contribution from $30 million to $55 million, including property donation, putting TriMet's projected shortfall at a more-manageable $30 million.

"It's absolutely essential," TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane said of increased funding from Portland.

Construction on the light-rail project is scheduled to begin in July. Construction of a Sellwood Bridge replacement is expected to begin in July 2012. Both the Portland City Council and Multnomah County Board of Commissioners must approve Wednesday's agreement for the projects to move forward.

To find the necessary savings to keep the projects on track, Portland last week agreed to pay engineering consultant

up to $150,000 to review the county's bridge estimates. Both Adams and Cogen say that they believe savings can be found.

The consultant will closely study the proposed Sellwood Bridge itself and the westside interchange with Oregon 43. Interchange options could include realignments, lane reductions, an intersection with signals, or design exceptions to requirements for state roads. Bridge options could include reconfiguring bike lanes and combined bike and pedestrian sidewalks.

The review also assumes the elimination of vehicle access to the former Staff Jennings boat store, at the base of the Sellwood Bridge's west side. The business closed most operations over the summer.

Multnomah County's initial cost estimate on the project came from

in September 2009.

reviewed the numbers in October 2009 and supported them, while noting that the estimates included a contingency fund of nearly 20 percent.

Adams on Wednesday emphasized that he will stay true to his initial pledge of $100 million toward the Sellwood project. Cogen questioned last month whether that would happen after Adams' chief of staff said in an e-mail that the city could be "left with no recourse but to reconsider its scope of financial commitment."

That's an issue Cogen hammered in the press in September, saying, "This is about asking Sam Adams to do what he said he is going to do, period."

Portland's mayor is doing just that. It just took a while for Adams and Cogen to reach a consensus.

"We're going to agree. We're going to disagree," Adams said. "But we're going to continue to work at it until we get the necessary tasks done."

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