Columbia River Crossing i-5 Portland to Vancouver Bridge News Blog

Columbia River Crossing News Blog ...

> Upcoming Columbia River Crossing Meetings & Events ... April 18/08
Calendar of upcoming meetings and events related to the Columbia River Crossing Bridge... cont...

> New I-5 bridge is crucial to region's economy, says the Portland Business Alliance ... April 17/08
A new Interstate 5 bridge is essential to the metro area's economic vitality, the Portland Business Alliance said Wednesday, reinforcing its support for the $4.2 billion project. During a breakfast panel discussion, the region's leading business group declared transportation its top priority this year and the Columbia River Crossing project its key transportation focus... cont...

> Light-rail debate picks up steam at forum ... April 10/08
It was supposed to be a community forum without staged presentations, one that dealt with funding options for light rail. But much of the discussion during Wednesday’s forum dealt more with the pros and cons of light rail, with occasional forays into the future price of gasoline and whether ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were being fought for oil or for freedom. Light rail likely will be part of a $4 billion-plus Columbia River Crossing project to replace the Interstate 5 Bridge and improve freeway ramps and connections on both sides of the river... cont...

> Neighborhood groups plan second forum on light rail ... April 7/08
Seven weeks ago, a consortium of Vancouver neighborhood associations sponsored what virtually everyone believes was a balanced, thoughtful discussion on the polarizing issue of light-rail transit. Eighteen neighborhood associations will try to build on that success when they host a “Funding Light Rail” forum at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 S.E. Columbia Way. Light rail is one of the more contentious parts of the Columbia River Crossing project, a $4 billion-plus package that likely will include replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge... cont...

> Gregoire says light rail puts new I-5 bridge on right track ... March 27/08
Making light rail part of a new Columbia River Crossing would serve Clark County residents who want an alternative to commuting by car to Oregon jobs, Gov. Chris Gregoire told a Portland radio interviewer Wednesday. In an interview with Emily Harris, host of KOPB’s new call-in public affairs program Think Out Loud, the governor stopped short of saying inclusion of light rail will be a condition for state participation in the project. But she made her support for the mass transit option clear... cont...

> A new I-5 Columbia River bridge raises sprawl questions ... March 25/08
The governors of Oregon and Washington and the U.S. Secretary of Transportation have called fixing the Interstate 5 traffic bottleneck at the Columbia River a top priority for the nation and the Northwest. The $4.2 billion Columbia River Crossing bridge project could unclog congestion that inhibits freight movement, causes a high accident rate and slows mass transit to a crawl. But in easing I-5 congestion - and absorbing more traffic - the region faces thorny questions that could influence its growth for decades to come... cont...

> Portland City Council bristles over no light rail on I-5 bridge ... March 18/08
The Portland City Council made clear Monday that it would be unlikely to support a new Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River if Vancouver proves unwilling to join the light-rail revolution. Although they stopped short of calling light rail a "make or break" element of the proposed $4.2 billion Columbia River Crossing project, council members underscored strong support for rail lines over buses for mass transit. Several explored the logistics of when Vancouver or Clark County might vote on light-rail money and what might happen if voters reject the idea. Light rail has been a political flashpoint between Portland and its northern neighbors since 1995... cont...

> A Bridge to Disaster?... March 14/08
A Proposed New 12-Lane Bridge over the Columbia River Will Cost $4.2 Billion, Increase Traffic, and Do Little to Alleviate Climate Change. What the Hell Are We Thinking?... It's the biggest public works project in our region's history, it's been years in the making, and local government bodies are poised to make final decisions on the project in the next few months. The problem is, even if we build one of the proposed new bridges, traffic is still going to increase from today's levels.... cont...

> Supporters of third bridge call for outcry... March 10/08
Shunned by a Columbia River Crossing task force that seems intent on a new Interstate 5 span with rapid transit, boosters of a third bridge want Clark County residents to bombard local leaders with demands to reconsider. Their rally cry, lifted straight from last year’s solid defeat of a Port of Vancouver tax levy: Don’t let anyone tell you the deal is done. “The elected officials will do what you want, if you call, if you write,” said Debbie Peterson, who organized a forum Sunday that drew about 40 people to the county’s Public Service Center. “Do it every day, have your friends do it every day, and it will make a difference,” she said. Suggested targets are Clark County commissioners and Vancouver city council members..... cont...

> Backers of third bridge to push idea again... March 5/08
Backers of building a third bridge across the Columbia River refuse to give up their multiyear struggle to get traction for their plan. Debbie Peterson, a Republican who intends to run for the legislative seat now held by Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, questions the cost-effectiveness of the emerging Columbia River Crossing project. “The third-bridge option has never been studied to the degree a replacement bridge has been studied,” she said. Peterson has scheduled an “educational forum” for Sunday afternoon on a third bridge, which she considers an option worthy of further study before spending more than $4 billion on a replacement Interstate 5 bridge, highway improvements and light rail transit..... cont...

> Foes look to put brakes on light rail at meeting ... Feb 21/08
Would a proposed Vancouver light-rail project relieve traffic congestion, provide a cost-effective alternative to drivers traveling to Portland and decrease pollution?. Or would it burden businesses and neighbors in its path and become more costly than it is worth?. Several hundred people packed a room Wednesday night at the Water Resources Education Center to address those questions about the $4 billion-plus Columbia River Crossing project. Plans call for replacing the Interstate 5 Bridge, bringing highway improvements and extending Portland’s light-rail line into Vancouver.... cont...

> Task force studies I-5 bridge options... Nov 28/07
It was only a coincidence that northbound traffic came to a virtual stop across the Columbia River on Interstate 5 Tuesday just as the task force planning a new bridge started meeting in Vancouver. The day's extreme congestion problems only underscored the importance of the project by the bistate Columbia River Crossing Task Force... cont...

> New models show multi-billion dollar Interstate Bridge vision... Nov 28/07
Building a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River is an idea you can now picture... the KGW report New computerized renderings show what the multi-billion dollar options look like. "What we're trying to do is find that solution that works best for everybody," explained John Osborn, Co-Director of Oregon and Washington's joint Columbia River Crossing Project... cont...

> Crossing group suggests replacing bridge, adding light rail... Nov 21/07
Light rail through downtown Vancouver and a new Interstate 5 Bridge to replace the old one are the preliminary choices for a new way across the Columbia River. The Columbia River Crossing issued draft findings about major choices for what could be a $4.2 billion project. The findings were prepared for next Tuesday's meeting of the 39-member Crossing task force... cont...

> I-5 Columbia Bridge Gets High Priority... Nov 9/07
Federal highway officials have named the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River one of the nation's top transportation priorities, promising to clear the federal bureaucracy to help a $2-billion to $6-billion reconstruction move forward at full speed. The U.S. Department of Transportation has promised to help find money and furnish permits for the I-5 bridge, which connects Portland with Vancouver, Wash., immediately pledging $15 million in planning money... cont...

> Folks get chance to weigh in on multi-billion dollar bridge project ... Oct 18/08
Transportation officials recently disclosed a new bridge over the Columbia River will cost an estimated $3 to $4 billion, including mass transit. Now, the question is - what will it look like? An open house at the former Hayden Island Yacht Club drew dozens of citizens, looking to offer their input. The discussion was civil and many of the attendees told KATU News they believe something must be done to address the heavy congestion on the bridge... cont...

> New bridge cost put at $4 billion ... Oct 17/08
Oregon and Washington officials estimate a cost of roughly $4 billion for a new I-5 bridge that will clear Columbia River barges while carrying up to 12 lanes of traffic and a separate rail or bus line. It would replace the six-lane pair of lift bridges whose narrow roadway creates the Portland-Vancouver region's worst bottleneck... cont...