Citizens urged to make voices heard on Columbia River Crossing

The Columbian ^ | Sunday, March 6, 2011 | State Sen. Don Benton and State Reps. Paul Harris, Ed Orcutt and Ann Rivers

[Bean Counter]

Vancouver, WA - The Columbia River Crossing has the potential to be our region’s greatest infrastructure accomplishment of the 21st century. With billions of tax dollars involved and the opportunity to better connect people and commerce for generations to come, it’s critical that we get it right. This requires accurate information and public involvement in the process.

Our goals for the Columbia River Crossing are simple:

First we want to build the best infrastructure today to meet the needs of our communities in the future.

Second, we want to ensure every tax dollar dedicated to the project is accounted for and used wisely.

Finally, we want the people we represent to have a voice in the final design to guarantee that it is the right bridge for our communities.

For these goals to be met, we must be assured that all the choices have been thoroughly considered in an open and transparent manner — including a no-light-rail and a no-toll option.

Because we know not all options have been considered, the process has often been unfair, uncertain and opaque for citizens who want to be involved. The actions of the Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council, at best, are disconcerting. We are disappointed that with more than $115 million spent on the project to date, the people of our communities were led to believe there were no options and the design of the bridge was settled, including that a $1 billion light-rail component was necessary to secure federal funding. We later learned light rail was not a requirement for federal funding — it never has been.

The recent public outcry over the lack of transparency from the Columbia River Crossing Project Sponsors Council should have them on notice that all of their actions and decisions — past, present and future — will be met with great scrutiny.

We are now at a critical juncture of the project with respect to our third goal. There are three proposed bridge designs that vary in size, scope and price. These designs are: tied arch ($430 million), cable-stayed ($390 million) and deck truss ($340 million). The Oregon and Washington transportation departments issued a draft recommendation for the deck truss design on Feb. 25.

The final design recommendation will come in mid-March, following public input. Comment meetings

Now is the time for your voice to be heard. Public comment meetings are scheduled for Thursday, March 10, in Portland and Vancouver. From noon to 2 p.m., the Columbia River Crossing listening session will be at the Portland Expo Center, Hall D, 2060 N. Marine Drive.

From 6 to 8 p.m., a CRC listening session is scheduled at the Washington State Department of Transportation Southwest Region Building, 11018 N.E. 51st Circle in Vancouver.

Comments can also be submitted in various ways by going to http://www.columbiarivercrossing.org/ and clicking on “Get Involved.”

We are closely studying the pros and cons of each proposed design, and we are meeting with constituents and stakeholder groups. For us, this must be a collaborative process. We invite citizens to contact us if they have any questions, comments or concerns.

In closing, we want Clark County citizens to know that we are united in the expectation that the Columbia River Crossing project be inclusive, efficient, transparent, and in the best interest of our communities. We are optimistic for these outcomes.

[Bean Counter]

"We are disappointed that with more than $115 million spent on the project to date, the people of our communities were led to believe there were no options and the design of the bridge was settled, including that a $1 billion light-rail component was necessary to secure federal funding. We later learned light rail was not a requirement for federal funding — it never has been. "

**SCHNIPP*

Folks, the bold-faced lie that the Federal Government requires light rail on this project has been told to the locals for years by virtually every single politician who has anything to do with the Project, and especially by the Vancouver City Council and the current Mayor, Tim Leavitt.

The local newspaper, the Columbian, has repeated this lie over and over again, and bullies the public who disagrees with them as irrational and unreasonable, among other things. They have run nasty editorials telling the locals to sit down and STFU for years.

What's even worse is that Vancouver's Mayor is using the precept of light rail to exclude people from commenting on that subject at City Council meetings, even though Council continues to do everything they can to aid and abet the lie, and force Loot Rail on a community that has already voted it down once.

But worst of all, the vote that was supposed to take place on funding light rail has been postponed indefinitely by the local transportation council C-Tran, and led by none other than Hizzonor Tim Leavitt, Mayor of Vancouver. It seems the Mayor wants no vote at all that will threaten the building of Loot Rail in any way.

This is sickening to watch much less to be living at ground zero for all of it. It's clear there is no one I can trust on this, and it's about time for pitchforks, flaming torches, tar and feathers here in America's Vancouver.

[Bean Counter]

Oregon & Washington *ping* please!

[G Larry]

That’s what happens when the majority insists on electing Stalinists.

[RC2]

I’ve crossed the existing bridge many, many times. They don’t need a new. With the condition of the two states finances, the unemployment, that money would be better spent on the people of the states. When things get better and the states have the money, go ahead and build whatever they want. Until then, tighten the belts and stop spending the money.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I recently read that the traffic projections were way, way wrong, and way, way too high.

[rockrr]

Folks, the bold-faced lie that the Federal Government requires light rail on this project has been told to the locals for years by virtually every single politician who has anything to do with the Project, and especially by the Vancouver City Council and the current Mayor, Tim Leavitt.

I can practically hear the denials, "Well I thought that's what they said!"

I hope that enterprising conservatives are documenting every public utterance of the lie so that it can be slapped back in their faces.

[goodnesswins]

I beg to differ.....they (we) need a new bridge...buT, it does NOT need light rail, and it does NOT need to be built with “Prevailing wage rates”

[Flycatcher]

That’s what happens when the majority insists on electing Stalinists.

I call that Life Lesson #1.

[cripplecreek]

Construction started in 1953, 5 miles long and nearly 1000 feet to the top of the towers. Took a whopping 3 years to build with no winter construction at a cost (adjusted to today) of around 325 million dollars.



America is a mess.

[G Larry]

“Need” is not the issue.

The locals have a chance to wallow in your Fed tax dollars and claim credit for some great good.

Cutting spending is more important, but it doesn’t help socialists get re-elected.

[epithermal]

Insanity: Delaying the light rail vote would complicate plans for the $3.6 billion Columbia River Crossing project, a highway and transit project spanning five miles of I-5 on both sides of the river. Planners anticipate tapping $850 million from the Federal Transit Administration to build the light rail extension, but they will need $2 million to $3 million a year to operate it. That’s where local voters were supposed to come in. However, C-Tran executive director Jeff Hamm said he believes federal officials will allow planners to move ahead to final design even if the funding remains in question. The state Legislature could authorize using bridge tolls to pay for the operation of light rail. That may not be popular in Southwest Washington — and it would presumably drive up the long-term cost of interest on toll-backed revenue bonds — but it is permissible under existing state law.

[org.whodat]

The fools in city government, all over this country are convinced, the only way to save the blighted inter city is by rail, it is pure horse shit. Who in their right minds wants to live in a stinking city. Where when you neighbor passes gas you grunt.

[sionnsar]

Thanks to Bean Counter for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

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Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[Bean Counter]

There’s a great quote from Orwell’s “1984” that applies here...

“The truth was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became the truth.”

The number of lies about this project from officials of every stripe in two different States is staggering.

[rockrr]

I know that the prevailing political winds from Portland blow decidedly leftist. Is the same true of Vancouver?

[Bean Counter]

In Downtown Vancouver there are more liberals than on the East Side and the rest of Clark County. It’s redder here than the rest of Washington for certain.

The four who wrote this OpEd are all Republicans, and none of the local Democrats joined in on this piece. Draw your conclusions accordingly....

[Salvation]

If you aren't on this ping list and are interested

in articles about Oregon, please FReepmail me.

[amom]

Thanks so much for the heads up.

[Horusra]

I went to the website and commented once again. I oppose the boondoggle of light rail and the unfair tolling they propose and promised to vote against any proposal that has either component, that is if we are going to be allowed a vote.

The USA has been building bridges for a long time, it’s not going to the moon, this could have been done years ago if it weren’t for the light rail and tolling components which make it an onerous burden to the city of Vancouver and Clark County. Somebody has to have been bought off by whoever makes the billions from the light rail lines that run half empty all over Portland. Billions go into building every one of these extensions, crime runs rampant on them, and upkeep costs are staggering.

[Jack Black]

The Powers That Be, aka Liberal Ruling Elite, can not stand that Vancouver provides an alternative to Portland. They have been trying to shove the light rail into Washington for a decade now. We've had two votes saying we don't want it, but apparently we're going to get it anyway. These "public listening sessions" are bunk: it is part of a process with a known end point. Far better for us to act like libs: let lawsuits flow like the Columbia. Sue for ecological dsitrurbance, sue for failure to follow process, sue for discrimination.

The tolls are needed to pay for the light rail we don't want. Sickeing example of liberal insanity.