We had a bunch of slackers this week—myself included. This post went up, backdated, a few days late, and missing quite a few mayoral candidates. They apparently aren’t big fans of bridge debates.

Proponents of reusing the Sauvie Island Bridge to cross I-405 at NW Flanders will gather this evening at 5pm to rally in support of the project and take walking and biking tours along 15th, Glisan, 16th and Everett.

The event will begin at the edge of the freeway with a brief orientation of the bridge relocation proposal. Short tours of the streets surrounding the proposed bridge relocation site will highlight current challenges and opportunities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and everyone using these streets.

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com

Hmm…another BRIDGE question from Amy. My 1966 Random House unaBRIDGED Dictionary recommends the past tense of “shine” as “shone” unless it refers to meaning 9 or 10, which is not the usage here. Maybe her dictionary is different, or Wm. Steve lays down the law on irregular verbs. Whatever.

I have worked this issue heavily on blogmayor.com already, but refuse to cop a Sam and just refer voters to my web site. That said, a SHORT rant here from BLOGMAYOR is overdue!

The idea of Flanders as a bike boulevard is good, but highway bridges are not interchangeable light bulbs. Each is unique, designed for a specific crossing, to carry specific loads, at a specific period of time.

Trying to reuse old Sauvie is a non-starter in every way. A new bridge would use less material, allow old Sauvie to be de-leaded and recycled into lots of reinforcing bar, be cheaper and MUCH more aesthetic from all aspects.

Planning and costing stem from an odd proposal that Sam was against in 2006. No firm figures have been developed since. There never was any reason to try to ram it through as an emergency ordinance. Mayor Tom skunked Commish Sam on this one. BTA’s helmet-heads should cool their clipless pedals and urge the City to hire Gary Rayor, who designed the fabulous trio on Springwater, to promote a great new crossing of I 405 at Flanders.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

The Sauvie/I-405 bridge proposal represents one of the most important chooses our city will make this decade. It is imperative that it passes, and it pains me that there are still people out there who oppose it. Other proponents have already laid out the financial facts of the situation, so please give me a chance now to explain how this bridge fits into our city's future.

All other detail aside, our city has one goal: to drive up property values. It needs to do this so that it can collect property taxes, and use the tax money to help the people who can no longer afford to live in the city.

The only way to raise property values is attract spoiled yuppie types to our city. With the growing divide between the rich and the poor, there are only so many of these people left. We, as a city, must compete to bring them here. How do we do that? By offering something "alternative".

You see, despite their interest in "culture", yuppies kill off anything remotely interesting. It's like they emit a cloud of bleach that just sucks the color out of everything around them. You may remember how interesting NW Portland was back in the day--that's what attracted the yuppies there in the first place--but now, it grows old. The yuppies have sucked anything remotely interesting out of the place, and they're growing bored.

If we want to keep these yuppies in our city--and keep our property values so incredibly high--we need something new. Something "alternative".

That's where the Sauvie/I-405 bridge comes in. Some people have said that the bridge is unnecessary, or that it'll cost to much--but they're missing the point. This bridge will play into buzzwords like "livability" and "sustainability". Yuppies go crazy for that shit, and building this bridge can't help but to bring more of them to our city.
So, as you can see: this bridge must be built. There is no other option.

Patricia Stuart
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/votepatriciastuart
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Financial status: $208,132.51 in contributions, $79,535.44 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Christopher Rich
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/chrisrich4mayor
Financial status: $0 in contributions, $0 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Steven Entwisle
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

David Ackerman
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Bob Leonard Forthan
Position sought: Mayor
Website: rfortha.wordpress.com
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Jeff Taylor
Position sought: Mayor
Website: portland123.com
Financial status: -$31,420.95 currently in the bank, the balance of a loan to himself

Did not respond by deadline.

Sho Dozono
Position sought: Mayor
Website: shoformayor.com
Financial status: $201,021.81 in contributions, $107,929.68 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Beryl McNair
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/301848721
Financial status: $220.00 in contributions, $220.00 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.