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Monday, October 12, 2009

Transportation Pete DeFazio Supports Cutting Down CRC

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 5:37 PM

Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio today joined the chorus of voices that recommend cutting down the size of the Columbia River Crossing Bridge. Portland Tribune has the scoop:


“What has been designed so far is sort of the optimal project, and we can’t afford that,” DeFazio says of the planned 12-lane, $4.2 billion version of the proposed replacement Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver, Wash.

This coming-out supports what mayoral transportation director Catherine Ciarlo said in an article I wrote a couple weeks ago when Mayor Adams rescinded support for the bridge:

A delegation from Adams' office went to Washington, DC, in April to ask about getting $400 million in federal funding to support the cost of the bridge. "But the message we've gotten is that the project is far too expensive," says Catherine Ciarlo.

In response to today's news about DeFazio, Adams says: "He's a decision maker on this issue, so when he talks, the CRC staff had better listen." DeFazio lends national weight to the group of local politicians who are pressing for a less expensive CRC project, including Metro President David Bragdon, both candidates running to replace Bragdon as Metro President and state reps Nick Kahl and Jefferson Smith. Hell, even The Oregonian reported that cutting the size of the bridge is pretty much an inevitability.

 

Comments (8) RSS

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1
Vantucky will be very upset.
Posted by BlackedOut on October 12, 2009 at 5:53 PM · Report
2
No, we won't. I think the majority of the people over here have been saying for a very long time that the proposed CRC is way too grandiose. The Columbian just released a picture of the latest pie-in-the-sky idea of having a 2 block long cap over I-5 here in Washington. Something like Vera proposed for I-405 a few years ago. Another expenditure of funds we don't have, and probably won't have for many years to come. A lot of money is spent on these grand ideas that could be put to better use for more immediate projects. For instance, bringing jobs to SW Washington and Clark County, so people don't have to drive across the river to earn a living.
Posted by ujfoyt on October 12, 2009 at 6:48 PM · Report
3
Really? I was under the impression they wanted the huge bridge so there would be less repercussions for the sprawl out there like a nice long wait to get over the bridge would cause. I was also under the impression the mayor is about to get crucified because he's realistic and admits that a project that big will require a toll.

I'm all for creating more jobs over on your side of the bridge! It might help with that unemployment issue we have over on this side of the bridge.
Posted by BlackedOut on October 12, 2009 at 7:07 PM · Report
4
Isn't that too many Downs?
Posted by Reymont on October 13, 2009 at 8:33 AM · Report
5
Peter is the man. Always thoughtful and transparent yet not overly political in his speech.
Posted by Mizzzzzzz on October 13, 2009 at 9:38 AM · Report
6
Once the slough bridge widening project is finished, the morning traffic jam will just move further south. All that is needed for the I-5 bridge is some way to relieve the traffic jam that occurs in the afternoon that is caused by traffic from Hayden Island getting on I-5 north. A new bridge with eight lanes, which would be an extra lane each way, would alleviate this problem. It could even be done cheaper than a new bridge by creating a reversible lane in each direction. That way, you could have four lanes across the bridge in the morning and four lanes in the afternoon. This would cost a lot less than building a new bridge that really isn't needed at this time.
Posted by ujfoyt on October 13, 2009 at 9:43 AM · Report
7
The CRC staff cannot and will not listen. With the amount of money that has been put into THIS bridge design, we are now in a position in which the CRC staff will build THIS bridge or NO bridge.

It's time to dismantle the project, fire the SF/NYC PR consultants and have a back-to-the-drawing-board discussion of affordable, effective and long-lasting alternative solutions.

Go to http://www.stopthecrc.org for information about how to get involved in the grassroots effort working to develop a discussion of alternatives that will actually work for the region's environment, economy and infrastructure.
Posted by Oregometry on October 13, 2009 at 11:47 AM · Report
8
I just wish leaders like Defazio would wake up and recognize that the 12 lane bridge was not optimal. It wouldn't be a good idea if it was free.
Posted by econoline on October 13, 2009 at 1:25 PM · Report

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