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According to statistics provided by Columbia River Crossing project officials, 134,000 vehicles cross the I-5 Interstate Bridge every day. The project will upgrade the river crossing to meet not only the requirements of today but the requirements for the future. It is an opportunity for today’s generation to invest for the future – like when a previous generation built the Fremont Bridge.

The proposed bridge’s height is now a concern. Several industries upstream provide real family-wage jobs as well as a significant economic boost to the area. These firms are sometimes called old-fashioned businesses. But they keep a lot of people busy and build stuff – big stuff. The region should be tripping over itself to ensure that these businesses remain competitive and local. A bridge should support this economic effort rather than impede it.

The height is constrained in part because of a nearby airport – Pearson Field, in Vancouver, Wash. According to the information provided by project officials, the height of the bridge features is limited because of approaches to this airport.

With all of this discussion in mind, I got up early one morning and went out to Pearson Airport to see for myself what the conflict between aviation and commuters was all about. Between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. the airport was dead: no operations and no airplane noise. There was no smell of Avgas.

There wasn’t much business activity either, much less any related to aviation. There were some airplanes parked around; some were antiques and some had no engines. The gates were open to the taxiways, so anyone could have driven in. At 7:30 a.m., a few people trickled in. The only noise overhead was from flights in and out of PDX across the river.

While parked on the public side of the fence at Pearson Field and looking across the airfield at the sunrise to the river, traffic backed up on State Route 14. Some of those 134,000 drivers were on their way to work – working stiffs trying to get through the day. At 8 a.m. there was still a substantial backup in Vancouver, and it took 40 minutes to get to Portland. But still no operations were taking place at the airport.

It’s time to move Pearson Field Airport. There are historical monuments marking minor high points in aviation history, and these monuments should be retained. But this facility can be relocated and still meet the needs of its primary, general aviation users.

There are numerous ports that would benefit through increased freight mobility. As a project objective, these ports should pool their resources and find land to relocate the airport. This is not progress for progress’ sake, but recognition that as more people come into an area, highest and best land uses change. Evergreen Field airport has disappeared from Vancouver, and Beaverton Town Square now sits where an airport formerly existed.

From the heavy traffic at 6:30 a.m. it is clear that many workers have chosen to live in Clark County and work in Portland. That is not going to change.

Infrastructure is in the service of the economy, to support an increase in economic activity and to raise the standard of living. This CRC project will further that by providing modern access between two key regional business nodes.

Relocate the airport to an area that is more appropriate for its current use. When 134,000 people are impacted and significant business operations are forced to consider retooling themselves, then it’s time to do the right thing.

Christian Steinbrecher is president of Ukiah Engineering Inc., a senior consultant at Capital Project Consultants and president of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Oregon section. Contact him at [email protected].