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A phoenix is a mythical, long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates and is reborn. It obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. The Washington State Legislature has weighed in on the Columbia River Crossing and found it wanting. In the competition for projects within Washington, this project just did not make it.

This presents Oregon with an opportunity and a challenge. The existing bridges are old and need to be replaced. It is a project that is significant for the state beyond the Portland metropolitan area.

Freight mobility impacts and benefits all of Oregon. From counties in Central Oregon with high unemployment rates to more industrialized areas, the entire state needs safe, modern, reliable and secure access to our major market to the north.

Those people who understand economics realize that the state of Washington is a major economic powerhouse to which Oregon has relatively easy access. That’s in contrast to the south where the road to California through the Siskyou Mountains is a winding, mountainous freeway.

Oregon needs leaders for this project, leaders who are intuitive in their sense of what is right. While the project must have fiscal grounding, true leadership sometimes looks to the future and takes some risks.

Most infrastructure projects have significant present-day costs when they are constructed. The bridges that Conde McCullough constructed at the turn of the century were a major investment for a relatively small state. Today they are a bargain. This bridge, expensive it as it may be today for Oregon without Washington’s assistance, will be looked back upon by the coming generation in their sunset years as a bargain.

The project must be different and account for lessons learned in the past 10 years on the CRC. Much of the work performed is applicable, but a smaller, scaled down project lends itself to the opportunity to build a signature gateway into the state of Oregon. While the project connects us with Washington, it should be constructed so that the benefit balance comes down on the side of Oregon.

Perhaps light rail does not need to be part of this project. Newer and more progressive options such as bus rapid transit could be integrated into this project more economically.

Leadership for these works must be provided both at the state and regional levels. The governor, county commissioners and Portland’s mayor need to step forward and go to Salem to provide balance and move this project along.

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].