91视频

Clark County wants to build two new bridges over the Columbia River. County commissioners recently approved resolutions to set up two task forces over the next six months to study construction of two additional connections between Washington and Oregon. But neither light rail nor tolls will be included.

The failure of the Columbia River Crossing, a freeway megaproject to widen and modernize the Interstate Bridge, was a costly lesson, Clark County Council Chairman David Madore said. 鈥淐rippling congestion鈥� on the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 corridors has stifled interstate commerce, he said, but the light rail planned for the CRC would not have been an effective solution.

鈥淭he legislatures in Oregon and Washington spent a $200 million 鈥榯uition’ payment on a boondoggle and basically abandoned it with no tangible outcome except 鈥榳hat we can learn from the experience,’ 鈥� he said.

The problem with the CRC, Madore said, was that it was proposed from the legislatures to the people. By setting up the task forces, the effort to find a new proposal will start with the people and work its way up to the legislatures.

In 2013, after the Washington State Legislature failed to pass essential funding for the CRC, Clark County voters approved measures to pursue the two bridges as long as they didn’t include tolls or light rail, Madore said. The East County bridge would be located between Interstate 205 and Troutdale, and the West County bridge would be west of Portland International Airport.

Troutdale Mayor David Daoust said he supports the effort.

鈥淚 see it as a long-term solution because it’s really limited (as to) what can be done in I-5 corridor and I-205 corridor as far as increasing capacity on those two,鈥� he said.

Daoust also supported plans for the task forces in a letter to Clark County commissioners and mayors of Camas, Vancouver and Washougal in Washington.

鈥淲e want to join you in this positive vision for economic stimulus, jobs and industrial land development reasons, in contrast to doing nothing and living with stagnation and traffic jams into the future,鈥� he wrote.

Wood Village Mayor Patricia Smith also supports plans to study new bridges across the river.

鈥淚t would have no light rail 鈥� just for cars and buses 鈥� and that would alleviate a lot of congestion and would enable (people) to take the bridge across and get on the MAX on our side of the river,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here would have to be a lot more information before anything begins to materialize, but this would be a good move. I think it’s great that Vancouver and us can work together.鈥�

The two task forces will be guided by seven principles stated in resolutions passed by Clark County, Madore said. The first three are to protect and enhance the river navigation channel, interstate commerce and 鈥渢he unity of our bi-state community.鈥� The other four principles are to provide new freight corridors, reserve resources for future bi-state freight corridors, invite private-sector firms to help design and build the bridges and make sure any proposals are embraced by Clark County citizens.

Madore said each task force will include 10 community leaders from both states who will gather, study and then provide a recommendation in writing 鈥渇or a community-supported design that can be fast-tracked, funded and constructed in a timely manner.鈥�

Prospective task force members and experts interested in providing technical support can contact Madore via email at [email protected]. More information is available at: www.clark.wa.gov/councilors/county-seeks-leaders-fast-track-new-toll-free-bi-state-bridges.

Funding for the proposed CRC was flawed because it depended too much on federal dollars allocated for light rail, Madore said, but funding for the new bridges should come from existing gas tax revenues from both states.

鈥淣othing happens without vision and nothing happens without leadership and without a diligent commitment to work and do hard stuff,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat’s why we have the I-205 bridge today, because of collaboration on both sides of the river. It was a sensible funding mechanism that was toll free and used existing gas taxes.鈥�

Madore said the goal of the CRC was 鈥渓ight rail at any cost,鈥� but it would have reduced the navigation channel on the river without reducing congestion because most people would still drive their cars. He stated that only 3 percent of commuters use public transit.

鈥淲e could still have public transportation in the form of express buses, but light rail doesn’t make sense for Clark County,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don’t have the density of a London or a New York City and we don’t have a high-population density center.鈥�

Once the two task forces complete their proposals, the plans will be presented to the state legislatures as well as Congress, Madore said.

鈥淧eople say, 鈥楬ow are you going to fund it?’ 鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd it’s the same way we funded every other (major) project in Oregon and Washington over the last several decades: with existing gas taxes.鈥�