The Columbia River Crossing project, an ambitious effort to force Clark County citizens into accepting Portland, Oregon’s financially troubled light rail by holding a new bridge to replace the aging spans currently crossing the Columbia River between the two states evokes a lot of emotions.
Supporters raise their blinders and refuse to even look at critical studies while opponents continue to pour over documents, studies and ambitious claims, revealing their findings to any willing to listen.
An indication of just how troubled the project is was seen recently by the newly elected Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee sneaking into town to hold a private meeting with selected supporters, urging them to “increase the decibels,” meaning to drown out opponents.
Such an urging only serves to see increased efforts from opponents who continue to point out fallacies, untruthful claims and hidden data to expose what I can only describe as ‘corruption.’
Unfortunately for supporters, the efforts of opponents are paying off as we see more and more, businesses and citizens joining in and lending their voices to the opposition.
Along with concerns expressed for some time by Thompson Metal Fab, Greenberry Industrial and Oregon Ironworks, a March 25, 2013 letter to the U.S. Coast Guard from Houston Equity Corporation added their voice to business opposition due to the proposed bridges inadequate height.
Houston says, “As aptly stated by others previously, limiting clearance ‘would hamstring the greatest river in the United States, in perpetuity” after comparing the heights of other bridges up river.
That makes four larger businesses expressing deep concerns over the current design being pushed by the CRC, Thompson Metal Fab having filed a lawsuit to halt the project that has been dismissed.
However, a date has not yet been set to hear other claims from the suit, so it is not entirely dead just yet.
We also see a new report out from Economist Joe Cortright showing that the projections of future traffic crossing the bridge that would pay the tolls needed to repay the bonds to be sold to fund construction fall far short of projections.
Some of the data he reviewed reveals, “About half of all users will stop using the I‐5 bridges when they are tolled” and “In 2030, fewer people will use the new I‐5 bridges than use them today.”
Cortright’s paper states,
“Up to half of all current users of the I‐5 Bridges will divert to other routes when the bridges are tolled, according to the preliminary traffic estimates prepared as part of the CRC “investment grade” analysis by consulting firm CDM Smith. These users will divert to other routes—probably clogging traffic on I‐205, I‐84 and SR 14, and delaying travel to and from Portland International Airport—but the CDM Smith Report doesn’t address how traffic will be affected on these arterials. In 2030, according to CDM Smith, it is most likely fewer vehicles will use the new $3.4 Billion I‐5 Bridges than use it today. These new traffic forecasts contradict the forecasts the CRC has been using for several years, and invalidate the analysis contained in the project’s environmental impact statement.”
As opponents have long seen, disinformation and exaggerated claims have fueled supporters’ claims of how beneficial this project would be to Clark County.
Along with the strong opposition we see in the State Senate from Senators Ann Rivers (R. 18th) and Don Benton (R. 17th), we see Representative Liz Pike (R. 18th) introducing a bill that would halt CRC funding.
As can be expected, arrogant, staunch supporter Rep. Jim Moeller (D. 49th) says of Liz Pike’s effort, “it will not see the light of day again for the two years of this legislature and only serves as a bully-pulpit for transportation critics,” adding “I had hoped for a more bi-partisian approach on a transportation revenue package.”
Moeller, who may possibly be the most tax happy person in the legislature later says, “I believe I’m acturately representing the majority of my constituents who want that bridge built – yesterday. BTW, I fear only God – and you or the people are not.”
Forgotten by Jim Moeller, apparently, is that the majority he only thinks he represents has continually rejected funding measures placed before the people for a vote, the latest being the 2012 Proposition 1 to increase the sales tax for light rail operations and maintenance. Even within a previously gerrymandered sub-district, the measure was rejected by a 13% margin and within just his legislative district it was rejected by an 8% margin.
In a delusional manner, proponents claim this latest rejection, as with others before it was only for the mode of funding, ignoring the will of the people who have been denied promised votes and vote down funding measures as a proxy on light rail itself.
For some time now it has been said that the businesses that will affected by the inadequate river clearance will be ‘mitigated,’ likely meaning taxpayers will be left on the hook to pay for either their lost profits or to help their businesses move to another location.
This is of grave concern to taxpayers in Clark County as we not only see Oregon officials supporting and approving of the inadequate clearance in the current bridge design, but their support becomes very suspicious as we see Oregon State Rep. Caddie McKeown (D. Coos Bay) gleefully looking forward to enticing Thompson Metal Fab to relocate the current facility to her area in Reedsport, Oregon.
McKeown says,
“The possible resettlement of industries affected by the proposed Columbia River Crossing, a new bridge over the river between Portland and Vancouver, may mean opportunity for coastal businesses.”
“There are some businesses, east of the bridge, that build very large components and they tow them to their final destination. I had some of them in my office as we were trying to move this forward. One of the businesses fabricates drilling-rig components [and] it may be difficult to move those parts if the proposed bridge is built.”
“My thought was, well, if you make the components in Corvallis, and they’re trucking them over to Washington, why don’t you put them on a rail car and bring them down to Reedsport. Then, you could do your final preparation down here and launch them from a dock down here. It makes sense to me. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility to reach out to these folks and see if there’s some kind of potential.”
Apparently, Oregon officials not only wish to take advantage of still struggling middle class taxpayers in Clark County Washington to pay for their deep in debt light rail, they are also content with taking hundreds of family wage jobs away from the County when we have seen over 4 years of double digit unemployment.
All so Portland can succeed in forcing Clark County into accepting their light rail?
It is little wonder opposition continues to grow and those of us who see the folly of this current design must continue speaking out, contacting our state legislators and reveal how this project will definitely do more harm to our community than provide any of the benefits claimed by proponents.
Support of the CRC must be a campaign issue and any who will support it must not be voted in or if an incumbent, they must be voted out.
Each of you reading this needs to speak to your neighbors, friends, family and we must stop this insanity now.
