Interesting to see KGW 8 publishing yet another article on the comatose CRC, 8 things that wrecked the new I-5 bridge with the usual calls and blame of what they feel brought the project down.
Listed are 1. Washington Legislators; 2. Transit; 3. Extras; 4. Tolls; 5. Finances; 6. Bridge Design; 7. ODOT and 8. Oregon legislators.
I can’t argue that each played a role in seeing the project closed down.
But ultimately, one thing is primarily to blame and that is the project never had the support of citizens north of the river, in Clark County.
We were basically being rolled over by legislators in the 49th legislative district that chose to ignore our voices.
County Commissioners promised an up or down vote for us and wouldn’t even approve of an advisory vote.
Then Oregon Governor Kitzhaber began his chant of “no light rail, no bridge, no fooling” that was adopted by the 49th legislative district legislators.
Clark County voters have repeatedly shown they did not want t Oregon’s light rail, especially at the inflated cost we found out it would cost us.
But that did not matter, votes were ignored as we repeatedly rejected every last single funding measure put before us as a proxy vote on light rail.
Legislators from outside the 49th listened to our voices and supported us, bringing the project to a close. For their effort in support of citizens, they have been demeaned and castigated by others and the local newspaper of record, the Lazy C.
We were willing to cooperate on a bridge, but you left us no choice but to kill it as even Washington Governor Inslee decided it was to be an all or nothing deal as well.
So you ended up with nothing.
The lesson that should have been learned is what was expressed by former County Commissioner Steve Stuart as he ran for reelection in 2010, “if Clark County residents don’t support it, ‘then the states have the wrong project’.”
As it turned out, he apparently didn’t believe his own words as he worked very hard to force us to accept it against our will.
If you wish to bring on a new bridge project, we are willing.
But we will not allow you to run rough shod over us.
Without our support, you have no project.
