CRC Fun in Salem


Updated: 3/17/09

I heard today that the hearing has been canceled, no word on rescheduling.

I wonder what political chip this was traded for?

Original Post: 3/12/09

I learned yesterday about Senate Bill 580, which would begin tolling the I-5 bridges over the Columbia in 2011 to begin raising money for the Columbia River Crossing project (rather than waiting to toll until the new bridge opens).

A hearing is scheduled for March 19th at 1pm in Hearing Room B in the Capitol. I wish I could be there…


7 responses to “CRC Fun in Salem”

  1. This is great! We will get hard data on how many people will change their habit and move their route to I-205 just to avoid the toll.

    I went to four early meetings of the CRC Team (tried to get HSR into the design of the bridge or at least into the corridor concept planning without success) and tolling was on the radar back then.

    The State of Oregon should do this just to start the process of getting people used to the tolling concept that other parts of the USA have been doing for decades.

    Preemptive strike: yes have a license fee for purchasing a bike ($5) and new tires ($1 per tire for the use of oil). Happy now. (this comment is about tolling on I-5 so no tangents please)

    Ray

  2. Can we toll the bridges before building the new one?

    And what if bridge tolling winds up controlling congestion to the point that the new bridge becomes unnecessary? What if we discover that tolling alone is a practical and efficient solution to the congestion problem?

    Oh, wait. “Necessary,” “practical” and “efficient” aren’t relevant considerations in the CRC process. Never mind.

  3. Can we toll the bridges before building the new one?

    Two thoughts:

    1) I don’t think anyone expects this bill to pass. The hearing is an opportunity to make a point.

    2) If we did want to toll now, build later, we would need a Federal waiver.

  4. [Moderator: Off-topic/conspiracy-theory comment removed. Terry, these copy/paste arguments of yours are off-topic and tiresome. You say precisely the same thing every time, no matter what the discussion is actually about. It is increasingly bordering on being mere comment-spam.]

  5. I think I’ll go on the 19th. The Ore. legislature should be made aware that there are other reasonable viewpoints on connections between SW Washington and the Portland area.

  6. Since this bill is apparently just to make a point, maybe they could add a provision requiring everyone who buys an electronic pass for the bridge tolls to first get their car past Multnomah county DEQ?

    Not a day goes by that I don’t see some junker from the couv belching out obscene quantities of black smoke..

    and by the way, construction on the Ronald Reagan bridge is supposed to start next year..so they think

  7. Sure , Toll ASAP ,
    but we need a new bridge
    regardless , as these
    rusting antiques will
    fall in the river during
    a Big One. We need
    a Modern Multi-Modal Bridge ,
    with useful
    Light Rail + Bikes + Peds.

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