A lot of money to be made by the various corporate welfare entities, you know they will never give up trying to get their hot little hands on all the government tax money.
There still is the problem of trying to square the circle.
The City of Portland doesn’t want additional freeway capacity.
Clark County doesn’t want light rail.
A bridge with “both” was specified, in the hopes that Portland would support something with LRT and the ‘Couv would support something with more freeway lanes; but as it turned out Portlanders hate more freeway capacity more than they like light rail, and Vancouverites hate light rail more than they like the freeway lanes. And nobody likes the price tag or the tolls.
What might fly politically? A “simple” replacement/new span, with similar freeway capacity (maybe including an aux lane in each direction, though not more than that), decent ped/bike facilities (cheap and not seemingly opposed by Clark Co), new interchanges at SR14 and Marine Drive (but no rebuilding of the freeway past that), no interchange on Hayden Island, and perhaps a bus lane or two (or repurposing of the existing spans for such purposes), not toll-financed, might pass the popular test. But it probably would not be acceptable to various power-brokers…
And of course, such a critter wouldn’t be eligible for New Starts funding. What other funding programs it might qualify for, I don’t know.
The biggest concern I would have, is that enough arms get twisted in Salem–that Clark County Republicans essentially gets their way (new freeway capacity, no transit improvements), and objections from Portland are essentially overridden.
Has anyone asked Mayor Hales what he thinks of these reports? Would a “zombridge” not have LRT (at least not initially), and if not, what design concessions are made to address Portland-area objections to expanding freeway capacity?
Or are have leaders south of the Columbia been bluffing (and/or lying) the whole time about “no LRT, no bridge”, and now that the bluff has been called, are about to fold their hands?
This whole thing is a circus. The “money” from Oregon isn’t even real. Oregon has no way to pay for this, and they even admitted it in the bill that passed. They said they would come up with a funding plan later… ridiculous.
The entire Columbia River Crossing kerfuffle can be addressed with five to ten million dollars of paint and cameras, and a nice little HOV fine.
Paint a new southbound HOV lane beginning mid-bridge on both spans with camera surveillance and a nasty fine for violation of the lanes. Share the fine revenue 50/50 with C-Tran to fill the lane and support service to new destinations in Oregon for Clark County riders.
Starting the lanes mid-bridge pushes any congestion back into Clark County where there is plenty of space to fill with it and avoids the serious leakage from the freeways that Oregon suffers every morning.
If that’s not enough, then Multnomah County could photo-toll 26, Burnside, Cornell, Germantown, Cornelius Pass and Beaverton-Hillsdale eastbound at the county line in the PM peak and sell anyone who can prove residency in Multnomah or Washington Counties an annual pass for $100.
This could all be done for $50 million given the political cojones to stand up to the Howler Monkeys in Clark County. Since we don’t vote for representatives in Salem or Council members in Multnomah County, it shouldn’t even require that big a pair.
The entire Columbia River Crossing kerfuffle can be addressed with five to ten million dollars of paint and cameras, and a nice little HOV fine.
Paint a new southbound HOV lane beginning mid-bridge on both spans with camera surveillance and a nasty fine for violation of the lanes. Share the fine revenue 50/50 with C-Tran to fill the lane and support service to new destinations in Oregon for Clark County riders.
Starting the lanes mid-bridge pushes any congestion back into Clark County where there is plenty of space to fill with it and avoids the serious leakage from the freeways that Oregon suffers every morning.
If that’s not enough, then Multnomah County could photo-toll 26, Burnside, Cornell, Germantown, Cornelius Pass and Beaverton-Hillsdale eastbound at the county line in the PM peak and sell anyone who can prove residency in Multnomah or Washington Counties an annual pass for $100.
This could all be done for $50 million given the political cojones to stand up to the Howler Monkeys in Clark County. Since we don’t vote for representatives in Salem or Council members in Multnomah County, it shouldn’t even require that big a pair.
If we get a new bridge, it might be cool to have a bike rental system that was only for the bridge- the bikes can’t leave the bike lane on the bridge. You could walk to the bridge, get on the bike, leave it on the other side.
What-ever. Any double-deck bridge is a NO-GO.
No single-deck bridge design is ready to seek approval and that might take a year.
The new Marine Drive interchange and the Expo-to-Hayden Island local road/MAX bridge
are mostly shovel-ready. Approx cost $450 million thus funded.
MAX at Jantzen Beach could junction with a BRT system across any eventual
(single-deck) bridge, compatable with other Vancouver BRT lines.
A Hayden Island LRT/BRT junction is incompatable with
Wsdot’s Spagetti ramp death trap design.
A new southbound-only span cuts cost.
Vancouver gets a new I-5 south entrance.
Use both old bridges for northbound traffic.
Replace the I-5 exit to SR14 east.
17 responses to “Zombridge Rising?”
File me a law suite Tout (de) suite!
Apparently, it made me that agitated :-)
A lot of money to be made by the various corporate welfare entities, you know they will never give up trying to get their hot little hands on all the government tax money.
There still is the problem of trying to square the circle.
The City of Portland doesn’t want additional freeway capacity.
Clark County doesn’t want light rail.
A bridge with “both” was specified, in the hopes that Portland would support something with LRT and the ‘Couv would support something with more freeway lanes; but as it turned out Portlanders hate more freeway capacity more than they like light rail, and Vancouverites hate light rail more than they like the freeway lanes. And nobody likes the price tag or the tolls.
What might fly politically? A “simple” replacement/new span, with similar freeway capacity (maybe including an aux lane in each direction, though not more than that), decent ped/bike facilities (cheap and not seemingly opposed by Clark Co), new interchanges at SR14 and Marine Drive (but no rebuilding of the freeway past that), no interchange on Hayden Island, and perhaps a bus lane or two (or repurposing of the existing spans for such purposes), not toll-financed, might pass the popular test. But it probably would not be acceptable to various power-brokers…
And of course, such a critter wouldn’t be eligible for New Starts funding. What other funding programs it might qualify for, I don’t know.
BTW they are putting this stuff on the BALLOT up in the great white north.
great article about the inevitable overbudgetedness of massive projects like the CRC:
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2013/07/why-mega-projects-end-costing-way-more-expected/6364/
Meanwhile… local wonks are coming up with plans that are far better than anything the CRC group has pursued in the past 20 years:
http://bikeportland.org/2013/08/05/a-new-common-sense-vision-for-a-columbia-crossing-91540
And of course, such a critter wouldn’t be eligible for New Starts funding. What other funding programs it might qualify for, I don’t know
FHWA grants. How most interstate highway projects are funded. “New Starts” is a FTA program.
Willamette Week provides some additional info:
http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-30542-crc_officials_confirm_its_a_zombridge.html
How about the arterial bridge to Hayden Island (from the Common Sense Alternative) along with light rail to Hayden Island.
And a pedestrian/bike bridge to Vancouver. The buses can stop at the far side of the bridge.
This might actually capture commuters from Vancouver without extending the LRT to Vancouver. ;-)
The biggest concern I would have, is that enough arms get twisted in Salem–that Clark County Republicans essentially gets their way (new freeway capacity, no transit improvements), and objections from Portland are essentially overridden.
Has anyone asked Mayor Hales what he thinks of these reports? Would a “zombridge” not have LRT (at least not initially), and if not, what design concessions are made to address Portland-area objections to expanding freeway capacity?
Or are have leaders south of the Columbia been bluffing (and/or lying) the whole time about “no LRT, no bridge”, and now that the bluff has been called, are about to fold their hands?
This whole thing is a circus. The “money” from Oregon isn’t even real. Oregon has no way to pay for this, and they even admitted it in the bill that passed. They said they would come up with a funding plan later… ridiculous.
Scotty,
The entire Columbia River Crossing kerfuffle can be addressed with five to ten million dollars of paint and cameras, and a nice little HOV fine.
Paint a new southbound HOV lane beginning mid-bridge on both spans with camera surveillance and a nasty fine for violation of the lanes. Share the fine revenue 50/50 with C-Tran to fill the lane and support service to new destinations in Oregon for Clark County riders.
Starting the lanes mid-bridge pushes any congestion back into Clark County where there is plenty of space to fill with it and avoids the serious leakage from the freeways that Oregon suffers every morning.
If that’s not enough, then Multnomah County could photo-toll 26, Burnside, Cornell, Germantown, Cornelius Pass and Beaverton-Hillsdale eastbound at the county line in the PM peak and sell anyone who can prove residency in Multnomah or Washington Counties an annual pass for $100.
This could all be done for $50 million given the political cojones to stand up to the Howler Monkeys in Clark County. Since we don’t vote for representatives in Salem or Council members in Multnomah County, it shouldn’t even require that big a pair.
Scotty,
The entire Columbia River Crossing kerfuffle can be addressed with five to ten million dollars of paint and cameras, and a nice little HOV fine.
Paint a new southbound HOV lane beginning mid-bridge on both spans with camera surveillance and a nasty fine for violation of the lanes. Share the fine revenue 50/50 with C-Tran to fill the lane and support service to new destinations in Oregon for Clark County riders.
Starting the lanes mid-bridge pushes any congestion back into Clark County where there is plenty of space to fill with it and avoids the serious leakage from the freeways that Oregon suffers every morning.
If that’s not enough, then Multnomah County could photo-toll 26, Burnside, Cornell, Germantown, Cornelius Pass and Beaverton-Hillsdale eastbound at the county line in the PM peak and sell anyone who can prove residency in Multnomah or Washington Counties an annual pass for $100.
This could all be done for $50 million given the political cojones to stand up to the Howler Monkeys in Clark County. Since we don’t vote for representatives in Salem or Council members in Multnomah County, it shouldn’t even require that big a pair.
Oregonian: Governors consider scaled down Columbia River Crossing plan proposed by business leaders
If we get a new bridge, it might be cool to have a bike rental system that was only for the bridge- the bikes can’t leave the bike lane on the bridge. You could walk to the bridge, get on the bike, leave it on the other side.
What-ever. Any double-deck bridge is a NO-GO.
No single-deck bridge design is ready to seek approval and that might take a year.
The new Marine Drive interchange and the Expo-to-Hayden Island local road/MAX bridge
are mostly shovel-ready. Approx cost $450 million thus funded.
MAX at Jantzen Beach could junction with a BRT system across any eventual
(single-deck) bridge, compatable with other Vancouver BRT lines.
A Hayden Island LRT/BRT junction is incompatable with
Wsdot’s Spagetti ramp death trap design.
A new southbound-only span cuts cost.
Vancouver gets a new I-5 south entrance.
Use both old bridges for northbound traffic.
Replace the I-5 exit to SR14 east.
This is now what is on the table. Blah blah blah.