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CRC Week: TR-1 to TR-4 the Bus Options
The The report (PDF 3.3M) offers four different configurations of bus options (on pages 4-2 to 4-4, PDF, 134K) and recommends that all four be studied. They basically differ in the amount and configuration of dedicated facilities for the buses. I can’t quibble, they’re all options that should be studied (even if I am a…
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CRC Week: TR-7 High Speed Rail
Besides the multi-modal non-freeway bridge, this is probably the most disappointing assessment (pages 4-6 and 4-7, PDF 93K) in the screening report (PDF 3.3M). The conclusion is not to include high speed rail because it doesn’t serve regional needs. That’s sort of like saying we should never have built PDX because it doesn’t do much…
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CRC Week: RC-13 and RC-20, the Tunnel Options
The tunnel options are discussed on pages 5-7 to 5-9 and 5-13 and 5-14 (PDF, 156K) of the screening report (PDF 3.3M). The idea is to have a tunnel that goes underground somewhere before Marine Drive and surfaces around Mill Plain Blvd., bypassing Hayden Island. Staff gives this a thumbs up a supplement to the…
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One Billion Cars
Sigh. A special section in this morning’s Wall Street Journal predicts that by 2020 there will be 1 Billion cars in service worldwide. While the section has articles on hybrids, alternative fuels, congestion management, and recycling of vehicles, I did not see any prominent discussion of either peak oil or global warming (in fairness, I…
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CRC Week: AORTA Response
AORTA’s critique of the Columbia River Crossing Draft Components Step A Screening Report (March 22, 2006) The report claims the Non-Freeway Multi-Modal Columbia River Crossing (Figure 5-23) failed component screening questions Q.1, Q.3, Q.4 and Q.6, assumes “it is not feasible to raise the existing I-5 Bridges” and recommends dropping commuter rail from further consideration.…