In 1917, 40,000 people jammed the single span of what is now known as the Interstate 5 Bridge to witness the ribbon-cutting that opened the road to traffic. Excerpts from the headline story read: "Dreams do come true. Men who yesterday dreamed of this bridge and set about with earnest work toward its accomplishment, today find their dreams a reality. Never before in the history of Vancouver has there been such a great number of visitors within her limits. Vancouver today is host to the two states."
Decisions to be made this year regarding the bridge are no less dramatic and stand to have an immeasurable effect on the Vancouver-Portland region for decades into the future. Just what gets decided about the Columbia River Crossing project this year? Citizens, business leaders and elected officials are being asked to choose design and alignment for a new bridge. The three key decisions are:
Will the structure spanning the river be a new bridge or a supplemental bridge? A replacement bridge would be to the west of the existing span and would be wider and high enough to not require a lift span. This would significantly improve traffic flow and provide for a light rail transit or bus rapid transit connection. The supplemental bridge would keep both of the two existing bridges for northbound traffic and build a new bridge to the west for southbound traffic and high capacity transit.
A second decision determines the high-capacity transit mode - light rail or bus rapid transit? Current analysis indicates that either will boost the cost effectiveness of transit trips. The trade-offs are that light rail costs more, but has lower operating costs than rapid bus transit.
The third decision is the alignment for the mass transit options. Will it be along I-5 or on Vancouver streets?
Getting to this point of defining alternatives has involved years of community meetings, hundreds of hours of consultation with planning partners, thousands of pages of design plans, traffic and transit analysis and cost calculations.
In June, this information will be used to decide whether to move forward. If the decision is to move forward, the favored option will define the core elements of the project.
Other projects
Other predictions for the year might seem less spectacular. Hardly.
Our region is poised to follow through with other important transportation projects.
The Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study is working to define a set of corridors that will be a key part of the region's transportation plan. This system is designed to answer the question, "How will we get around when we have a million people living in Clark County?"
The options for new corridors are likely to include land to the west of I-5 and east of Interstate 205. There could also be an east-west connection north of Battle Ground. There might also be locations found for a third crossing of the Columbia River.
If the development and construction of new transportation facilities are the "wheels" that carry our region's economy, then they will be spinning in 2008 with the advancement of more than $760 million in state transportation projects via the 5-cent and 9.5-cent "Partnership" fuel tax funding packages.
This year, the Washington Department of Transportation will:
Continue to build the I-5 and Battle Ground interchange and widen state Highway 502 into Battle Ground.
Work will start for a new offramp at Mill Plain Boulevard and 112th Avenue.
Design will start on a new interchange at I-205 and 18th Street
Transportation officials will begin work on a new state Highway 500 and St. John's Road interchange.
Design and environmental permitting will be completed on the I-5 and Salmon Creek interchanges. The existing 134th Street interchange will be improved and the construction of an additional interchange at 139th Street will reopen the area for retail, office, medical and housing development.
The safety of state Highway 14 will increase with the completion of design work to construct a new Camas Slough bridge, widen the highway to four lanes and build an interchange at Union Street.
Not just roads
Freight rail traffic will get an efficiency boost with a new, $100 million bypass track in the Vancouver rail yard. The track will allow passenger trains to bypass congestion caused by freight trains. There will also be a vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the railroad tracks on West 39th Street.
The Port of Vancouver will begin its West Vancouver Freight Access project.
This new rail line will exit the east-west BNSF mainline at Columbia Street and extend along the waterfront continuing under the rail bridge.
The improvement will remove a mainline rail chokepoint and enhance the port's internal rail system.
In conclusion, it is worth returning to the wisdom expressed in the 1917 newspaper article.
"The pioneer is ever a progressive dreamer," the story read. "He always sees the future. The more of a pioneer the more he sees and believes in the future of his community, state and nation."
Any pioneers out there?
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