Interstate 5 is a federal highway, so why is the Columbia River Crossing not a total federal responsibility? We need an additional bridge. We will soon be asked for more funds to build it or live with the same traffic jam.
The CRC is needed for the light rail project. In my opinion, progress phased those out long ago because of inflexibility, unsightly rails, overhead power lines and now unjustifiable cost; it’s a splendid way to raise your sales tax and create bridge tolls. If you desire a prettier street, fewer autos on the road, service possibly to your door, less crime than what’s reported across the river, a less costly and totally flexible system, then that system C-Tran is already here.
At a cost in the billions of dollars, the CRC project could generate millions of dollars per year in interest only. Light rail share will be in the millions. Compare what’s envisioned by the CRC with C-Tran’s 2010 total operation cost of only $43 million (source: financial report 2010 at http://www.c-tran.com).
In the past we have voted light rail down. Fixing a vote “as is,” which is bantered around by some officials, will make democracy a victim of a very flawed process.