I am appalled at the stalemate on the Columbia River Crossing with light rail. The bridge is structurally outdated, reason enough to build the bridge. Citizen safety is paramount.
I just returned from a 3,400 mile trip through six states; the only bottleneck was the I-5 bridge. The tourism, jobs and residents lost due to the bridge congestion and lack of light rail equal financial losses to Southwest Washington. I fear its future will be one of high unemployment, a lowering tax base, and weakened infrastructure .
The idea that light rail will not help congestion is ridiculous. It is fast and energy efficient. It is one of the reasons Portland is ranked as one of the most livable cities. You don’t hear that about Vancouver. You hear, “Vancouver? Ah, Portland’s poor cousin. I don’t go there, the bridge is such a mess. Not much happening there.” Sad, but true.
Face the facts: we need both the bridge and light rail. Oregon voted to fund its share if Washington does. We must join them in this essential project while federal funds are available or suffer the consequences .
