Jayne: Literally or metaphorically, building bridges is tough

Anyway, in case you didn’t guess, Inslee was talking about the Interstate 5 corridor when he mentioned building bridges. There was a plan in place a couple years ago, and everything appeared ready to go. Until it didn’t.

Led by lawmakers from Clark County, the Washington Legislature decided to not fund the thing, and it all fell into the river. Metaphorically.

That is where the difficulty comes in. “The Clark County-Southwest Washington community needs to come up with a unified plan that isn’t going to be torpedoed by your own legislators,” Inslee said. “If you come up with a plan and it’s torpedoed by your own legislators you just can’t pass it no matter how good the plan is.

“The way our state democracy works, it’s the state following the lead of the local legislators on a local project. So even if 90 percent of the legislators believe a particular crossing plan is good for the state, it’s still not going to be able to get that through if the local legislators want to torpedo it.”

With local lawmakers Don Benton, Ann Rivers, and Liz Pike standing in opposition, that’s what happened. And while Benton, Rivers and Pike might view that as a badge of courage, it still leaves us right where we have been for decades: In need of a new I-5 bridge.

Compromise with Oregon

The thing is, Oregon needs a new Interstate 5 bridge, as well — and that is where it becomes metaphorical again.

Oregon officials have long desired to bring light rail into Clark County as part of any I-5 project; but many people on this side of the river would rather gouge their eyes with a pencil than have light rail.

Personally, I’m with the eye-gougers. My take on light rail: Never have so many paid so much for the benefit of so few. The problem is that I have way too much time to ponder this every time I try to cross the I-5 Bridge. Have you driven that thing lately? You have time to take a nap while waiting for traffic to move.

And so, some compromise is necessary.

Oregon officials should relinquish their demand that light rail be included; Washington officials should allow for a bridge that is light-rail capable in the future. Include a provision that when the population density of Clark County reaches a certain level, light rail will be extended into Vancouver. Establish some tolls for crossing the bridge, because that fits in with the conservative philosophy of user fees, and get busy building a span that will enhance Clark County’s economy for generations.

I know, I know, that’s all easier said than done. As Inslee noted: “You also have to have an agreement with Oregon, because every bridge has two ends.” In other words, the metaphorical bridge-building must come before the literal.