Letter: A plan for crossing the river

With renewed arrogance, fervor, and myopia, government elites in Salem, Olympia, Portland and Vancouver began advocating to replace the aging I-5 Bridge. Washington residents rejected the multibillion-dollar project for obvious reasons: As proposed, too much money would have been spent for little improvement in the gridlock we currently experience, and which worsens by the day as we continue to grow.

First: Build another crossing from 192nd Avenue to Troutdale, Ore.’s Airport Way.

Second: Build another crossing from West Mill Plain corridor to Port of Portland/St. John’s industrial area.

Third: Replace the I-5 Bridge with accommodation for light rail; elevated tracks with center emergency vehicle/bicycle lane.

Fourth: Build elevated light rail tracks using existing I-5 right of way; select surface street crossings can be expanded to become secure, attended boarding/Park & Rides where only paid-fare persons can access boarding areas. Open-access assault areas are discouraged by allowing only those that pay their fare to enter, just like Tokyo’s rail systems. Utilizing this concept, light rail can be constructed from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. We already own the right of way.