Once again there is a Washington/Oregon committee studying the Interstate 5 Bridge replacement. They are continuing to include an option to “extend light rail” into Clark County with the aim of reducing mainly Washington commuter congestion on the I-5 Bridge and freeways.
“Extending light rail” to Vancouver is a misnomer. There is no light rail now or in long-range transportation plans for Clark County. We don’t have the population density to make light rail in Clark County feasible or efficient. A light-rail train coming into Vancouver is a train to nowhere. It is simply the way to get Washington residents to Portland’s Expo Center to change trains and get on TriMet light rail traveling along Interstate Avenue to downtown Portland, with many stops for traffic lights and to pick up Portland passengers. It is not a fast commute.
How do you move thousands of Washington commuters on pokey 350-person trains during peak commute times? If you pack the trains at the Expo Center how do you accommodate Portland residents who use Interstate Avenue light rail? There is no way you can justify using TriMet light rail to get Washington commuters to downtown Portland at the exorbitant costs and logistics involved. If you believe you can, I have a bridge I can sell you. Expand C-Tran hybrid buses in your transit plan with the I-5 Bridge replacement and get light rail to Washington off the table.
