Do alternatives to Columbia River Crossing “group think” merit consideration? Even in the unlikely event that an I-5 replacement bridge concept could be agreed upon, designed and built within some foreseeable period, it would be of limited value until chokepoints on the Oregon side are eliminated.
And how would traffic be impacted during a multiyear construction period? Could the I-205 Bridge accommodate all interstate travel? The existing bridge is a valuable public asset. It can be seismically upgraded to continue local access.
Should a third bridge be considered? A western connection from I-5 to I-405 would bypass Portland bottlenecks and directly access freight gateways. While the right-of-way might have environmental impacts, they could be mitigated by route selection and elevating or submerging portions of the roadway. The Everglades Freeway in Florida extends 78 miles through extremely sensitive territory.
Enormous pushback is anticipated; CRC thinking seems to be solidly entrenched. It is the duty of our elected leaders to demand that all feasible options be modeled and presented for public examination.
