Lewallen’s visit comes as the IBR team continues to advance plans that include light rail despite widespread pushback from citizens and leaders in Clark County
Washington, D.C. – On Friday (June 13), Camas City Councilor Leslie Lewallen traveled to the U.S. Department of Transportation to speak directly with federal officials regarding the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project and the growing opposition in Southwest Washington to the proposed light rail extension.
Lewallen met with key members of Secretary Shawn Duffy’s leadership team, including the secretary’s chief of staff, chief counsel, and three senior federal transit attorneys. During the meeting, she expressed serious concerns about the inclusion of light rail in the project—an element that has been widely opposed by residents, elected officials, and local municipalities such as Camas and Battle Ground.
“This project has the potential to be a generational opportunity to improve infrastructure between Washington and Oregon,” said Councilor Lewallen. “But tying it to a multi-billion-dollar light rail extension that our community does not want and cannot afford is the wrong approach. Southwest Washington needs real solutions, not political pet projects that burden taxpayers and bring in problems from across the river.”
Lewallen authored the resolution unanimously passed by the Camas City Council opposing light rail in the IBR project. Shortly after, the city of Battle Ground passed a similar resolution.
Her visit comes as the IBR team continues to advance plans that include light rail despite widespread pushback from citizens and leaders in Clark County. Lewallen emphasized the need for practical alternatives that address real transportation needs — such as traffic congestion, emergency access, and freight mobility — without importing Portland’s troubled transit issues.
“I’m committed to ensuring the voices of Camas and my neighbors in Southwest Washington are heard in Washington, D.C.,” Lewallen added. “We deserve infrastructure that serves our families and businesses, not out-of-touch mandates driven by political agendas.”
For more information about Councilor Leslie Lewallen and her ongoing advocacy for Camas and Southwest Washington, visit www.LeslieForCamas.com.
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Good job, Leslie! Thanks! Hopefully, the Feds will put a stop to this boondoggle consisting of light rail and the never-ending costs associated with it. We need the bridge, with more lanes to handle the traffic, and throw in a nice 10-foot sidewalk for pedestrians and bikes… and then stop right there, nothing more.
But to be honest, I’d rather see a third bridge built before the existing, totally safe bridge is screwed around with.
Susan —
Spot on regarding the “third bridge” proposal. Back in 2008, our Regional Transportation Council (RTC) published a “Visioning Study”, which identified needs for when Clark County population reached 1 million people.
The visioning study reported we would need TWO new bridges, one west of I-5, and the other east of I-205. So far, the RTC has refused to begin the planning for either of those bridges. Today we have roughly 525,000 people. We are more than half way to needing BOTH an east and a west bridge to handle cross river traffic.
CCT, who paid for this vacation and photo-op? In the era of virtual meetings it better not have been on taxpayer money. And why all the phots in bright red? Me thinks we will see these same photos in her campaign for Congress. Typical politicians spending taxpayer money to complain about spending taxpayer money to get elected to higher office. Shameful.
At the June C-TRAN meeting, the IBR leader explained his view that a public vote on light rail was “not a thing”. Yet CTRAN staff made lengthy presentations to cities and the county earlier in 2025 outlining how current state law includes a public vote to raise the CTRAN portion of the sales tax for light rail. It was due to state law that a vote on light rail was held in 2012, when every city in the county, and the county area in the voting boundary soundly REJECTED the CTRAN propposition to extend TRIMET light rail over a proposed new I-5 Bridge. In 2013, county commissioners held an advisory vote on light rail, and again, voters county wide affirmed a public vote should be held before any funds are spent on light rail.
Vancouver Mayor Anne Ogle and County Councilor Sue Marshall have not responded to calls for a public vote on light rail, and seem intent on changing the state law that requires a public vote. Perhaps they realize that voters are highly unlikely to vote to raise taxes for unnecessary light rail, a vastly more expensive transit option than buses and vans. It’s good news that Camas City Councilor Leslie Lewallen and others want to hear from residents, and understand that “a multi-billion-dollar light rail extension that our community does not want and cannot afford is the wrong approach.”
Maybe Leslie and other politicians should figure a way to keep traffic moving on a regular basis on I-5 and 205 as well as getting law enforcement to deal with the lawless drivers causing so many horrific accidents. It is impossible to get anywhere between Portland and SW Washington e to the in a timely fashion anymore. We need more reliable and efficient public transportation. Being able to take MAX to downtown Portland, Hillsboro or the airport and back would be fantastic. With the growth we’re experiencing, A goal should be to get vehicles off the road.