
The $2 billion cost for infrastructure and the tens of millions of dollars for annual maintenance is too costly for Camas residents, city leaders say in a unanimous vote
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
The Camas City Council changed the language a bit Monday night but unanimously adopted a resolution urging that the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program remove light rail from the project.
“The City states its opposition to the Light Rail extension as part of the I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement project and urges this component to be removed in its entirety,” the resolution concludes.
The yays were heard. There were no nays, and no abstentions.
Resolution 25-001 has 12 paragraphs that began with Whereas. Council member John Nohr had an issue with the language in the 12th paragraph, noting that the resolution states light rail would provide little or no benefit now nor into the future.
“I believe it is very expensive and provides no benefit now,” Nohr said. “But the future is a long ways out.”
His view started a discussion, which included the opinion that the bridge could be designed in order to add other transportation options — maybe even light rail — in the future if the needs of the region change.
Council members agreed to change that 12th paragraph, which now ends with:
“ … the Camas City Council is united in concluding that the capital and maintenance costs of the LRT component of the IBR Project is too burdensome to our city and residents, would provide no current benefit, and should not be included as part of the IBR Project.”
The resolution noted that the extension of TriMet’s Light Rail from Delta Park in Portland to Vancouver would cost $2 billion for the infrastructure, with an annual maintenance cost of close to $22 million.
Council members, as well as those who addressed the council in public comment Monday, agreed that the price tag was outrageous.
Several pointed out that ridership numbers of C-TRAN buses from Vancouver to Portland do not warrant a $2 billion infrastructure cost.
Oregon transportation officials claim that ridership numbers will grow, but the people in a public meeting in Camas on Monday disagreed.
“This pattern of overestimating and overforecasting ridership has plagued Tri-Met Light Rail ever since its inception,” one woman said. “Every single TriMet rail project that they have done has overprojected ridership and underprojected costs.”
C-TRAN can get the job done for its riders with bus routes.
“We don’t need to spend $2 billion on light rail or $21 million to operate it each and every year,” the woman said. “We can continue with our successful and affordable bus program. I urge you to reject this expensive and outrageous program.”
“Looking at the actual C-TRAN ridership numbers, it is clear there’s no need for light rail,” a man told the council.
A woman from Vancouver visited Camas on Monday to thank the council members for listening to its citizens, implying that does not happen in Vancouver.
“My City Council is pretty much telling us what they are going to do,” she said. “Even though we say we don’t want light rail, we don’t want to be taxed for light rail, and we don’t want tolls. … They’re excited about the federal dollars being promised. Those are still our tax dollars.”
A Camas man noted how much he already pays in taxes. He understands the benefit of taxes, provided the money is invested wisely.
“I’d like to see it well spent,” he said of his tax dollars. “Not wasted.”
A woman who spoke via a video conference platform recalled the famous quote from Henry Ford from more than 100 years ago. Ford said a customer can have a car painted any color so long as it is black.
That is not so funny to her now, when it involves billions of dollars for infrastructure and tens of millions annually for maintenance.
“That’s the kind of message Oregon is saying to Washington. You can have any I-5 bridge you want as long as it’s what we tell you it should be and we tell you how much it’s going to cost,” she said.
“We don’t want light rail here,” she added, noting it is unfair to force Clark County and Camas residents to pay for this massive project.
Council members Marilyn Boerke and Nohr did note that they have heard from many residents of Camas who are in favor of light rail coming to Clark County. They wanted them to know their voices were heard, too.
However, in the end, the cost to add less than 10,000 feet of rail from Delta Park in Portland to downtown Vancouver was too big for Camas residents, who will be helping to pay for that extension if it happens.
With that in mind, the city of Camas unanimously requested that the light rail component of the bridge replacement project be removed.
Also read:
- Washington looks to raise $1.6 billion from tolls for new I-5 bridgeWashington lawmakers are planning to raise billions through tolls to fund the new I-5 bridge connecting Washington and Oregon.
- Rep. John Ley issues statement after Marie Gluesenkamp Perez invites the USDOT Secretary to discuss the I-5 Bridge Replacement ProjectRep. John Ley criticizes the I-5 Bridge project, arguing it prioritizes transit over reducing congestion and saving time.
- Billboards make their argument for tunnel instead of bridgeBillboards in Portland urge leaders to consider an immersed tube tunnel as an alternative to the costly Interstate Bridge Replacement Project.
- Ramp meters bringing quicker commute times to I-205 in Clark County, Feb. 11WSDOT activates the final ramp meter on I-205, aiming to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
- Rep. John Ley introduces bill to save Washington transportation up to $500 millionRep. John Ley introduces House Bill 1869 to block Washington from funding out-of-state transportation projects, potentially saving up to $500 million.