Comments on: How many ideas have been proposed over the years for multiple crossings of the Columbia River?

By: John Ley

John Ley — Fri, 21 May 2021 21:22:55 +0000

John Hartzell —

Vancouver and all Clark County are not “anti-transit”. We already have C-Tran service that not only serves SW Washington, but which offers the ONLY cross-river transit service. TriMet does not offer their transit service to Clark County.

The C-Tran “express” buses had 7 separate bus lines across the river, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. That ridership was in decline, even before the pandemic caused ridership to fall off a cliff.

At a Bi-state Bridge Committee meeting 18 months ago, Rep. Vicki Kraft asked an appropriate question. “What is the need for transit on a replacement bridge?”

https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/what-is-the-need-for-transit-on-a-replacement-interstate-bridge/

When you are considering over 300,000 daily crossings on an average day, using the two bridges, the 1,000 to 2,000 people riding the C-Tran express buses is a rounding error, and does next to nothing to reduce traffic congestion.

Maybe in 20 or 40 years, there will be enough interest in mass transit across the river to offer “high capacity” transit service. But for now, a few C-Tran buses can adequately handle all the demand.

By: Nathan Campbell

Nathan Campbell — Fri, 21 May 2021 21:10:11 +0000

Nobody is talking about the fact that,
1) the tax structure is fundamentally different between the two states.
2) the planning objectives are fundamentally different between the two states.
3) there is no one with the gravitas of Glenn Jackson to move the dial.

Best option is to close all traffic across the Columbia to eliminate the “taxation without representation” argument, and keep people safe when the bridge collapses.

By: John Hartzell

John Hartzell — Fri, 21 May 2021 20:08:58 +0000

My comment is this: If Vancouver intends to be considered a viable city moving forward, it needs to consider public transportation seriously. Otherwise it will remain a podunk town. Why all the anti-light rail stuff and us versus them attitude when dealing with our Oregon brethren? Let’s look to the future and consider what Vancouver could be. Let’s have some vision and less bickering over exactly who pays for what and exactly who benefits from what. Let’s also take advantage of the ground-swell of activity around the country’s infrastructure rebuild.

By: Ethan Eichenberger

Ethan Eichenberger — Thu, 20 May 2021 17:41:54 +0000

This is just crazy. All are great ideas and up to over 40 years over (for some) nothing has happened.
The Interstate Bridge can be replaced later. We need any new roadway across the river!!