Bob Ortblad scrutinizes IBR ramp design
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
Three years ago, I created and posted a graphic of a possible “Shared Use Path.” The graphic accurately depicted the difficulty of a 100-foot climb to the bridge level. Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) officials were not happy with my depiction and promised to consider future multiple ramp designs.
The latest of these designs was presented at an IBR workshop on August 27, 2025, by Knight Architects, a costly firm from London. Knight’s design has a grade of 4%, is about a half-mile-long, with turns totaling 810-degrees.
A small model of the shared use path was presented to an IBR architectural advisory group in October.
IBR October newsletter https://mailchi.mp/interstatebridge/ibroctober2025newsletter
Knight Architects’ ramp design may have been inspired by a Disney Cruise water slide. For an average walker or biker, the distance, grade, and turns will make the climb exhausting and disorienting. The descent will be terrifying. Knight Architects has a $1.4 million contract; how much was wasted on this flawed design and model?
Bob Ortblad MSCE, MBA
Seattle
Also read:
- Opinion: ‘If they want light rail, they should be the ones who pay for it’
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance argues that supporters of light rail tied to the I-5 Bridge replacement should bear the local cost of operating and maintaining the system through a narrowly drawn sub-district. - Opinion: IBR falsely blaming inflation
Joe Cortright argues that inflation explains only a small portion of the IBR project’s cost increases and that rising consultant and staff expenses are the primary drivers. - Letter: The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s $141 million bribe can be better spent on sandwich steel-concrete tubes
Bob Ortblad argues that an immersed tunnel using sandwich steel-concrete tubes would be a more cost-effective alternative to the current Interstate Bridge Replacement Program design. - A sub-district vote could be a way to go to pay O&M costs associated with light rail
Clark County Council members heard details on how a voter-approved C-TRAN sub-district could be created to fund long-term operations and maintenance costs for light rail tied to a new Interstate Bridge. - Letter: British Columbia’s new immersed tunnel can solve Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s $17.7 billion problem
Bob Ortblad argues that an immersed tunnel similar to a project underway in British Columbia could significantly reduce costs and impacts associated with the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program.
Boy, a tunnel sure looks like a BETTER idea!
Additional brides and no light rail. If you had 4 or 5 crossings with simple plain bridges you could spread out the traffic. Light rail seems to be a money grab by the very people who tell you to trust them. They all seem to be doing very well as the people, the tax payer suffers because they can never get enough of your money. All their pipe dream “save the planet from falling out of the sky” scams are making you broke and them rich. Vote in garbage and your reward is expensive garbage.