Opinion: Clark County does not have a need for light rail

The first two of C-TRAN’s Bus Rapid Transit lines – The Vine – were opened in 2017 and 2023. File photo.

🎧 Clark County Doesn’t Need Light Rail — Here’s Why

C-TRAN’s current BRT system is easily satisfying our needs and surely will continue to do just that for many years to come

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

We found out this week, thanks to the continued outstanding reporting by Clark County Today’s Paul Valencia, the pro-light rail contingent of Vancouver elected officials have no intention of being content just with the proposed 1.83-mile extension of TriMet’s Yellow Line into downtown Vancouver. They have no intention of stopping there.

Ken Vance

At the end of a work session of the C-TRAN Board of Directors, Vancouver City Councilor Erik Paulsen pulled back the curtain and surprised many by disclosing that he wants C-TRAN’s staff to look into the possibility of replacing its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, known as The Vine, with infrastructure for light rail. This despite the fact that two of the BRT projects are less than 10 years old and a third is already under construction.

“When do we stop thinking about ourselves as just a bus transit provider and begin thinking about other modes of transportation that are available to us?” Paulsen asked during a C-TRAN workshop on June 9.

Naturally, Paulsen’s suggestion was echoed by Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle and County Chair Sue Marshall. Clark County Today’s reporting over the past couple of years on transportation issues in Southwest Washington has continually revealed that those elected officials, and others, are in lockstep on the issue of light rail despite the fact that Clark County voters have said “No’’ to light rail on three separate occasions. (Thankfully, Marshall is not seeking re-election to the County Council.)

Paulsen, McEnerny-Ogle, and other Vancouver leaders apparently think they can do something better for area residents, in spite of plenty of evidence that having Portland’s MAX system or Seattle’s Sound Transit light rail has failed in these other Northwest communities. They think they can do it better, but what will be the cost to area taxpayers?

Say what you want about C-TRAN. Clark County Today has certainly published an abundance of news and opinions about our local transit agency. We’ve all watched C-TRAN buses travel all over the area with many more empty seats than those occupied. The present reality in Clark County, I’m told, is that C-TRAN currently carries about 16 to 17 people an hour. If you make a broad assumption that the average bus route takes about a 1/2 hour to go from one end of the line to the other, the bus is carrying eight or maybe nine passengers along its entire route. This is using a 49-passenger bus in most cases and filling less than 20 percent of capacity.

Add to that the fact that farebox revenue makes up only a small fraction of C-TRAN’s overall budget. But, as I’ve shared before, I realize there is a segment of our population that relies on public transportation and it’s an element of a healthy community to provide that service to those residents in need. C-TRAN is already doing that, and one can make the argument it is doing it well. C-TRAN is currently operating with a reserve fund balance while Portland’s TriMet is millions in debt.

Forgive me, but I think this defies all logic, especially less than a decade since we were all sold on the virtues of BRT. And, part of that sales job by elected officials and transportation leaders was that The Vine would trigger a great deal of transit-oriented development. But, that hasn’t happened. So now, Paulsen says we need to pivot to trams or trolleys, and that type of public transportation would surely promote the development we were previously promised.

“Transit is a catalyst for development. Rail oriented transit catalyzes much more development,” Paulsen said.

I am not so sure. And if there is development, at what cost? Officials of Portland’s TriMet admit that the agency will go bankrupt no later than the summer of 2029. It is running out of cash unless it can get another huge taxpayer bailout. In Seattle, Sound Transit made a promise to taxpayers that there would be a huge expansion of its light rail for $53-54 billion. Today, Sound Transit officials admit the project is going to cost an additional $35 billion. These politicians make incredible promises with the people’s money, yet have consistently failed to deliver on those promises. Their answer, when the promises fail, is to ask just for a little bit more of the people’s money.

For the past 18 months or more, Mayor McEnerny-Ogle has sought to bind Clark County taxpayers to bankrupt TriMet, but avoid having Vancouver pay the full price. She tried to get all Clark County taxpayers to pony up for the outrageous TriMet demand for light rail operations and maintenance costs. Thus far, the C-TRAN Board has prevented that, essentially telling Vancouver officials, “if you want light rail, you can pay for it.’’ You can bet, however, that she will make a move to put all C-TRAN taxpayers on the hook for TriMet’s operations and maintenance costs in the coming years.

The evidence is clear. Whether you believe light rail is the future in terms of public transportation or not, Southwest Washington does not have a need for it. The BRT system currently in place is easily satisfying our current needs and surely will continue to do just that for many years to come.

C-TRAN’s current BRT system is easily satisfying our needs and surely will continue to do just that for many years to come

Also read:

share