Video courtesy KOIN TV
Bob Ortblad asks area residents to imagine the noise and toxic pollution of 130,000 cars and 14,000 trucks will rain down on Vancouver’s future Public Market
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
When asked on KOIN News about the impact of the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) on the Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 1, Administrator Greg Johnson vainly spins IBR’s massive bridge approaches.
“We think that it’s going to be tremendously complimentary,” Johnson stated.
Imagine the noise and toxic pollution of 130,000 cars and 14,000 trucks will rain down on Vancouver’s future Public Market!
The IBR continues to hide the devastation its bridge approaches will inflict on Vancouver and Hayden Island. The IBR has never presented realistic graphics or scale models of these approaches.
The IBR fraudulently disqualified an immersed tunnel alternative that would protect Vancouver, Hayden Island, and Fort Vancouver. An immersed tunnel will also enable the construction of a quiet and clean Vancouver Public Market.
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.
Johnson and the IBR must be stopped !!! Clark Co. will regret it one day, if not stopped now. It is a colossal boondoggle that will have Clark Co. paying forever. There will not come a time when tolls are no longer removed… first, for construction… then, bond payoff… then, maintenance… then, repairs… there will FOREVER BE A REASON FOR KEEPING TOLLS IN PLACE.
This Johnson guy would try to sell a pair of shoes to a double amputee. He was hired to spin spin spin it any way he can in order to get Clark Co. to bail out Tri-Met’s ever-increasing debt, and to bring the choo-choo to Vancouver.
I’m just not sure who is the baddest bad guy… Johnson or Vancouver Mayor annie ogle. At least annie ogle is an elected position and can be kicked to the curb this next election. She deserves being removed from office.
We all agree with you. Why was an underground option shut down, we have never heard why. Building another bridge will not alleviate the problems further north or further south of I five it will only complicate and create a need to drive the construction even further. What a mess these people have created with all of our tax dollars.